Risks to going Solo

[Scubaru_Steve]

Thanks to everyone who has posted. I really was NOT considering Solo diving anytime soon if I ever decide to go that route. I am very new to diving and even entering that murky water with a buddy has enough of a mental obstacle. I just wanted to see what people felt were the risks with some of these guys I see in 20' of water playin around.

In just about every sport in which it is possible to go alone, there are people who choose to go it alone. That includes hiking, rock climbing, swimming, camping, canoeing, long distance bicycling--anything. Every one of those brings a risk--what if something goes wrong when you are alone?

A couple of years ago there was the nationally covered case of the man hiking in the desert. A rock slid and caught his arm. He ended up amputating his arm at the elbow with a dull jackknife.

Here in Colorado a number of years ago a solo hiker did something similar, amputating his leg at the knee to free his foot.

Similarly, a girl who once raced on the same ski team with me was solo hiking near Moab, Utah. She fell and broke her hip. She tried to crawl all the way out and only made it because she was "semi-buddied." Her dog pulled a Lassie and went for help.

We do a lot of rock climbing here in Colorado, and a couple of weeks ago a solo climber fell to his death.

A number of years ago a well known and beloved diver from my town was diving with a group of friends. On the descent he indicated that he was having some trouble and wanted to return to the boat. He indicated that his buddy should join another team so as not to miss the dive. He then ascended solo. He was never seen again. It is presumed he had a heart attack, passed out, and drifted away with the current.

Anyone who participates in any kind of activity like this is taking a risk. The amount of risk involved varies. Going for a half hour bike ride down an established trail? Not much risk at all. Taking a kayak down serious rapids swollen by spring rain? The risk factor just leaped up a few notches. Hopefully, everyone who participates in such activities makes an informed, calculated assessment of the risk and decides whether or not it is acceptable.

Nothing is absolute--you have to make a case-by-case decision. I will take my bike out for a spin unattended without a second thought. I will not hike in the wilderness alone. I will not ski the back country alone. In general, I will not dive alone. Now, I do practice in the pool alone, and I will briefly set up / clean up instructional materials in shallow sites alone, but that's about it.

Those are my decisions.

What are yours?

Yeah I take part in pretty much all you listed. I taught climbing and help run a tower/high rope course at a Boy Scout summer camp the past 2 summers. I was in scouts for 7 years (Yes Eagle Scout), I climb, bike, hike, camp, etc still to this day. I know there are risks with all of those activities especially when alone. But to me scuba seems to carry a higher risk since you are even more cut off from the rest of the world and things down there happen much quicker than on the surface. Thanks for contributing to my thread on the safety of solo diving!

 

[Sas]

I think solo diving is riskier than diving with good buddies. Everyone makes mistakes and a good buddy provides a redundant brain. I have very good regular buddies who are very reliable (though of course not infallible)

That being said the extra risk of solo diving is outweighed by how much I enjoy solo diving. I enjoy it more than buddy diving because I like to be alone under the sea with no one to worry about other than myself.

 

[jvevea]

that your average certed/properly rigged solo diver is many times Safer than when your diving with an insta-buddy, or even someone you jus' dive with occasionally.

I would argue that there are many perfectly competent solo divers who feel no need for a cert. It really doesn't require special training for an intelligent, experienced diver to figure out what's necessary to be (relatively) safe diving solo.

 

[flots am]

Actually, most scuba fatalities are health related (heart attacks, etc.).Once again, a buddy can help.

I have a theory that most of the in-water heart attacks are from people being dumb and trying to do things they're no longer capable of doing.

Guys that can't walk from the car to the restaurant without being short of breath jump off the end of the boat and suddenly think they can swim against the current and climb a moving ladder carrying 60Lbs of gear. They can't.

I believe that if people would use a little more common sense in the water, fewer of them would be dead.

flots.

 

[soamelt]

...but is the risk less if you are solo in waters shallower than 20' vs below 33'?

