Why I don't advocate solo diving

[drbill]

Many of you know that 85% or more of my diving is solo, and I do 250-300+ dives a year. Solo diving is necessary for me for many reasons. First, most of the other divers on the island that I enjoy diving with are professionals and are tied up in work-related diving. Second, diving is "work" for me... I need to do it, and do it frequently, to acquire the video footage for my cable TV show, DVD's and stock video sales. Diving with a buddy who is not attuned to the needs of my imaging can ruin a dive for me by ruining any chance of getting footage... due to sediments being stirred up, feet or fins gettinbg into my frame, bumping me while filming, etc.

I have 46 years of diving experience, much of that solo dating back to the mid-60's. I dive with redundant equipment (well except the brain, but I am a Gemini). I do take calculated risks (for example my deep diving) that I would not subject a buddy to.

However, I do NOT and hopefully never will advocate solo diving for anyone else. It is just not my call. That is a decision that needs to be made by the diver and those familiar with their diving. There are very few divers whose skill levels I can validate. More importantly, there are even fewer divers whose mental readiness I can evaluate.

A diver deciding to dive solo should (IMHO) have enough experience to know two primary things.

First, their "normal" response to narcosis. I am one of the lucky ones who is certainly affected by narcosis at depth, but very able to function effectively (as attested to by the footage I shoot down there). Oh, occasionally I get narc'ed enough to think I'm seeing a lovely lady beside me... but I'm not taken in enough to follow her down past 200 ft when she beckons!

Second, a diver should know how they respond to sudden emergencies such as equipment failure. Although that has been a rare occurence in my 46 years, it has happened on a few occasions. Each time I have remained clear headed, not panicked, and addressed the problem calmy and overcome it.

So I won't tell anyone else they should dive solo. There are many benefits to team or buddy diving... the added safety margin and the ability to share the dive both during and on the surface interval for example. I love sharing my dives with my regular buddies when they can join me.

If one chooses to dive solo, I will comment on certain aspects. Working on the dive boat I have seen a number of solo divers who just shouldn't be doing it. For example, several times I have seen divers descend beyond recreational depths with no redundancy at all. This is just asking for it. The one time I decided NOT to strap my pony onto my primary tank because I only planned to go to 40 ft was one of the two times I actually needed the pony (due to the tank valve becoming clogged and delivering no air, period). I stress the need to dive redundant to them and offer my experience as one good example of why this is necessary. I see divers who have fewer than 50 dives going solo. I also think that is ridiculous (although I was guilty of doing the same... in a day and age when dive buddies were rarer than hen's teeth).

I rarely tell anyone else how they should dive. I prefer to tell them what marine life they saw on their dive (assuming they give me a good enough description). That's what I'm trained to do as a marine biologist... and I enjoy enhancing the dive experience of others, and helping them to gain a better appreciation of the marine life whose environment they are entering.

[Diver Dennis]

Terrific post Bill. It will be a good read for those who ask the question we see all the time, "Am I ready to solo?".

[mdb]

Dr. Bill: Very good post. Thank you. I have been diving solo since about 1973. Most of my dives are solo dives. I enjoy the solitude and moving at my own pace. When diving off the Channel Islands i like to get up early with the galley crew and take a first dive before breakfast. I do agree that divers need to be prepared and mentally able to get themselves safely home in the event of equipment failure, health issues, etc. I have about 2,000 hours U/W after 35 years, not as much as you, or many others here. I have enjoyed lots of good "buddy" time. Many of my most memorable dives were early morning solo.

[mdb]

Terrific post Bill. It will be a good read for those who ask the question we see all the time, "Am I ready to solo?".

So; what do experienced solo divers consider redundant?
It could be a good learning experience for all us solo divers to hear from other solo's.

When you dive solo, what is your configuration?

