question about solo diving

[diver00011]

Best you can do is make sure you're following a good dive plan (e.g. staying within your oxygen toxicity limits), staying healthy, seeing your doctor regularly, and staying out of the water if you have some medical condition that predisposes you to losing consciousness at inconvenient times.

Aside from that, this is one of those situations where you and your loved ones need to accept the increased risk that comes with solo diving.

But how much is the risk increased? Depends on how the degree to which:
1 - Your buddies have situational awareness and are competent to rescue you and;
2 - The loss of consciousness at depth is survivable.

 

[divad]

That's a very long post. Why do you think you are at risk for losing consciousness?

Heck, I lost consciousness halfway through the fourth paragraph...

 

[Ana]

When I had my first child, I was very concerned about taking a shower if the father wasn't home. I felt if something happened to me the baby would be compromised. By he time my 2nd son came into the picture I realized there's so many things out of my control, the best way forward is just to do things as safely as: "I see them"
For the last few decades about 75% of my dives (few hundred a year) are solo, but about 95% of my showers are also solo, as well as driving dangerous highways.
The thing I still draw the line is leaving my vehicle in a dark parking lot, that's the one thing I won't do solo, I managed to live without doing it and not even redundant weapons will change that.

We all have our lines, if loss of conciousness is a thing for you, then you have to deal with it in a way that allows you to be in peace with yourself.

 

[lowviz]

We all have our lines

Indeed. And we are all immortal for a fairly good stretch of our lives. The fun is in how we manage that stretch without compromising others. [/OPINION]

 

[Celt]

Worry is a complete and utter waste of time. But if you’re concerned about something that may lead to you passing out definitely get it checked out. If I fast I can pass out so I eat regularly. All my dives last year were solo.

 

[Cdncoldwater]

I give my land contact (wife) my location, dive time and average depth plan plus a report back time. I've done a lot of higher risk things in my life and solo diving is pretty low on the list as there are redundancies on all major factors; if there aren't then you aren't planning or diving properly. You can not plan for every event and as a solo diver there is never "pressure" to dive if you feel "off". If LOC is a concern, you may want to have a physician look into that concern.

 

[hedonist222]

Just to clarify.
I'm not prone to passing out and maybe only passed out once after donating a lot of blood after a long day and on an empty stomach.

 

[TMHeimer]

I give my land contact (wife) my location, dive time and average depth plan plus a report back time. I've done a lot of higher risk things in my life and solo diving is pretty low on the list as there are redundancies on all major factors; if there aren't then you aren't planning or diving properly. You can not plan for every event and as a solo diver there is never "pressure" to dive if you feel "off". If LOC is a concern, you may want to have a physician look into that concern.

When I dive locally I too tell my wife where I am and text upon finished for the day. If I don't text, she could alert police-- in case I have drifted out to sea. If it's a medical problem causing unconsciousness at depth that will be that. I don't do this when I am in NY the 7 weeks by myself. She can't help me from 900 miles away.

 

[Celt]

When I dive locally I too tell my wife where I am and text upon finished for the day. If I don't text, she could alert police-- in case I have drifted out to sea. If it's a medical problem causing unconsciousness at depth that will be that. I don't do this when I am in NY the 7 weeks by myself. She can't help me from 900 miles away.

Same for me, I send 2 texts, getting in the water, and back on board when finished diving.

 

[Searcaigh]

only passed out once after donating a lot of blood after a long day and on an empty stomach.

Tut tut, you should not donate blood on an empty stomach.

That aside, many of my dives are solo even when I have my regular buddy because like you both of us are looking for small critters to photograph, and we could be outside of each other's visibility.

I tend not to worry too much about it, we both carry redundant gas and all the necessary gear for solo diving. However, should either of us lose consciousness for some reason then not much we can do about it, so why worry!