Bad attitudes about solo diving are still prevalent

[Bob DBF]

But, I most definitely agree that people who are equipped and properly trained should be not be barred from solo diving. Showing "the card" might be the only to demonstrate to an operator that you are, if you depend on operators to reach your dive sites.

The only issue I have with that train of thought is that a diver with a hundred buddy dives and gear an instructor tells them to wear, can dive solo after two training dives is certified and can dive solo. Divers with much more experience and solo time in the water are excluded unless they pay for a card.


I will add that solo is not an answer for all divers. I believe the safety of diving solo is more dependant on the self selection of that type of diving and the fact that most divers use, or believe they use, the buddy system to keep them safe. Trying to make everyone a solo diver will not make solo diving safer.


Bob

 

[guyharrisonphoto]

Well, your critique is more if an improperly implemented buddy system. Buddies should always be in visual contact and no more than a few seconds apart at a fast swim if something happens. This eliminates the main danger of relying on the buddy system (not "really" having a buddy close enough to assist).

I either dive with buddies I know, or have a conversation with any "insta-buddy" I am paired with on a boat to make sure we are compatible. Doing this, I never feel the need to carry a pony or other excessive redundant gear when I am in a buddy team. the fact that 99% of the divers in my area, who practice advanced diving (deep strong current diving), do not carry ponies shows the benefit of good buddy practice.

If I am going solo, that is another matter.

 

[TrimixToo]

<snip>

But, bottom line, you are more at risk solo diving. This should always be clearly understood.

<snip>.

I await...data.

 

[guyharrisonphoto]

The only issue I have with that train of thought is that a diver with a hundred buddy dives and gear an instructor tells them to wear, can dive solo after two training dives is certified and can dive solo. Divers with much more experience and solo time in the water are excluded unless they pay for a card.

Bob

As for "the card," I had to pay for AOW after 35 years of diving and 2000+ dives, because operators who did not know me would not take me deeper than 60', eliminating all the good wrecks in the Keys.

Just a fact of life . . . which is why I am now going to pay for the solo card.

 

[Christopher Griffin]

But, I think it is ironic that several of these items either cannot be mitigated at all without a buddy, or mitigated only with difficulty, and possibly not effectively:

Cramp (potentially difficult to mitigate)
Entangled (potentially difficult to mitigate)
Lost (more difficult to mitigate--a buddy also navigating can eliminate)
Bubble checks (impossible)
Medical emergency (impossible)
Disoriented (impossible if medical, otherwise a sign of incipient panic and a buddy can help greatly).

So, this list is as much an advertisement for buddy diving as it is a manifesto for solo diving.

The other items--yes, solo training and proper gear can make a buddy unnecessary for these.

But, bottom line, you are more at risk solo diving. This should always be clearly understood.

But, I most definitely agree that people who are equipped and properly trained should be not be barred from solo diving. Showing "the card" might be the only to demonstrate to an operator that you are, if you depend on operators to reach your dive sites.

Lets go through your listed points:-

Cramp - if you cant deal with a cramp yourself whilst diving (basic OW) - you were not paying attention

Entanglement - the entangled diver should be the one to deal with the entanglement, with support from a buddy if at all needed, as there is a risk that both divers could become entangled. also the right equipment for dealing with entanglements. ie line cutters and shears, not the 8" dive knife used to fend of sharks.

Lost - if you get lost on a dive you should first STOP, assess the situation and if it cannot be resolved end the dive = no dive buddy needed here then.

Bubble checks - do we have to wait to get in the water to check for leaks, no of course not an environmentally friendly soap solution can be used pre-dive to check for leaks = no buddy needed here then. Constant correct monitoring of your SPG whilst diving would indicate a leak should it happen during a dive, with the use of feathering of the cylinder valve if required to end the dive and return to the surface = no buddy needed here

Medical emergency's - not sure what a buddy could do underwater, other than inflate your bc, you cannot give CPR whilst underwater or at the surface until your back on the boat or land, other physiological signs narcosis ect... ect... the diver should be aware of the basics and what to do to reduce the risks before he enters the water = so buddy required yes and no

Disorientation - see lost

all the above are to do with diver training, and nothing to do with the supposed heightened risk of solo diving.

 

[tursiops]

So getting back on topic, if you could tell us all why it would be so unjustified to teach new divers that being able to spot physiological warning signs early, and to teach self reliance and rescue when diving at the outset, I am sure we would all very interested.

If you do a search on ScubaBoard you'll find your answer....not I think you will accept it, your mind seems to be made up.

 

[Bob DBF]

As for "the card," I had to pay for AOW after 35 years of diving and 2000+ dives, because operators who did not know me would not take me deeper than 60', eliminating all the good wrecks in the Keys.

Just a fact of life . . . which is why I am now going to pay for the solo card.

I've run into the same thing since I had to get an OW card after 17 years of diving, I don't have to like the system that considers a novice more qualified than the experienced. At least I'm somewhere diving solo isn't a sin, yet.


Bob

 

[Aqua-Andy]

But, bottom line, you are more at risk solo diving. This should always be clearly understood.

I await...data.

I believe Mark Powell Provides plenty of data and it does not support guyharrisonphoto's opinion.

 

[chrisch]

...
So getting back on topic, if you could tell us all why it would be so unjustified to teach new divers that being able to spot physiological warning signs early, and to teach self reliance and rescue when diving at the outset, I am sure we would all very interested.

I think the post above yours answers this very well:-

I think most of the people would never take a OW course in the first place if it would be well over 10 - 14 days training and cost over 2000 bucks like I think it should be to learn all the needed skills for avoiding the most potential accidents and getting better buoyancy skills and learning the needed extra skills (when I said the basic OW should be the ow, aowd, rescue and at least some specialities combined)....

There is no need to train people to a high standard if their aspirations are simply to dive twice a year on holiday in warm clear water in a guided group at 12m.

Those are not my aspirations but they are for many. If you want more (and I think you should) then more options open up. If you want to be self reliant that training is available and will help achieve that goal. If you feel that you should be a competent person capable of helping another diver in distress (and you should) then the Rescue Diver course will help achieve that goal.

It is a well established principle to break things down into manageable segments. This is the core of most scuba training, take a skill and repeat it until competent. Mask clearing for example, start with a partially flooded mask and clear it then a fully flooded mask and clear it then remove and replace and clear. Rewarding this progress with an intermediate certificate or awarding a "level" seems a good idea to me. Is this not how it is done? Start with the basic skills, go and dive a bit to practice them in the real world, come back and move up a level. Who are we to criticise those that stop at the first level?

If there is a weakness it is - in my view - simply that new divers are not given enough encouragement to further their training. I am sure time and money and logistics play their part in that.

 

[Bob DBF]

Well, I have a brain, and some common sense. I don't need anything more to see the the risk of being alone in an environment hostile to life with no assistance, as opposed to being with a buddy ready to provide assistance.

Sheeesh . . . .

It does depend on the buddy, in the water or taking a cross country hike.

I do dive with new divers, to honor the guys that dove with me back when, but I am not under the illusion that they will be of great assistance in an emergency. On the other hand, over the years I have had trusted buddies that have saved my bacon. Ya got to know who you are with.


Bob