Hello to all! - new solo diver

[tye1138]

I like your list Nemrod and agree its the most logical way to think.

As everyone's stated, you still have to be a logical diver and thats the problem. We all love diving, so we hang out on the forums and discuss our love. Just imagine all those people out there diving without being a logical diver.

One of my solo dives I did on my recent trip back to Boston was pretty rough. I entered the water when it was glass, but during my hour-long dive, a big storm came in and all of a sudden we had 3+ft waves, substantially decreased vis (less then 5ft), lots of currents and the risk went pretty high. I bailed on the dive early, navigated my way to the shore and was knocked about for a while getting my fins off. As I exited, this old timer is going into the water for a dive. I told him it was pretty bad conditions down there, but he didn't care. Blew me off as if I was some noob. He was wearing a ratty old wet suit, his aluminum 80 tank was so low on his back, he'd never be able to reach the 1st stage and unfortunately he was severely overweight. As I exited, I just looked back as he went in and said "there goes another statistic".

Unfortunately, its impossible to educate everyone and honestly, with the amount of **** people get away with, I don't even think its necessary anymore. If people want to do something, they're going to do it, educated or not. Those of us who are educated, will try to keep the risks to a minimal, but its nearly impossible to predict whats going to happen down there. So you can bring the kitchen sink all you want and never have a problem, or you can be smart, keep risk to a minimal and survive without the sink. Its your choice, but I'd rather have a smart diver who judges risk based on the actual dive and circumstance (willing to cancel if too risky) rather then someone who just jumps in no matter what.

 

[drbill]

All the redundant equipment in the world will not save a diver who panics at the first sign of unexpected problems. As I've said, I think the most important thing a diver can know about themselves relative to deciding to dive solo is how they react to emergencies. Over my 52+ years of diving (the vast majority of it solo), I've had a few and have reacted calmly (so far). There are times I find carrying a pony an "absolute" necessity when solo diving and there are times I don't. As for a spare mask, I don't carry one (no pockets). I keep my mask strap under my hood so if the strap should break, the hood will retain the mask and I won't lose it. In all my years of diving I only remember one case where the mask strap broke. I simply held my camera housing up to my mask and continued the dive. Of course in warm water environments where thick exposure suits are not necessary, this wouldn't be the case.

 

[Bob DBF]

All the redundant equipment in the world will not save a diver who panics at the first sign of unexpected problems. As I've said, I think the most important thing a diver can know about themselves relative to deciding to dive solo is how they react to emergencies.

That one is going into my sig line locker for future use.

Over my 52+ years of diving (the vast majority of it solo), I've had a few and have reacted calmly (so far). There are times I find carrying a pony an "absolute" necessity when solo diving and there are times I don't. As for a spare mask, I don't carry one (no pockets). I keep my mask strap under my hood so if the strap should break, the hood will retain the mask and I won't lose it. In all my years of diving I only remember one case where the mask strap broke. I simply held my camera housing up to my mask and continued the dive. Of course in warm water environments where thick exposure suits are not necessary, this wouldn't be the case.

One thing that I don't see understood by new divers is that at one time, when we were learning SCUBA on different coasts, going OOA was expected rather than a death sentence. A J valve would give a reserve, if it didn't change position during the dive, and a K valve which had no reserve. No SPG and no safe second. Not that I would want to go back to that, although I do dive vintage occasionally, but it gave a lot of practice on surviving an OOA event without carrying gear that was not available back then. You learned to react calmly or you found another hobby, this attitude also worked on problems that were not nearly as time sensitive.

As I have stated before, I really don't care what others bring on their solo dives, it's their dive and their decision. On a buddy dive I may ask a few questions if your rig looks weird to me, but it's not an automatic no go, divers make their own choices, he** some even wear split fins.



Bob
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The most important thing to plan when solo diving is to make sure that you are not diving with an idiot. Dsix36

 

[tye1138]

In all my years of diving I only remember one case where the mask strap broke. I simply held my camera housing up to my mask and continued the dive. Of course in warm water environments where thick exposure suits are not necessary, this wouldn't be the case.

Don't forget, a good mask should fit without needing a strap! I've done many dives with no strap, just to test that theory and its pretty amazing what you can get away with!

---------- Post added July 27th, 2014 at 11:16 AM ----------

divers make their own choices, he** some even wear split fins.

Hey now, I love my split fins! HAHAHAH!!!!

 

[Kharon]

... As for a spare mask, I don't carry one (no pockets). I keep my mask strap under my hood so if the strap should break, the hood will retain the mask and I won't lose it. In all my years of diving I only remember one case where the mask strap broke. I simply held my camera housing up to my mask and continued the dive. Of course in warm water environments where thick exposure suits are not necessary, this wouldn't be the case.

If you inspect the mask strap before the dive you are so very unlikely to encounter this problem. A quick look is all it takes. Complacency is the problem.

 

[Ana]

As I exited, this old timer is going into the water for a dive. I told him it was pretty bad conditions down there, but he didn't care. Blew me off as if I was some noob. He was wearing a ratty old wet suit, his aluminum 80 tank was so low on his back, he'd never be able to reach the 1st stage and unfortunately he was severely overweight. As I exited, I just looked back as he went in and said "there goes another statistic".

