Solo wreck diving

[Soggy]

I had not been to the wreck since the early 90s, before it was identified, and it was good to see it again.

So, I'm assuming you are one of the members of Chatterton's team that assisted in the ID?

 

[O-ring]

So, I'm assuming you are one of the members of Chatterton's team that assisted in the ID?

Dude, just unsubscribe from the thread. Doesn't the following tell you enough about what you are dealing with here to just shake your head and walk away?

This was an open circuit dive. Back gas was Double 100cf 17/30 Trimix, Deco on 30cf 50% and 30cf 85%.

Two of the other divers on the boat were using rebreathers. One Inspiration, one Prism.

 

[d33ps1x]

I see the 10%'ers are out in droves.

 

[novadiver]

CHAOS, PANIC AND DISORDER-- MY WORK HERE IS DONE. My trucks packed,and it's time to dive. I'll be back in a week or two, please feel free to talk among yourselves
NOVA.

 

[wedivebc]

CHAOS, PANIC AND DISORDER-- MY WORK HERE IS DONE. My trucks packed,and it's time to dive. I'll be back in a week or two, please feel free to talk among yourselves
NOVA.

Tell you what... I'll dive today and we'll call it a solo buddy team. Or would you rather check me out before committing to anything?

 

[AADiveRex]

So, I'm assuming you are one of the members of Chatterton's team that assisted in the ID?

Alas, no, I was just a diver looking for an adventure. I'm not much into the research and history thing. Mark Twain once said,

"There comes a time in every right thinking child's lives when they need to go out and dig for buried treasure."

I was, and still am that kid...

Dive Safe
Adam

 

[preferredassembly]

I have been solo wreck diving for the last 19 years, with 2000+ under my belt. Most of my diving is decompression diving with penetration, mostly all up here in the NE off the shore of Long Island and NewJersey. I'm not beating my chest as you claim, I just want to demonstrate that I at least am speaking from experience, not just opinion.

I am not a suicidal risk taker, rather, after weighing the risks I face between diving with a buddy and diving solo, I have made the decision to dive alone most of the time. When you make the decision to enter any overhead environment, you are crossing over into the realm of the technical. You are exposed to greater risk, and a lower tolerance for error or problem. Having a buddy does nothing to change that. You need to be adequately prepared, physicall, mentally, and gear-wise for anything that can happen. In this state, which is what we continuously strive towards, you are a totally independant diver, even if you are with a buddy.

Nobody would argue that in the absence of any problems, a buddy is not NEEDED. Desirable perhaps for various reasons, but not essential. It is the case when a problem occurs that the buddy becomes a usefull tool for the dive. The problem we face as wreck divers, is that having a buddy, in addition to providing amd additional level of backup, is also at the same time a libility underwater. You are at the mercy of the buddy, in terms of their skills and abilities. If they silt out the wreck, you have to find your way back out. If they run out of air, you need to donate yours. If they follow you in and don't know how to get back out, you have to lead them. In a buddy team, each is more likely to rely on each other, and are thus more likely to overextend their own capabilities. In an envirnonment where effective communication is difficult, the possibility of miscommunication , ("I thought you knew where we were going....) is much greater, and introduces additional risk.

When I dive alone, I remain fully aware that the only one there is me. I can rely on nothing that I don't have with me, and only my own knowledge and abilities. I am not subject to the goals and intentions of another, who might do things differently, I can do them the way that works for me the best. I am not subject to the errors, mistakes, or pequipment problems of anyone else, just my own. I have nothing to prove to anyone but myself, and I am not responsible for anyone else's life, just my own.

I don't say that my way is safer or better. I'm not trying to convince you that wreck diving is better accomplished alone than as a part of a buddy team. What I am saying is that there are risks and benefits to both ways, ones that every diver needs to asses and acknowledge for themselves. Only then can you make the decision which way is most appropriate for you. I teach wreck diving in this style. My students learn to be prepared as if they were solo, yet operate as part of a team. They learn a wide variety of techniques, and several different wreck penetration methodologies. They learn to identify risk, evaluate it, and then minimize it. Most of all, they learn to trust in their own abilities, and never, ever attempt to exceed them.

There is always more than one way to view a practice you disagree with. One way is to condemn it without ever understanding it. The other is to invite discussion, to better understand it, and then make a decision for yourself based on the whole picture. As divers, we should keep in mind that we can always learn something from different ideas, even if what we are learning is that the idea is not right for us.

Dive Safe,
Adam

I have only recently started diving wrecks and so far have had no problems with the dive buddy I was paired with. I can certainly understand and appreciate your point of view on your way of thinking. I'm sure that given the opportunity in the right environment I myself would prefer to dive solo for simular reasons. The ideal dive to me would consist of diving with someone who is your mirror image, when it comes to diving, as well as someone you fully trust and enjoy being with. Both solo and buddy diving have there own individual pros and cons. The biggest thing to remember is...if you had an enjoyable dive and complete it with zero problems, then you've accomplished what you set out to do! I love diving and will always dive as safe as I possibly can to the extent I can enjoy each and every dive!

Tracy


....Be weary of pairing up with a nervous diver!

 

[decoeric]

CHAOS, PANIC AND DISORDER-- MY WORK HERE IS DONE. My trucks packed,and it's time to dive. I'll be back in a week or two, please feel free to talk among yourselves
NOVA.

Seems that yes CHAOS, PANIC AND DISORDER does follow you... LOL...

I have done a couple of solo dives, nothing much beyond 50'. Though I prefer to dive with friends. I sometimes find solo diving kind of relaxing. I think it is a whole another experience when you look around and find yourself alone, surrounded by all of that water. But I think that if you have half a brain, solo diving can be perfectly safe.

 

[divad]

You dive solo and love it, but what is your opinion about it?

You have two of every critical piece of gear except your brain.

Here's a recent post about a solo wreck diver.
http://www.scubaboard.com/t63901.html

Charlie Allen

p.s. Yes, I also like solo dives, but I'm not going to try and convince anybody that I'm not increasing my risks doing so.

Well, as you know, two brains are not nessesarily better than
one but wreck i.e. reel penetration diving without a "real" buddy sounds a little futu. Pardon my french (spelling). And I solo dive.

 

[AADiveRex]

Seems that yes CHAOS, PANIC AND DISORDER does follow you... LOL...

I have done a couple of solo dives, nothing much beyond 50'. Though I prefer to dive with friends. I sometimes find solo diving kind of relaxing. I think it is a whole another experience when you look around and find yourself alone, surrounded by all of that water. But I think that if you have half a brain, solo diving can be perfectly safe.

I would think that if you have half a brain, doing anything might be difficult...