Solo Diving: Coming Out of the Closet (Mark Powell presents LIDS 2012)

[Bob DBF]

Here in NE we dive mostly same day same ocean buddy diving. We learn early on to be self-reliant or quit diving. There are a lot of diving dropouts in NE because of the lack of vis and the cold mostly. I've yet to meet anyone in NE with a solo/self-reliant cert, yet there are lone divers everywhere, that is people starting off with a buddy(s) and ending up alone almost as soon as the dive starts. IMO areas like New England with normally low vis, some type of self relience course should be taught in conjunction the OW class. I say OW because here, once someonecompletes OW they are turned loose and are diving from the many sites we are lucky enough to have here. Diving with a DM in RI on a guided dive is at least to me unheard of.

I learned to dive in New England, and at the time, I didn't run into another diver for a good 20 dives. I wound up on the North Coast of CA and the conditions are also less than optimal and you see many solo divers. Same day same ocean buddies is a common denominator or may be I'm just antisocial and found the right dive spots. When I finally had to get a C-card in '80, the dive shop (PADI/NAUI), the class was long, by todays standards, and we took a lot of time training to survive the North Coast if things went sideways. Although he did not actually discuss solo, the training was such that if you found yourself solo you could continue to dive in a safe manor and resolve the situation. Self sufficient diving before it had a name, which seemed to be a theme I remember in old school training. I believe he dropped PADI later on because of training standards or possibly he didn't want to deal with so many acronyms.



Bob
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I may be old, but I'm not dead yet.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

For some reason I can't "like" dale c's post. Consider it Liked.
*edit*

oh, so *now* it shows up.

This happens if someone posts while you are already in the thread. Next time just "Refresh" the screen and the Like link will appear ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Edward3c]

… but bsac and the other certifiers are good at twisting the truth, saying when a fatality occurs and buddies split- the death was a solo diver death- not a failure of buddy system, also interesting how most rec dive fatalities are either people in the first 20 dives or with a medical issue(like heart attacks). Seems solo-ers have been arse-holed for way too long good that mark has investigated the white lies involved. So back to the future.......

That's not what the 2012 report says:

• Five cases involved a separation of some kind. Three of these cases involved divers who made a conscious decision to separate during the dive. The other two cases involved separation that occurred as a result of some other developing problem. Separation in itself is not a cause of death but death might have been avoided if the casualties' buddies had been with them and thus potentially able to help resolve any subsequent problems.

• Three cases involved divers who were diving alone. In two cases the divers elected to conduct the dive alone; in one of these cases the diver was lost and in the other the diver was recovered unconscious from underwater. In the third case a diver chose to abort a dive during the descent and ascended alone. In this case it seems unlikely that the diver would have survived even if he had been accompanied.

Kind regards

 

[DevonDiver]

Edward, you need to watch the video. Mark does break the BSAC stats down quite concisely in regards to recreational solo vs buddy diving.

 

[Edward3c]

Edward, you need to watch the video. Mark does break the BSAC stats down quite concisely in regards to recreational solo vs buddy diving.

Hi Andy,

Like all who use statistics (Mark is no exception) being selective to make the point is quite normal.

Mark uses separation, diving in threes, diving with trainees, etc as examples of solo diving, yet excludes these same classifications when dissecting BSAC's incidents.

His reference to the HSE is misleading. They have no interest/jurisdiction over recreational diving, only the commercial teaching of it.

I'm glad he made the point about life insurance, something I've been spouting on about for years.

Solo diving isn't going to cause the world to end if people want to do it that's their choice.

Kind regards

 

[FinnMom]

The video page itself is here

Solo Diving- Coming out of the Closet on Vimeo

 

[Nemrod]

N

 

[Bob DBF]

N

When did that ad happen? Enquiring minds want to know.


Bob

 

[Nemrod]

Bob, that advertisement ran best I can recall sometime between 72 and 80, I believe closer to 72. Voit had morphed into AMF Swimaster, but AMF I believe actually purchased Voit in the late 50s. I should know all this but once in a while (like all the while ) I have to defer to Dr. Miller who is much more the literature expert and historical sage. I just like the ad because it captures a spirit of adventure and awe (and solo).

N

 

[Bob DBF]

Thanks.

I decided to look around and found this thread Vintage Double Hose ? View topic - When Was Voit's Last Year? which gave me the history I was interested in finding. If anyone else is interested.




Bob
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I may be old, but I'm not dead yet.