See that's exactly what I mean... what for you was too much for this "old timer" it was not. But oh noooo... you had to judge and out loud no less... Of course you know better than anyone else. This is the equivalent of "anyone that drives slower than me is a slow poke, and and whoever drivers faster than me is reckless". People diver your diver and let others do their thing.

Not that I would want to go back to that, although I do dive vintage occasionally, but it gave a lot of practice on surviving an OOA event without carrying gear that was not available back then. You learned to react calmly or you found another hobby, this attitude also worked on problems that were not nearly as time sensitive.

Also many learned to know their air consumption, maybe not many knew the exact derivation, but most knew how much air they used in a practical way. I don't dive without an air gauge but I make it a point to estimate how much air I have before looking, is rare when I'm off for more than a couple hundred psi. I'm not unique by any means most of the divers I consider my friends maintain that awareness.

Having the ability to calmly deal with an OOA event is very important, and avoiding the event all together comes handy too.

 

[Nemrod]

One of my solo dives I did on my recent trip back to Boston was pretty rough. I entered the water when it was glass, but during my hour-long dive, a big storm came in and all of a sudden we had 3+ft waves, substantially decreased vis (less then 5ft), lots of currents and the risk went pretty high. I bailed on the dive early, navigated my way to the shore and was knocked about for a while getting my fins off. As I exited, this old timer is going into the water for a dive. I told him it was pretty bad conditions down there, but he didn't care. Blew me off as if I was some noob. He was wearing a ratty old wet suit, his aluminum 80 tank was so low on his back, he'd never be able to reach the 1st stage and unfortunately he was severely overweight. As I exited, I just looked back as he went in and said "there goes another statistic".

Was this diver by chance the famous Dr. Bill?



BTW, ratty wetsuits and shark bitten fins are signs of a diver instead of a consumer. And, as well, BTW, we were taught to wear our tanks low back in the old days and most of of still do for various reasons and do not give a flinging fleep about reaching a stupid valve on a singles rig.

I try to place the valve in the area between my shoulder blades like this:

And it is just as relevant with a single hose as it was/is with a double hose, just different reasons.

And a second and, some of us still dive double hose, here is the brand new 2014, Made in Wesly Chapel, Florida, USA, VDH Argonaut Kraken.

Valve, smalve, meh.
N

 

[tye1138]

See that's exactly what I mean... what for you was too much for this "old timer" it was not. But oh noooo... you had to judge and out loud no less... Of course you know better than anyone else. This is the equivalent of "anyone that drives slower than me is a slow poke, and and whoever drivers faster than me is reckless". People diver your diver and let others do their thing.

Its called being a human being and warning another human being of a potentially dangerous situation. If you can't understand that, I don't know what to say. It had nothing to do with his gear, I merely mentioned it so you could get what I saw with my eyes. If he had on the best/newest stuff, I would have mentioned that as well.

---------- Post added July 28th, 2014 at 12:28 AM ----------

Was this diver by chance the famous Dr. Bill?

IDK, good question… it was down in Jamestown RI.

BTW, ratty wetsuits and shark bitten fins are signs of a diver instead of a consumer.

I don't see it that way. Most of the old-timers I dive with, have all new gear and vastly prefer the new stuff to the old stuff.

And, as well, BTW, we were taught to wear our tanks low back in the old days and most of of still do for various reasons and do not give a flinging fleep about reaching a stupid valve on a singles rig.

Well, with a double hose reg, you probably aren't going to loose the mouthpiece, considering its wrapped around your head! LOL

 

[Ana]

Its called being a human being and warning another human being of a potentially dangerous situation. If you can't understand that, I don't know what to say. It had nothing to do with his gear, I merely mentioned it so you could get what I saw with my eyes. If he had on the best/newest stuff, I would have mentioned that as well.

I do understand. Everything anyone does (including you and I) is called being a human being. But different things we do have different origins and different ends. And being a human also means interpreting things differently.

Correctly or not: I interpreted some judgment in your description of his gear. More than just merely describing it when you said "unfortunately he was severely overweight".

Correctly or not: You interpreted judgment on his reaction (or lack of reaction) " Blew me off as if I was some noob".

Correctly or not: I interpreted arrogance on your part when you went by him saying:"there goes another statistic".

At the end of the day... this guy most likely survived right? or you would've heard by now in your local news that an old fart die in such and such location.

For all we know he's been doing that same dive everyday from the previous 50 years and wishes he could go to a nicer location.... or he just about had it with his wife and maybe his intentions are to not come back from this dive and you are lucky he didn't give you an earful.
Which brings me around to my original point: Dive your way and let others dive their way, in particular when it comes to solo diving. There are a million reason why people dive by themselves, a lot of times is because they want to stay away from others, let them be.

 

[tye1138]

For all we know he's been doing that same dive everyday from the previous 50 years and wishes he could go to a nicer location.... or he just about had it with his wife and maybe his intentions are to not come back from this dive and you are lucky he didn't give you an earful.

Yep, well… all of that is most likely the case. He did get out of the water about 10 minutes later.

Which brings me around to my original point: Dive your way and let others dive their way, in particular when it comes to solo diving. There are a million reason why people dive by themselves, a lot of times is because they want to stay away from others, let them be.

WOW seriously? I'm in utter shock you'd think telling another diver about a potentially dangerous situation is somehow wrong.

When someone does get seriously hurt and you could have prevented it, maybe you'll learn its best to prevent then rescue.