[Diver Dennis]

I don't dive solo beyond recreational depths anymore, not often beyond 60' and although I do have a pony, I rarely use it. I take pictures and don't dive without my camera but apart from well maintained equipment and the right mindset I have none. I dive in warm, clear waters here and don't do overheads, so for me in my type of diving, it works well.

I also always dive from boats with other divers who stay in a group and determine a max time with the DM before entering the water. I always have my SMB on the surface within a minute or two of the time agreed upon. The dive plan for me is to follow their route but at a much slower pace, so they know where I'll be coming up.

I don't advocate this for anyone else, nor do I advocate solo diving in general. I'll probably get a blast or two for this but it's the way I dive and I'm not going to lie and say I use a pony or other redundant systems all the time. The most important piece of equipment IMO is your mind and you need to be a thinking diver to dive solo. Some may say I can't be thinking unless I have redundancy but at the depths I dive now, I consider the risk minimal.

[Dive-aholic]

So; what do experienced solo divers consider redundant?
It could be a good learning experience for all us solo divers to hear from other solo's.

When you dive solo, what is your configuration?

For me, it all depends on the dive. If I'm doing a shore dive in a shallow lake cove, I'll likely dive a single tank knowing I can always surface should a problem arise. I usually do this type of diving just to check out the area and see if it's worth more exploration. I always have shore support. If I'm doing a deeper dive, I clip a pony or dive doubles. In this case, I usually won't dive solo unless I'm already familiar with the site.

[mdb]

For me, it all depends on the dive. If I'm doing a shore dive in a shallow lake cove, I'll likely dive a single tank knowing I can always surface should a problem arise. I usually do this type of diving just to check out the area and see if it's worth more exploration. I always have shore support. If I'm doing a deeper dive, I clip a pony or dive doubles. In this case, I usually won't dive solo unless I'm already familiar with the site.

Dive-aholic: I'm with you. For most dives, for me that is Monterey, North Coast of California, the Channel Islands, I dive a single 80 steel tank. For deeper, extended range dives I use double 50's.

For me solo is just not trying to keep track of anyone else even though other divers are in the water. I like a couple of days off Miguel or Anacapa or the Farnsworth banks, their are, usually, except early in the morning, other divers around. I try to stay away from them, mostly, although I do like to splash first and watch others dive, it helps me really know what folks are doing beyond the keyboard diving I'm doing today.

[drbill]

My rig for solo diving used to be my HP120 plus a 19 cu ft pony. I used that for solo dives to depths of 200 ft or less. Because my HP120 failed recently, I dive an Al 80 plus the pony, and keep my solo dives now pretty much within recreational depths. Once I decide how to equip myself in the future (an Al 100, double Al 80's, HP120), I will resume my deep diving with the addition of a 30 cu ft pony for the deeper dives.

I have a G250 for my "primary" secondary and another for my standard octo, plus an Air-2 (I like the button placement on them) and a separate reg for my pony.

Because I dive slightly overweighted (36# on belt) to stay stable while filming, I am considering splitting my weight between the belt and weight pockets which I can add to my X-Tek harness or my Dive Rite Al plate.

[mdb]

My rig for solo diving used to be my HP120 plus a 19 cu ft pony. I used that for solo dives to depths of 200 ft or less. Because my HP120 failed recently, I dive an Al 80 plus the pony, and keep my solo dives now pretty much within recreational depths. Once I decide how to equip myself in the future (an Al 100, double Al 80's, HP120), I will resume my deep diving with the addition of a 30 cu ft pony for the deeper dives.

I have a G250 for my "primary" secondary and another for my standard octo, plus an Air-2 (I like the button placement on them) and a separate reg for my pony.

Because I dive slightly overweighted (36# on belt) to stay stable while filming, I am considering splitting my weight between the belt and weight pockets which I can add to my X-Tek harness or my Dive Rite Al plate.

Dr. Bill: Thanks for the update. You do lots of solo diving and have good input for the rest of us.

