Solo dive....plan for the really unexpected?
- Thread starter porgyhunter
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
r4e
Contributor
When I dive solo, there is a reason to it. For example an ad hoc dive after work, and none of my buddies were available at such short notice. Consequently, the same applies to manning the boat.
My unmanned boat risk management comprises of the following:
- Accurate local 3h/6h/12h/24h weather forecast including wind speed and changes of direction and forecasted wave heights and changes of thereof. And here I am referring to a proper local weather forecast instead of the numerous internet services like Windguru.
- If the sea is bad, I'll not go diving, or, I'll select an extremely protected anchoring location, e.g. a bay protected from the winds
- On selecting the dive site, I consider the weather. For example, dive sites without any land (or rocks) within eyesight would be dived only in extremely favorable conditions.
- Luckily most of the wrecks (hundreds of them) are close to one or more islands. I tend to choose the dive site so that the prevailing wind/current would lead me to an island.
- Later in the evening or if there is a risk of fog, I am even more conservative in selecting the site.
- When anchoring I make note of the exact GPS location and monitor this for 15-30 minutes while kitting up
- I let out a long rope with a buoy plus shorter ones for attaching gear and to assist climbing back to the boat. I can climb back to the boat without these, but, I like the extra security of having these available to assist in reentry. As plan C, I could use the power lift of the engines to lift me out of water. But, I prefer to leave the boat completely unpowered in order to minimize fire and theft risk.
- I keep the boat keys in a pouch inside my dry suit. When buddy diving, this is a small incentive for my buddy not to discard me should something happen to me;-)
- Just before splashing, I phone the exact coordinates plus a verbal description of the site (name of island, wreck etc) to my wife and inform her what is the exact deadline for me to phone her back. Normally, this deadline is equal to a casual/long dive plus 15 minutes. She is supposed to phone sea rescue immediately after the deadline. Before going to sea, I make sure my mobile phone is fully charged.
- My anchor is a proper one, with couple of meters of chain on it, and I keep the anchor line length at three times the depth.
- On the way down I always check the anchor, and I am ready to abort the dive. In theory, I like the idea of using a reel connected to the anchorline for monitoring anchor slippage. However in practise, I am often holding a large camera in my hands.
- Some sites have smooth granite rock at the sea bottom. Then I try to find a crack in the rock for wedging the anchor in. Or abort the dive.
- On the way back, I check the anchor to get an understanding of how succesful the anchoring was. If necessary, I'll unwedge the anchor.
- If things seem to be going wrong or I have a bad premonition, I thumb the dive.
- If for some reason I cannot find the anchor line on the way back, I'll swim upstream before ascending. With poor visibility this is not that rare.
- I have a personal PLB/EPIRB in a dive canister attached to the waist belt of my w/bp. If the boat would disappear or I would be unable to climb back on boat, I am prepared to use the PLB (whilst drifting towards an island). However, it still would take hours before sea rescue will arrive.
- The biggest risk hereabouts is hypotermia in water. I always dive with a dry suit and I can fill it from both the Argon bottle and the doubles. The air hose connector is the same for both the suit and the wings. A friend of mine has installed a dry suit hose to his sling tank, and I am considering the same. In a lost boat situation I would first fill the suit to maximum in order minimize heat loss.
- I have three lamps and a SMB for gaining attention
- My RIB boat is classified for open ocean use. Since I have refitted completely new pontoons to it, I would not expect it to sink even if it would be flooded by a flash wave or something.
So the bottom line here is to have a duplicate emergency response system and being prepared to wait for rescue. The other risks are more related to solo diving itself.
My unmanned boat risk management comprises of the following:
- Accurate local 3h/6h/12h/24h weather forecast including wind speed and changes of direction and forecasted wave heights and changes of thereof. And here I am referring to a proper local weather forecast instead of the numerous internet services like Windguru.
- If the sea is bad, I'll not go diving, or, I'll select an extremely protected anchoring location, e.g. a bay protected from the winds
- On selecting the dive site, I consider the weather. For example, dive sites without any land (or rocks) within eyesight would be dived only in extremely favorable conditions.
- Luckily most of the wrecks (hundreds of them) are close to one or more islands. I tend to choose the dive site so that the prevailing wind/current would lead me to an island.
- Later in the evening or if there is a risk of fog, I am even more conservative in selecting the site.
- When anchoring I make note of the exact GPS location and monitor this for 15-30 minutes while kitting up
- I let out a long rope with a buoy plus shorter ones for attaching gear and to assist climbing back to the boat. I can climb back to the boat without these, but, I like the extra security of having these available to assist in reentry. As plan C, I could use the power lift of the engines to lift me out of water. But, I prefer to leave the boat completely unpowered in order to minimize fire and theft risk.
