danger: solo openwater vs. cave diving w. buddy

[dherbman]

"So, explain to me, when a trained solo diver wo also has fully redundant gear is in more danger then a buddy team in a silty cave 2200ft from the entrance?

Just wondering the logic being used, not questioning your intelligence."

Uh oh, your using the old noggin there! Your exactly right and that is a very simple way to put it into perspective. Maybe they carry a rock boring drill and explosive on themselves, where would be the correct DIR location of a rock drill and on which D ring would the explosive be attached, no metal to metal and only with a double square knot of course. N

Sorry, but I'm not sure I understand your point. Is it that a well trained cave diving team is less safe than an equally well trained solo diver? THere is a point, right?

 

[duckbill]

O.K. I didn't really want a debate, just individual opinions. Somehow, though, I knew this would happen.
The main reason I posed this question was because I was baffled as to why cave diving tends to be catered to in the diving industry and community, and the divers are often respected as risk-taking "explorers"; while solo diving is strongly discouraged on the whole, and the divers viewed as foolhardy. Why, to access this forum I had to register and acknowledge a disclaimer, while anyone can freely access the cave diving forum.
Go figure. Unless cave diving is inherently or statistically safer than solo diving- hence the query.
By the way, I joined this forum because I am often a solo diver by default, and enjoy it very much. Let's please keep debate to a minimum gents.

 

[dherbman]

I think that statisticly, cave divers train to a far higher degree than than solo divers. Training makes for a safer diver IMO. Could that be the difference?

 

[Charlie99]

The main reason I posed this question was because I was baffled as to why cave diving tends to be catered to in the diving industry and community, and the divers are often respected as risk-taking "explorers"; while solo diving is strongly discouraged on the whole, and the divers viewed as foolhardy.

IMO it's because the overall impression in the dive community is that cave divers are taking on a difficult challenge and working hard to minimize the risks; while the solo divers are unecessarily accepting risks that can easily be minimized.

 

[Solitude Diver]

Who’s to say what is a necessary/acceptable risk or not?

Neither Cave, Technical, or Solo Diving are necessary to dive. Some individuals accept the added risks for (any) of these because it is worth it for the rewards an individual gets from each.

It is a very good question as to why Solo is not accepted and the other IMO “riskier” types of diving are accepted. People accept tec divers going to extreme depths, where many have died, but do not accept (trained) solo divers, who are IMO safer than the others. It is interesting. Granted that many are not properly trained for it, but neither are a lot of cave divers who try to do it anyway.

Note: this is not intended to be a debate or to push my opinion, but just to emphasize the curious observation as to why one is accepted and one is not?Hmmmmmm :06:

 

[Rec Diver]

I’d add to the list of solo ow risks: “line entanglement”. That is my biggest fear when solo. There are numerous stories of solo divers caught in line and running out of air before they could get free. The ’05 DAN diving death report has at least on incident in it, and there have been numerous others.

Where are these stories published? I have been wrapped up in fishing line and had no problem cutting myself free.

 

[Rec Diver]

Who’s to say what is a necessary/acceptable risk or not?

Neither Cave, Technical, or Solo Diving are necessary to dive. Some individuals accept the added risks for (any) of these because it is worth it for the rewards an individual gets from each.

It is a very good question as to why Solo is not accepted and the other IMO “riskier” types of diving are accepted. People accept tec divers going to extreme depths, where many have died, but do not accept (trained) solo divers, who are IMO safer than the others. It is interesting. Granted that many are not properly trained for it, but neither are a lot of cave divers who try to do it anyway.

Note: this is not intended to be a debate or to push my opinion, but just to emphasize the curious observation as to why one is accepted and one is not?Hmmmmmm :06:

Is scuba diving itself necessary? For some probably not, for others maybe it is. Diving itself is a social sport. Solo diving is not accepetd because it is not being socialable. For those that think solo diving as being dangerous; they are looking at buddy diving as a crutch. How could you possibly save someone else if you could not save yourself?

 

[Solitude Diver]

Where are these stories published? I have been wrapped up in fishing line and had no problem cutting myself free.

I found the DAN story on their website under accident reports or something. I only looked at this years. I have also read books on diving accidents, and research online. (That is how I found scubaboard). This is all to help me learn from others mistakes at less cost to me.

By line, I included fishing, lobster trap lines, etc. I have read several stories recently, and more often than not, some current is involved where the person is pulled with the current, and cannot get the line free. In one case (maybe the DAN one?) the person had the reg ripped from their mouth when it was grabbed by a line in a current. The person couldn’t replace, and (for some unknown reason) couldn’t get alternate (if they had one).

Glad you survived your issues. (What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right). eyebrow

Is scuba diving itself necessary? For some probably not, for others maybe it is. Diving itself is a social sport. Solo diving is not accepetd because it is not being socialable. For those that think solo diving as being dangerous; they are looking at buddy diving as a crutch. How could you possibly save someone else if you could not save yourself?

Agree with the crutch thing. As far as sociable, I like to dive with others…but I also like to be by myself and enjoy the solitude of being alone. Eventually I expect to ad rebreathers to my diving techniques, to really become one with the underwater environment when diving alone. Should that be a bad thing if I am willing to accept the risks involved? Apparently to some it is.

Safe diving to ya! :14:

 

[wb416]

snip
Eventually I expect to ad rebreathers to my diving techniques, to really become one with the underwater environment when diving alone.
snip

Is that a euphemism for becoming "fish food"? eepwalla

 

[dherbman]

Is scuba diving itself necessary? For some probably not, for others maybe it is. Diving itself is a social sport. Solo diving is not accepetd because it is not being socialable. For those that think solo diving as being dangerous; they are looking at buddy diving as a crutch. How could you possibly save someone else if you could not save yourself?

I agree that scuba is very social for most people. Strongly disagree with the statment that people frown on solo divers because they are not being social.

Most people are taught not to dive alone. They are given good reason why they should not and are seldom taught how they could. That is why they frown on it, imo. It goes against what they are taught.