For deeper dives I am using double 50's with regs on each post. I have not been carrying pony bottles. Your post makes me think that a 20-30 cu ft. pony would be a nice addition. Most of my diving is sub 130 fsw. I have dropped to 200 fsw+ when there was something to look at. Since I have done a few real world "blow and go" dives, and do not dive overhead, I thought two regs on two posts was good redundant diving, maybe not.

[dherbert]

100 ft3 doesn't leave much room for error. Dbl 50's? A failure on either post doesn't leave nearly enough gas for a safe ascent from 200+. I assume the manifold has an isolator, does it?

Sorry, but that's just a crap rig for solo dives to 200'+. You may feel safe, but you aren't. Do the math.

[mdb]

100 ft3 doesn't leave much room for error. Dbl 50's? A failure on either post doesn't leave nearly enough gas for a safe ascent from 200+. I assume the manifold has an isolator, does it?

Sorry, but that's just a crap rig for solo dives to 200'+. You may feel safe, but you aren't. Do the math.

dherbert: Yep, the manifold has an isolator. And, as you point out, maybe I am not safe with my current rig. I asked the question for this input, thanks. I've made many dives solo and I am still learning.

[dherbert]

Thanks for taking it as it was intended.

I limit my solo dives to <100'. I've done free ascents routinely from 60'-80' and as deep as 115'. I think proficiency in CESA is pretty important if diving solo. It's not a good option by any means, unfortunately, it may be the only option. At 200', it doesn't take long to accrue an obligation for deco and CESA is no longer an option. In that situation, you need some serious redundancy and solid dive planning.
For me, depth >100' require a buddy.

[mdb]

Thanks for taking it as it was intended.

I limit my solo dives to <100'. I've done free ascents routinely from 60'-80' and as deep as 115'. I think proficiency in CESA is pretty important if diving solo. It's not a good option by any means, unfortunately, it may be the only option. At 200', it doesn't take long to accrue an obligation for deco and CESA is no longer an option. In that situation, you need some serious redundancy and solid dive planning.
For me, depth >100' require a buddy.

Good info dherbert: Most of the time I am above 130 fsw in waters that I know fairly well. At times, I have bounced down to 170-200 fsw, no long stays, always taking a slow ascent and stops along the way. What configuration would you use in similar dive profiles?

[dherbert]

IF I was to contemplate such a profile, I'd want a min of 180ft3 BG and I'd sling another 80ft3 for bailout. Most important would be a solid dive plan with contingencies.

That's off the cuff, I've never thought such a profile through. Solo on air at these depths is just not an option for me. 20 years ago, I did bounces to 175 on AL80. While there was never an issue, I consider myself very lucky. It's a fine line between life and death at that depth, with gear and training that is intended for recreational diving at those depths.

Last weekend, a student's primary started to free-flow during an OOA excercise. We were at 20' and he had about 2000psi in his AL80. By the time we hit the surface and I got him shut down, he was down to 500psi. That's not a hypothetical, it's real world. How would you handle such an event at 150' and narced?

[mdb]

IF I was to contemplate such a profile, I'd want a min of 180ft3 BG and I'd sling another 80ft3 for bailout. Most important would be a solid dive plan with contingencies.

That's off the cuff, I've never thought such a profile through. Solo on air at these depths is just not an option for me. 20 years ago, I did bounces to 175 on AL80. While there was never an issue, I consider myself very lucky. It's a fine line between life and death at that depth, with gear and training that is intended for recreational diving at those depths.

Last weekend, a student's primary started to free-flow during an OOA excercise. We were at 20' and he had about 2000psi in his AL80. By the time we hit the surface and I got him shut down, he was down to 500psi. That's not a hypothetical, it's real world. How would you handle such an event at 150' and narced?

Good question. I am not a diving instructor. I am just searching for better solutions/methods for solo diving. Seems that you, Dr. Bill and others have done such. Any suggestions much appreciated.