- I keep the boat keys in a pouch inside my dry suit. When buddy diving, this is a small incentive for my buddy not to discard me should something happen to me;-)
- Just before splashing, I phone the exact coordinates plus a verbal description of the site (name of island, wreck etc) to my wife and inform her what is the exact deadline for me to phone her back. Normally, this deadline is equal to a casual/long dive plus 15 minutes. She is supposed to phone sea rescue immediately after the deadline. Before going to sea, I make sure my mobile phone is fully charged.
- My anchor is a proper one, with couple of meters of chain on it, and I keep the anchor line length at three times the depth.
- On the way down I always check the anchor, and I am ready to abort the dive. In theory, I like the idea of using a reel connected to the anchorline for monitoring anchor slippage. However in practise, I am often holding a large camera in my hands.
- Some sites have smooth granite rock at the sea bottom. Then I try to find a crack in the rock for wedging the anchor in. Or abort the dive.
- On the way back, I check the anchor to get an understanding of how succesful the anchoring was. If necessary, I'll unwedge the anchor.
- If things seem to be going wrong or I have a bad premonition, I thumb the dive.
- If for some reason I cannot find the anchor line on the way back, I'll swim upstream before ascending. With poor visibility this is not that rare.
- I have a personal PLB/EPIRB in a dive canister attached to the waist belt of my w/bp. If the boat would disappear or I would be unable to climb back on boat, I am prepared to use the PLB (whilst drifting towards an island). However, it still would take hours before sea rescue will arrive.
- The biggest risk hereabouts is hypotermia in water. I always dive with a dry suit and I can fill it from both the Argon bottle and the doubles. The air hose connector is the same for both the suit and the wings. A friend of mine has installed a dry suit hose to his sling tank, and I am considering the same. In a lost boat situation I would first fill the suit to maximum in order minimize heat loss.
- I have three lamps and a SMB for gaining attention
- My RIB boat is classified for open ocean use. Since I have refitted completely new pontoons to it, I would not expect it to sink even if it would be flooded by a flash wave or something.
So the bottom line here is to have a duplicate emergency response system and being prepared to wait for rescue. The other risks are more related to solo diving itself.
OP
porgyhunter
Contributor
Thanks r4e that just about covers unattended boat diving. I really like the idea of using the power lift on the outboard in case you physically could not get out of the water. Never thought of that possibility. Seems you covered all bases Safe divin to ya. :cool2:
Dharshana Jayawardena
Registered
- Messages
- 19
- Reaction score
- 0
- # of dives
- 500 - 999
Forget SOLO diving. Any diving should not be done from an unattended boat. period.\
Forget SOLO diving. Any diving should not be done from an unattended boat. period.\
As far as I understood it, the solo forum is not a place where we "tell people what or what not to do" :mooner:
OP
porgyhunter
Contributor
With solo; you do...what ya gotta do....to do it. 
r4e
Contributor
Forget SOLO diving. Any diving should not be done from an unattended boat. period.\
I do not see this as black-and-white as you do. Rather it is a question of risk management, preparing for the unexpected and also my personal comfort zone. For example, I would not consider (solo) diving from an unattended boat in icy waters at a remote destination in December any time after noon, because here up north we have only 6 hours of day light time then. But a morning dive in December close to seaways would be within my comfort zone and sense of reasonable safety/risk. Neither would I try pushing my dive limits under such conditions with limited rescue help like without someone on the boat.
It scares me to hear about experienced divers (500+ dives) who surface from a 90ft/30m dive only to notice that they are paralyzed neck downwards by an undeserved hit. Knock on wood, I hope I could remain upright long enough that the above mentioned sea rescue could find me. This admittedly would be difficult, if the victim (me) would be drifting and unable to activate the EPIRB. On the other hand, during a solo dive I could as well pass out or have heart trouble underwater. If I would not be solo diving from the unattended boat, I would be doing a shore dive. No help there either. The end result would be the same. I do not like the idea that this might happen, but am willing to accept this risk because over all solo diving does add to the quality of life for me.
From my perspective, diving from an unattended boat is an important part of solo diving. Having to arrange someone on the boat, setting time schedules, travelling together, wonderring how long do I dare to let he/she to wait etc dilutes a major part of the freedom experienced during a solo dive.
I occasionally solo dive sharing the boat with others, but, I then lack much of the freedom being forced to arrive at the dock at the same time, kit up at the same time, enter the water at the same time as others (plus/minus 15 minutes), wait for my turn, observe others etc. Do you call this solo diving? Eh?