I enjoy solo diving. I do it almost exclusively on all my charters (between 50-80 fsw) and many of my beach dives (around 25 fsw). I'm more concerned on my beach dives solo than on the boats. If I have an accident on the boat dive, I think there's a good chance that I'll be able to make it to the surface OK (if not, I don't think a buddy would be able to help in anyways). I will then have a boat near me to assist me. On my beach dives I'm close to .5 mile out. It's a long swim back by myself if there's a problem.

Granted, problems can be compounded at depth, but that shouldn't be the only factor when trying to decide if solo diving is for you or not.

 

[Scubaru_Steve]

I have a theory that most of the in-water heart attacks are from people being dumb and trying to do things they're no longer capable of doing.

Guys that can't walk from the car to the restaurant without being short of breath jump off the end of the boat and suddenly think they can swim against the current and climb a moving ladder carrying 60Lbs of gear. They can't.

I believe that if people would use a little more common sense in the water, fewer of them would be dead.

flots.

See this is something I can understand. I know even in hunting, every year there is a large number of old heavy set guys who for the first time in months get out of their lazy chair, throw on 20 lbs in winter clothes and gear, grab a gun and trek up the mountain...I have seen my fair share of heavy set guys attempting scuba that, just shouldn't be in the water.

Now I am not saying I am going to start solo diving but from my perspective I am a 20 yr old college guy with little change of heart complications at this age.

 

[Epinephelus]

...I have seen my fair share of heavy set guys attempting scuba that, just shouldn't be in the water.

Why do you feel the need to decide who should be in the water and who shouldn't?
How 'bout you being responsible for deciding whether you should be in the water or not, I'll be responsible for me, and we let the heavy set guys be responsible for themselves...
:cool2:
E

 

[Scubaru_Steve]

Why do you feel the need to decide who should be in the water and who shouldn't?
How 'bout you being responsible for deciding whether you should be in the water or not, I'll be responsible for me, and we let the heavy set guys be responsible for themselves...
:cool2:
E

I meant the heavy set guys who already have trouble getting onto the boat let alone the dive itself. I am not saying someone of heavy build should not be diving, I did type it that way but by no means meant it. Sorry

 

[NC Wreck Diver]

Solo diving is certainly a decision one should make after plenty of experience diving. The divers posting here about the need to be mentally and physically prepared to venture into the water alone have clearly thought out these issues.

Buddy/Team diving is also a lot of fun. I'm not a real fan of the 'insta-buddy' areas of diving, but when you dive with a group of friends, and you know there skill levels, it's a great time.

I enjoy both. I love spearfishing, and it's best to do it alone. Maybe not totally 'alone,' but in clear water, if I can see my buddy down the wreck/reef, that's close enough. 'Groups' of spearfishing divers spook most fish we're after (Grouper, African Pompano, etc.), so we always carry redundant equipment to be in a solo enviroment. I also enjoy diving alone, just to be solo. Not to add to any risk, since I have no desire to be a daredevil, but it is really enjoyable to be alone underwater. I've seen divers who are separated from their buddies, that are so spooked to be alone, they are a danger to themselves, and then others thay may run into. They never even consider to do what they are taught for any 'separated buddy' sceneraios.

So, IMHO, solo diving is for those who are sincerely prepared for it with their skill level and equipment. Buddy diving is also lots of fun, but all divers should be prepared to be self preservant. I have seen buddies do very harsh things to their diving partners, under extreme stress.

 

[likestodive]

Alot of people really are solo diving but they don't know it - which can be more dangerous than the real thing. They have the illusion of safety because of a 'buddy' that simply won't notice they are having a problem, aren't able to help even if they did, etc. They may be dependent on someone else to do their thinking for them (bad idea). I learned early on that when diving that you are absolutely responsible for your own safety. Just no doubt about it.

I absolutely do NOT consider solo diving in warm/calm dive sites that you are familiar with to be more dangerous than teaming with an 'insta buddy' that has less than 50 dives and only dives once a year - which seems to happen alot.

I accept the reality that most of the people I dive with are 'same ocean same day' and therefore every dive I do is a solo dive . It is dangerous to pretend otherwise.