Solo Diving: It's time to set the record straight

[adventure dude]

So how do you teach dive planning? Gas management?

I understand the training philosophy ... I'm asking about the implementation.

Let's get beyond platitudes and snide comments here ... because so far the only content I've seen from you is an article on solo diving that suggests you don't understand much about the topic.

If that's how you teach, I'm not impressed.

Bob, that question has already been answered.

"This statement is factually incorrect. The training classes I know begin with theory, mindset & process/procedures. That knowledge is then sequentially implemented first multiple times in confined water and then again in open water. Not only is the knowledge provided to do it, the skills are practiced and executed repetitively."

 

[adventure dude]

Many people on SB believe that there are courses with inadequate information and skills development prior to issuing a c-card.

Certainly finding that out

 

[adventure dude]

As a solo instructor, it has been my experience that even divers with adequate recreational training and a thorough understanding of recreational gas management in both psi and cubic feet and know about reserving enough gas for a team to safely ascend in OOG situations, are often in error about the role additional gas such as pony bottles and buddy bottles play as part of the total gas supply.

Courses such as solo, cavern, and intro to tech may be considered "safety courses" because they may be the first experiences that even skilled divers and instructors have with technical diving concepts and mindset.

Nice post. Thanks.

 

[redacted]

Quote from article, "If you don’t have a fully redundant air source like a pony bottle, Spare Air or dual isolation manifold on a set of doubles, and you run out of air or lose your air supply, you could be in real trouble."

Could you tell us exactly how a "spare air" fit into your solo dive plan?

 

[adventure dude]

There is a subtle difference in viewing the C-card debate from the divers perspective, and the operators perspective.

I think the major benefit of the course is from the operators perspective, not the divers. Requiring the card gives an operator, who wants to support customers desires to dive solo, some modicum of protection in today's legal world. That's the whole point of the course. It is not about making well trained solo divers, it is about protecting operators. If the divers are well trained, that's a bonus. The buddy system, whether right or wrong, has become an ingrained part of recreational diving certification among the large majority of agencies. We live in an overly litigious culture, whereby any operator is at risk of a lawsuit just by the nature of his business. If an operator is going to stick his/her neck out even further and support divers who wish to solo, and in order to do so requires a course to dive solo off their boat, or in their quarry, because they are concerned about a lawsuit, I'll say no problemo. Who cares if the course is perfect, or even useful? It is a means to an end, which is the ability to dive solo.

Now, if you are lucky enough to live in a place where you have access to a location where you can dive solo without being dependent on someone else to facilitate it, then I fully concur with your right to balk at the concept of requiring another c-card to dive alone. Your life, your risk. But if you, like me, need to rely on either a quarry operator or dive boat in order to pursue your passion, then you need to follow their rules, and support them by taking the course so they can protect themselves and allow you to dive the way you want.

Thank you for that Bobby. Its nice to see that at least there is someone else that "gets" that piece. There are, unfortunately, liability concerns because of our lawsuit happy society and certification courses do address that. However, I do believe that there is value in the course - especially for less experienced divers (probably less so for very experienced divers). There's been a lot of talk about self sufficiency mindset and there isn't a lot of that in non tech training. The point made earlier by another poster is that often solo, cave or tech, etc is really the first introduction for that. And there is certainly value there.

 

[adventure dude]

It just further turns the C card into an entry pass one needs to purchase and diminishes the real benefits that a course of this type, taught by a good instructor, might offer someone.

There seems to be a belief that c cards are just an "entry pass" with no real value behind them. Yet you go on to say "benefits that a course of this type, taught by a good instructor, might offer someone." Its not simply about getting the c-card (as a number of people on this forum seem to think it is). Dale, its exactly what you say. Its about "real benefits that a course of this type, taught by a good instructor, might offer someone."

 

[adventure dude]

Hmmm ... I think you do. Let's get back to the closing statements in your article ...

Bob, I would appreciate the courtesy of not putting words in my mouth. Thank you.

Another thing that bothers me about how you're promoting it ... I really don't think the course should be promoted as a "shortcut" to learning proper buddy skills.

Its not at all. You've read into that.

What you're saying is that solo diving can substitute for diver awareness and self-discipline

Not at all. Awareness and self-discipline are critically important skills taught in solo diving.

So let's talk about that class for a moment. How do they teach gas management? Carry a pony? Do they go into how to plan their dives with adequate gas reserves based on the dive plan? Or does it just boil down to "if anything goes wrong, switch to your reserve gas and go?" Stress management? Does the class give them any exercises that will determine how well they will function when they're task loaded and something goes wrong and there's nobody around to help? Do they learn ditch and don? Lost mask? Can they reach behind them and manipulate their tank valve? Can they reach their pony valve? Do they know how to make sure their redundant air is deployable if it's needed? Just carrying it won't do a damn bit of good if they can't assure it's accessible when needed. And when do they get introduced to the notion that once they've learned a skill, they only get proficient at it by PRACTICING the skill? And when does the class teach them anything about the importance of exercising good judgement?

