Risks to going Solo

[Scubaru_Steve]

I just did my first few post-cert dives. The first was a shore dive and two of the other divers had to be towed on their surface swim by the guide. Once we got under the surface one of those two was perfectly fine. Clearly a vacation diver, but still clearly confident and capable of doing the dive.

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt since you admitted you're young and in shape. Recognize, however, that most likely that won't last forever. You will quite likely be less physically fit in the future, and you will definitely be older, but that doesn't make you less capable. Sometimes our comfort levels and our strengths/weaknesses aren't particularly obvious. I was really nervous about the two guys that needed towing on the dive I mentioned, but one turned out great and the other was at least satisfactory enough to not cause any problems for the rest of us.

Honest guys, I really never meant anything buy this. Just simply saying we all have seen those divers who "we feel" should not be diving, but it is by all means "their" decision. I am sorry for all the confusion. :depressed:

 

[Nemrod]

Sunday afternoon I left out on my usual 25 mile ride. In a hurry to get back in time for Shark Week I was in particular laying on the speed. I was solo cycling!

To make the long, short, I was ambushed at mile 22 by two dogs while making a good 25mph, I laid on the little traveled road in 100 plus degree heat, crumpled and mostly unconscious and out for as much as an hour, I had an out of body experience. When I did come to I could not move at all, the pain was horrible, all I could do was manage a few weak screams for help before passing out again. I had a cell phone, it might as well been on Mars, there was no reaching it, I could not move and barely could breath.

I have a broken femur just below my hip, various road rash, I could have died and was working on it if nobody had come along or worse, people would have wondered what happened, the dogs sure aren't going to tell on themselves.

I will cycle solo again, I will continue to dive solo, the doc says I will be 100% again--someday---hope so. The titanium spike cost 169 dollars. Catching up on Shark Week right now, awesome .

True story.

N

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

Nem,

I'm very sorry this happened to you. Glad you are still with us!

Get well (and back in the water) soon!

Best wishes.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

Sorry to hear about your accident Nemrod. Glad you are still with us for sure and sending wishes for as speedy a recovery as possible! :consolation:

 

[Rick Murchison]

Sunday afternoon I left out on my usual 25 mile ride. In a hurry to get back in time for Shark Week I was in particular laying on the speed. I was solo cycling!

To make the long, short, I was ambushed at mile 22 by two dogs while making a good 25mph, I laid on the little traveled road in 100 plus degree heat, crumpled and mostly unconscious and out for as much as an hour, I had an out of body experience. When I did come to I could not move at all, the pain was horrible, all I could do was manage a few weak screams for help before passing out again. I had a cell phone, it might as well been on Mars, there was no reaching it, I could not move and barely could breath.

I have a broken femur just below my hip, various road rash, I could have died and was working on it if nobody had come along or worse, people would have wondered what happened, the dogs sure aren't going to tell on themselves.

I will cycle solo again, I will continue to dive solo, the doc says I will be 100% again--someday---hope so. The titanium spike cost 169 dollars. Catching up on Shark Week right now, awesome .

True story.

N

Ouch!
Putting you on my binnacle list...
Keep us posted.
Rick

 

[Nemrod]

Oh, I will be fine, thanks one and all, did not mean to side track the thread, completely, . It is such a good story (and not exaggerated at all, wait until I have time to work on it some) I got to make hay with it or something, ha, ha.

Nothing more stupid looking than my new dog friends, standing over me, panting and drooling, like, " I guess we got you" and the other says to the other one, like "what you wanna do now for fun" and then they went away off on other dog adventures.

Nem

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

My decision to dive solo vs buddy is mostly dependent on the surface conditions, not depth.

My rational is underwater, there is little a buddy can do to help since I already have a redundant air source and know how to plan a dive and read an SPG/DC. If I have a cardiac episode at depth (30ft or 130ft) I am toast with or without a buddy.

On or near the surface is a different game. A buddy or fellow diver can help out in many different instances including medical emergencies. If I am someplace with other divers (dive boat or popular site) the decision to solo is almost always a go for me as the risk are minimal. In a remote site where I am the only person in the water, it takes a lot more thought before I go solo.

 

[Scubaru_Steve]

Sunday afternoon I left out on my usual 25 mile ride. In a hurry to get back in time for Shark Week I was in particular laying on the speed. I was solo cycling!

To make the long, short, I was ambushed at mile 22 by two dogs while making a good 25mph, I laid on the little traveled road in 100 plus degree heat, crumpled and mostly unconscious and out for as much as an hour, I had an out of body experience. When I did come to I could not move at all, the pain was horrible, all I could do was manage a few weak screams for help before passing out again. I had a cell phone, it might as well been on Mars, there was no reaching it, I could not move and barely could breath.

I have a broken femur just below my hip, various road rash, I could have died and was working on it if nobody had come along or worse, people would have wondered what happened, the dogs sure aren't going to tell on themselves.

I will cycle solo again, I will continue to dive solo, the doc says I will be 100% again--someday---hope so. The titanium spike cost 169 dollars. Catching up on Shark Week right now, awesome .

True story.

N

Holy Crap! :shocked2: Glad to see you made it through. Yeah I mean, anything can happen when your by yourself, I just always took the underwater world as a bit more risk since down there you only have so much air to breath. Hope everything works out for you!

 

[jbird71]

In the last DAN report, a very high percentage of the fatalities were highly experienced and highly trained divers.

This actually makes sense, since they are spend more time underwater than an average diver and would be more likely to succumb from an underwater health incident.

 

[Scubaru_Steve]

In the last DAN report, a very high percentage of the fatalities were highly experienced and highly trained divers.

This actually makes sense, since they are spend more time underwater than an average diver and would be more likely to succumb from an underwater health incident.

Well I would also think some of that has to be from getting too relaxed with everything. I know in climbing most accidents come from climbers becoming too confident and forgetting minor details. An occasional diver still has that "fear" that may be what keeps them safe, where some experienced divers take their knowledge for granted. just IMO