Risks to going Solo

[Hatul]

In the ocean shore dives here, I think the risk goes down below 20 feet or so and plateaus somewhere at 30 feet and starts increasing again below 40-50 ft. The top layer has surge and poor vis and you're more likely to get pushed against rocks.

When I solo dive I always take a pony bottle, mainly for psychological reasons, as the worst thing that can happen is a problem comes up and you react with panic. Having a pony bottle is reassuring.

While it's more enjoyable to dive with a buddy, you can't always find one when you want to go diving. I would not attempt to do any risky diving or deep diving where there is risk of narcosis as solo.

Adam

 

[gcbryan]

Older people (including me) are more at risk of heart attacks and other health related issues but so what? It's not just the obvious cases that have the heart attacks. At a certain age it's more of a possibility whether you are in the water or not.

I'd rather be in the water or rock climbing than sitting on the couch watching TV. I don't think those statistics show that those divers shouldn't be diving. It just shows that health related deaths go up with age.

When I see a scuba death related to a heart attack it doesn't concern me so much (unless I knew the person). It's the other scuba deaths that I pay closer attention to.

Solo diving is just one of those things that (as they say) if you have to ask you aren't ready. Solo certs are rarely the answer IMHO.

 

[Deefstes]

The matter of solo vs buddy or team diving has been discussed so many times and the views on it seems to be quite polarised but all the arguments that I ever read for or against solo diving seem to be grounded on the proponent's personal experiences or thoughts.

I don't plan on ever diving solo but I've heard good arguments on both sides. I am curious though, is there not some statistical argument to be made for or against solo diving? Surely, with all the scuba fatalities over the years, there should be some useful statistical data available?

 

[spectrum]

The matter of solo vs buddy or team diving has been discussed so many times and the views on it seems to be quite polarised but all the arguments that I ever read for or against solo diving seem to be grounded on the proponent's personal experiences or thoughts.

I don't plan on ever diving solo but I've heard good arguments on both sides. I am curious though, is there not some statistical argument to be made for or against solo diving? Surely, with all the scuba fatalities over the years, there should be some useful statistical data available?

There is probably reasonable fatality data however the denominators of total dives in the respective situations would be pure speculation. With that a % comparison is not possible.

Pete

 

[topcatz]

Keep within your skills . Not everyone should quit diving because they have knowone to partner with . My first dive was in May 1966 , I learn from and underwater demolition expert from WWII . I wasted countless time decompressing until I re-certified in 1997 . Most of my dives have been solo and yes I have been saved by a partner and have saved a partner . Driving down the street can kill you . The point is don't let fear control you whatever your situation . Keep within your skills and your skills will tell you when to solo .

 

[marinediva]

After moving to the colder water I promised a friend I would stop solo diving till I got use to the water conditions. Over last summer I started to solo dive again, although I am stick to sites which I have had numerous dives.

One thing is for sure, the risk for me in colder waters is higher than tropical, IMHO.
I feel staying fit is really important, especially as I am not getting any younger.
Shore diving in Sydney & Illawarra is not the easiest, so overexertion would be my biggest risk.

When I am fun diving with a group I find I am not as relaxed as when I solo.

 

[Epinephelus]

...Surely, with all the scuba fatalities over the years, there should be some useful statistical data available?

Most scuba deaths occur when the diver is solo, whether intentionally or not. "Diver separated from his buddy" is as much a broken record in Scuba deaths as "pilot continued VFR flight into IFR weather conditions" is in light airplane wrecks. That doesn't mean the divers who are intentionally solo have a higher statistical likelihood of an accident; most divers who are intentionally solo probably come from a group who are statistically *less* likely to have an accident in the first place.
But this fact remains... if you are alone and have a debilitating event under water, you die. If you have someone else there, you may or may not die. Over the years I've seen folks saved by others, and I've buried friends who died alone underwater. So far... knock on wood... I've not had to bury anyone who was buddied up at the time of a problem under water.
That doesn't keep me from diving solo when the choice is "solo or no go."
E

 

[JohnB47]

There are two risk factors that are related to depth. One is that shallow dives (less than 30 feet) do not normally have much risk of DCS (De-Compression Sickness, the bends). The other is that if you have a gear failure or run out of air in open water at a shallow depth (generally, less than twice the depth to which you can freedive, or around 60 feet for many divers), you have the option of making a CESA (Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent).

One of the safety aspects of diving with a buddy is that your buddy's octo can be your backup air supply. If you are diving solo at a greater depth than that from which you can do a CESA, then you need to bring your own redundant air supply. That is not necessary for a shallow dive.

 

[tah81]

This is great information. Thanks.

 

[fjpatrum]

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

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.