Bob, I'm always open to discussing differing opinions and ideas on diving and dive training. Yes, lets. What just became obviously apparent is that you don't know anything about this class. You don't know the standards, procedures, course outline, haven't seen the course material or even know what material is taught. Yet, you have been passing sage advice about it. You been bashing it and even demeaning it but you really don't know any of the details about it. Bob, obviously you have a lot of experience and help a lot of people and that's great. I'm sure you've got a lot of great stuff to teach people. But in this case, we'll just have to agree to disagree. You're passing judgment on a course that you clearly don't know.

Equally as clear is that you haven't read DANs Annual Report or studied their Statistics on Diving Fatalities. But you're also passing judgment on the facts contained therein. Again, we'll just have to agree to disagree.

 

[adventure dude]

Could you tell us exactly how a "spare air" fit into your solo dive plan?

You bet. First, as mentioned by a number of people on this board, there needs to be a mindset of self awareness and self reliance and the things that this means. Next is pre dive planning with that mindset. This will include the choice of redundant air supply which depends on the dive and objectives. A number of others have made this point as well - Shallow dives, deep dives or technical dives all have different requirements and planning concerns for the redundant air supply including but not limited to things like gas management. The choice made is also contingent on what you have trained with, practiced with and the equipment config that you use. Let me know if that answered the question. Thanks.

 

[captain]

Bob, I would appreciate the courtesy of not putting words in my mouth. Thank you.


Its not at all. You've read into that.


Not at all. Awareness and self-discipline are critically important skills taught in solo diving.


Bob, I'm always open to discussing differing opinions and ideas on diving and dive training. Yes, lets. What just became obviously apparent is that you don't know anything about this class. You don't know the standards, procedures, course outline, haven't seen the course material or even know what material is taught. Yet, you have been passing sage advice about it. You been bashing it and even demeaning it but you really don't know any of the details about it. Bob, obviously you have a lot of experience and help a lot of people and that's great. I'm sure you've got a lot of great stuff to teach people. But in this case, we'll just have to agree to disagree. You're passing judgment on a course that you clearly don't know.

Equally as clear is that you haven't read DANs Annual Report or studied their Statistics on Diving Fatalities. But you're also passing judgment on the facts contained therein. Again, we'll just have to agree to disagree.

I have read a few years of DAN's reports and have yet to see solo listed as a direct cause. It is mentioned as a description of the dive just as buddy or group is used.
As no one knows the actual number of solo dives versus buddy or group dives there is no way to determine percentage wise which suffers more fatalities.. It is all opinion.

If you look at DAN's report you could conclude that a healthy, physically fit solo diver has a significantly less chance of dieing than an out of shape, undiagnosed health issue buddy diver.

 

[Darnold9999]

There seems to be a belief that c cards are just an "entry pass" with no real value behind them. Yet you go on to say "benefits that a course of this type, taught by a good instructor, might offer someone." Its not simply about getting the c-card (as a number of people on this forum seem to think it is). Dale, its exactly what you say. Its about "real benefits that a course of this type, taught by a good instructor, might offer someone."

The problem here is that the certification is trying to meet two different needs and groups of people. The needs of divers and the needs of operators. Divers don't need a card or a course to dive solo. Probably a good idea to understand the additional risks you are taking on and do what you can to mitigate them but a solo course isn't going to teach you anything you can't learn in any number of advanced dive courses. The ability to self rescue and plan a dive.

IMHO the course is all about the operators needs. Am I OK to risk my livelihood by allowing this diver to violate the "standards" of the industry. Some operators will make this call based on reviewing the divers experience level, a check out dive or gut feel. Others will require a certification. Certification is how most do it at the entry level i.e. you can't dive without a cert card, extending it to solo diving just makes sense.

If what you are doing is trying to meet the certification requirements of operators then you have a problem as you will have two completely different groups of divers that will want to get certified.

Those with significant experience - they need a course that is a glorified check out dive. A certification that says a qualified instructer has evaluated the skills, mind set and experience of this diver and they are qualified to dive solo.

Then you have another group that want to solo dive, but lack the skills, mind set and or experience to solo dive. They need a completely different course.

The first group of divers will not be interested in taking a course that meets the needs of the second group, and a course that meets the needs of the first group will not be sufficient to meet the needs of the second group.

I think the problem is a course that proports to be for the second group AND at the end of the course gives you a certification that is really for the first group. Hard to imagine a course that would take you from the second group to the first an a one or two dive course.

IMHO this is the source of the arguement I have been reading.

I have only taken one of the courses and it met my needs perfectly. It was a couple of checkout dives and a discussion about dive planning. I can't say I learned anything particular other than it forced me to deal with a number of unexpected situations, practice dealing with entanglement, deploying my pony and surfacing from depth using it. Hard to practice unexpected situation on your own, and crazy to practice getting yourself wound up with kelp or line. So all in all a good course for even an experienced diver. At the end I got a card that I have used several times on liveaboards to allow me to dive solo. In no way did it teach me the skills required to be a solo diver.

IMHO this course is all about operators liability. If you get more than that and learn or get to practice some self rescue skills, that is a bonus. Any thought that this course is going to take an diver without the necessary skills and mind set to dive solo safely and turn them into a safe solo diver is just not realistic.