Soloing as skin diving with redundancy?

[asaara]

If you're not necessarily a particularly experienced solo diver, but are just popping down to search for lost rudders and other boat stuff (I only wish there were edible things like lobsters down there!), where you'd be comfortable doing it as a skin dive but it wouldn't be as efficient (mostly due to vis and weeds), in an area with no current, max. 20' depth or so unless you went a *long* way from where you wanted to be, never more than 50-100' from shore (virtually confined water), and the spot where you're going in the water is private property which you have permission to be on, are there any additional concerns you'd have that you wouldn't if you weren't taking a tank down there with you?

The only time the authorities have ever shown up at that particular place is when some idiot called 911 when a very drunk, but otherwise fine, guy passed out at a party, which they then shut down - they don't go there of their own accord, and it's too close to shore for the harbour police.

I grew up having the "never go anywhere near the water without a buddy, never walk on a dock without a lifejacket even if you have the buddy" mentality drilled into me, and am still convinced someone's going to be waiting for me on shore to bust my arse the second I surface. And of course, rich single people in their private lap pools are Just Asking For It. *snort* I mean, dude, that's the deadly poison dihydrogen monoxide out there!

 

[Snowbear]

As I've said before ~ just know the risks and be willing to accept the consequences of those risks if you get in a pickle you can't get yourself out of.

If you have a spouse, the spouse should know and accept those risks as well....

 

[Nemrod]

I am not sure what the authorities you mention are or what they would care if you went diving without a buddy. I imagine there are a few places diving solo is illegal since we increasingly live in a police stae but I imagine it is few and far between--people solo fly, solo climb, solo hike, solo bike, solo cycle, solo hunt and all sorts of things many of which are very dangerous. The never swim alone thing is really is quaint. This is the Solo Diving Forum, you want my permission, you got it--have at it. It is really up to you, that you ask permission tells me your not ready and you want someone to tell you not to--that won't be me. Safety is way over rated, Live dangerous, die free.
N

 

[asaara]

I am not sure what the authorities you mention are or what they would care if you went diving without a buddy. I imagine there are a few places diving solo is illegal since we increasingly live in a police stae but I imagine it is few and far between--people solo fly, solo climb, solo hike, solo bike, solo cycle, solo hunt and all sorts of things many of which are very dangerous. The never swim alone thing is really is quaint. This is the Solo Diving Forum, you want my permission, you got it--have at it. It is really up to you, that you ask permission tells me your not ready and you want someone to tell you not to--that won't be me. Safety is way over rated, Live dangerous, die free.
N

I haven't noticed any mention in the sticky about solo diving being illegal where I am, it's just this bizarre paranoia that probably comes from being made by overprotective parents to wear a lifejacket as a kid when I went outside to play in the sandbox, just because we also had a pool - you know that water's going to jump out, grab you, and pull you into the pool the second you turn your back on it! And then they make fun of me for developing a phobia of swimming pool drains...gaaah! I still like to bring my own air, just in case. It's all their fault! ;-)

Realistically, I suppose there's probably absolutely no reason for "Them" (whoever They may be - somehow I'm reminded of a strange dream where I *was* swimming or diving in that exact location and a large black tanker truck backed up to the bay and started pumping in toxic chemicals to try and kill everybody...cue X-Files theme music) to be hanging around a random dock at, say, 10am on a tuesday when no one's sailing (less likely to be whacked in the head out of nowhere by the centerboard of some idiot that doesn't know what a dive flag is, but significantly harder to find someone else that shares your aspirations of being a bottom feeder...), there's no Krispy Kreme factory in the area...

 

[veggiedog]

Safety is way over rated, Live dangerous, die free.
N

I can wheelie my CBR929RR to over 100mph. I can goose the throttle on the turns, in full lean, and get the back end to kick out a good foot or so. The idea that I shouldn't dive solo, when compared to other activities I engage in, is way out of proportion. I do, however, make an attempt to lessen the risks while still engaging in the activity. I guess I would submit that safety is OK, just don't let it get in the way of life...

 

[asaara]

I can wheelie my CBR929RR to over 100mph. I can goose the throttle on the turns, in full lean, and get the back end to kick out a good foot or so. The idea that I shouldn't dive solo, when compared to other activities I engage in, is way out of proportion. I do, however, make an attempt to lessen the risks while still engaging in the activity. I guess I would submit that safety is OK, just don't let it get in the way of life...

I drive no more than 40km/h over the speed limit so I can still afford to dive... ;-)

Of course, if I cross the border, I'm most likely only going to be going about 5 miles over, but hopefully that'll be because of a higher speed limit, converted...

Road trip logic in Canada while driving a car with a mostly non-functional speedometer (with the big markings in *miles*, American car...), given the instructions that 10,000 RPM is roughly equal to 25 miles an hour on the highway - rather than converting the amount I'd normally drive over the speed limit to miles and then dividing by 25, in my head on the fly, I figure that if the speed limit on I-80 outside Omaha is 75, and people do drive at about that there, then it's probably safe to keep it at that, around 30,000...I never figured out exactly what that worked out to, but I didn't get a ticket, so?

Way off topic, argh. Heat wave and no A/C in that, either - makes ice diving sound almost like fun!

 

[serambin]

To know the risk requires experience. Experience breeds a conservative approach to any activity due to the knowledge of the possible negative side-effects you've seen occur to others.

Therefore: If you truly know and measure the risk, to dive solo is simply personal choice. You, and you alone, choose to take the risk and to live with, or die with the results of that choice.

Stan

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Go ahead and do it. you know that you want to and it seems like you are trying to get an ok. The scenario is a little to detailed to be hypothetical IMO. just be sure you understand ALL the risks involved and for me whether it's 20 ft or 120 ft makes no difference. I still carry RAS, bag, reel and whatever else I may need. RAS-redundant air supply.in my case 19 cu.ft. pony.

 

[MarkH]

I drive no more than 40km/h over the speed limit so I can still afford to dive... ;-)

Of course, if I cross the border, I'm most likely only going to be going about 5 miles over, but hopefully that'll be because of a higher speed limit, converted...

Road trip logic in Canada while driving a car with a mostly non-functional speedometer (with the big markings in *miles*, American car...), given the instructions that 10,000 RPM is roughly equal to 25 miles an hour on the highway - rather than converting the amount I'd normally drive over the speed limit to miles and then dividing by 25, in my head on the fly, I figure that if the speed limit on I-80 outside Omaha is 75, and people do drive at about that there, then it's probably safe to keep it at that, around 30,000...I never figured out exactly what that worked out to, but I didn't get a ticket, so?

Way off topic, argh. Heat wave and no A/C in that, either - makes ice diving sound almost like fun!

Just drive at 20mph to be safe. People here are friendly and will probably honk and wave their arm at you. Be sure to do the polite thing and smile and wave back.

 

[miguel sanz]

in Spain it´s illegal to dive solo, like many other things though. But aren´t laws made to break them?