I find it quite interesting that so much emphasis is put onto have doubles with and isolation valve two seperate regs, while having a pony slung as a bail out. In california solo diving isnt given a second thought. Its widely accepted all of the charter boats allow it and all of the crew of boats do it. Other parts of the country see solo diving as being such a no-no. Why is it so widely accepted here but not in other places?
California SOLO
- Thread starter sk8rpj
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
That's because all those Californians are FREAKS! (No, just kidding, I'm from So Cal orginally myself - Oxnard).
From my experience, in moving back and forth between the west coast and east coast, it seems that there are major philosophical differences between the two coasts.
In California, it's "Do What You Like."
Out east, it's "Follow the Rules."
From my experience, in moving back and forth between the west coast and east coast, it seems that there are major philosophical differences between the two coasts.
In California, it's "Do What You Like."
Out east, it's "Follow the Rules."
captain
Contributor
All trends start on the west coast, maybe it will spread east.
With the lowest point in the U.S., Death Valley, the highest mountains in the lower 48 states, the toughest surfing, Maverick's, and some of the World's best diving in California we have a spirit of adventure here. Diving here can be difficult at times with temperate water temps from the 40s to upper 60s, tough beach entries and exits and reefs/wrecks that are in depths beyond recreational range. Diving in California can be harder to do than a typical Caribbean dive. We generaly climb down goat paths to get into high surf along a rocky shoreline and are thrilled if the vis is better than five feet. The boat crews here realize that those with experience diving in California have a general skill level that exceeds those of resort divers and accept that the divers here can take care of themselves. It is extremely rare to see a DM leading a dive, let alone actually getting in the water. In the resort locales it is not very common to see a DM remain on the boat with divers in the water.
- Messages
- 1,487
- Reaction score
- 0
- # of dives
- 500 - 999
LA parks and recreation was the first to start certifying rec divers [in the US] in 1954 (4yrs before Sea Hunt, 5 yrs before the YMCA & "birth of the buddy system", 6 yrs before NAUI, 12 before PADI). So I'd like to think that the "forward" thinking in scuba is still prevalent in CA.
adrenalineblues
Guest
I was on a boat here in So Cal on Sunday (not one I had been on before). I was pleasantly suprised during the dive brief that the DM asked if anyone was planning to solo and that it was allowed, and if they decided they would rather have a buddy they would arrange one... Over all the boat ROCKED!!! But knowing that I can dive solo if I choose to without any grief earns them my repeat business...
abman
Contributor
yes us california divers ARE freaks!! where eles would you hear a diver say " man, what a great dive, we must have had 3-5' vis with a 10' surge. water temp of 50. DAMN, i can't wait to make a 2nd dive. if you can dive the northern california coast you should be able to dive anywhere. solo, or buddied up. just think how much fun it isn't, to be trying to keep track of a buddy in 3' of vis. sounds like fun? not! i'd rather dive alone. my gears set up for it and i am as well.
While there are a number of tech divers in our state who use doubles with isolation manifolds and slung pony bottles (and usually buddies as well), there are probably many more divers who dive solo with just a pony (anyone diving solo at depths greater than 40' without a pony bottle is an idiot IMHO... and I was one more than once).
Based on my personal experience and statistics, my solo diving is 20X safer than when I'm buddied up. I'm glad that boats here allow us that freedom. However, I generally only dive solo in my own neighborhood (Catalina) and greatly prefer having a buddy in other parts of SoCal.
Based on my personal experience and statistics, my solo diving is 20X safer than when I'm buddied up. I'm glad that boats here allow us that freedom. However, I generally only dive solo in my own neighborhood (Catalina) and greatly prefer having a buddy in other parts of SoCal.
abman
Contributor
i suppose that i should add that on a lot of the channel island trips that i make, i dive solo. i'm diving by myself, but there are other divers in the water nearby. i wonder if that is a good thing or not. at least if there is a problem there is surface support available. diving the north coast is kinda the same type of deal. it's really tough to hunt and keep a buddy attached at the hip. we normally cross paths at least 3-4 time during a dive. i just feel much more comfortable diving by myself, i know my limitaions and my gears. i don't push eithers.
Similar threads