Dharshana Jayawardena
Registered
- Messages
- 19
- Reaction score
- 0
- # of dives
- 500 - 999
I respect your points of view. I believe we see things differently based on different experiences.
Its just that for me leaving a boat unattended in open ocean where conditions can change fast is unthinkable. I also distinguish between solo diving and solo boating. Diving is the activity of entering water with SCUBA. For me, as long as I am underwater alone thats solo diving. I do not loose any of the solo diving joys just because there is some one on the boat waiting for me. If one argues that having a boatman drop you on a dive site is not solo diving, then I argue that you also will have to drive alone to beach, otherwise it won't be solo diving.
Perhaps on a calm lake with no currents and no chance of rapid weather change, I might be tempted to solo boat and solo dive. But I have to dive in tropical open ocean, currents, rapid weather change. Hence my point of view.
Its just that for me leaving a boat unattended in open ocean where conditions can change fast is unthinkable. I also distinguish between solo diving and solo boating. Diving is the activity of entering water with SCUBA. For me, as long as I am underwater alone thats solo diving. I do not loose any of the solo diving joys just because there is some one on the boat waiting for me. If one argues that having a boatman drop you on a dive site is not solo diving, then I argue that you also will have to drive alone to beach, otherwise it won't be solo diving.
Perhaps on a calm lake with no currents and no chance of rapid weather change, I might be tempted to solo boat and solo dive. But I have to dive in tropical open ocean, currents, rapid weather change. Hence my point of view.
Dharshana Jayawardena
Registered
- Messages
- 19
- Reaction score
- 0
- # of dives
- 500 - 999
VooDooGasMan
Contributor
Unattended boat diving is a norm where I Live, I check on divers in front of my house. when I'm home I have veiw points, and if I see them arrive I scope to see there gear, to see there back gas and if they are leaving boat unatended. It has a screaming surface current, If not prepared they get swept right off there anchor rope. Same with when they ascend, they cant hang on long, and let go. At least 20 times I go pick the divers up. I can reach them in about 15 minutes. then I tell them how to successfully achieve the dive. Have a ring 25' down anchor line, then attach where you enter, be negative boyuant and pull on rope, at 15' decent from surface the current lets up. When dive is coming to an end, pick up anchor line and hook it to the ring 25' from surface, now you can drift with boat and enter with ease.
That is one situation, there are many ways, as there is different sites and conditions.
The last resort I tell these new boat divers is, blow up smb, have weight attached to bc and take it off, you can kick through surface current back to your boat with finns mask and suit.
I hunt solo from my rib and it is easy as pie. If you can not do it you do not have the experience.
The only thing I dissagre from r4e is to have wife wait and call for help at a certain time, that puts a strain on him when finishing a dive, and my god his wife goes through that process on each dive, she my as well just be in the boat and read a book or fish.
Also if my wife was home she went diving with me. when she is gone I never even told her what time I went. Now I do know what worring is, I worried all the time for her, and sure she did for me.
When my Wife left me I asked if it was hard on her and she said, you are the best diver in the world, in the 4000 plus dives we did you got us out of every predictiment we were in, we should of died on at least a few hundred dives. I told her that I hope she can think as fast and rember how to get out of every situation you run into, and you my little mermaid are the be female diver in the world.
She solo dived also by boat and kyak. And she now only solo dives, unless on vacation.
Just know your dive site to dive it by boat solo, thats all there is to it period
ctopus:
Happy Diving
That is one situation, there are many ways, as there is different sites and conditions.
The last resort I tell these new boat divers is, blow up smb, have weight attached to bc and take it off, you can kick through surface current back to your boat with finns mask and suit.
I hunt solo from my rib and it is easy as pie. If you can not do it you do not have the experience.
The only thing I dissagre from r4e is to have wife wait and call for help at a certain time, that puts a strain on him when finishing a dive, and my god his wife goes through that process on each dive, she my as well just be in the boat and read a book or fish.
Also if my wife was home she went diving with me. when she is gone I never even told her what time I went. Now I do know what worring is, I worried all the time for her, and sure she did for me.
When my Wife left me I asked if it was hard on her and she said, you are the best diver in the world, in the 4000 plus dives we did you got us out of every predictiment we were in, we should of died on at least a few hundred dives. I told her that I hope she can think as fast and rember how to get out of every situation you run into, and you my little mermaid are the be female diver in the world.
She solo dived also by boat and kyak. And she now only solo dives, unless on vacation.
Just know your dive site to dive it by boat solo, thats all there is to it period
ctopus:Happy Diving
Similar threads
