Solo diving techniques

[JE]

My 2 cents worth: If you have never experienced zero visability deep inside, don't solo-! (2) If you have never had to extricate yourself from deep inside a tight passage, where you are hopelessly stuck{& now your regs are chock full of clay}{requires you to take each 2nd stage apart to clean them, while still stuck}don't Solo-! (3) If you have never had to untangle your primary reel from a 'rat's nest' deep inside a zero vis passageway, & then fine finger your way out,.......Don't Solo-!
BTW, all of these things are skills that anyone can develop with practice 8)


J.

ps: Gas management should always be #1 on your list-!

[rchrds]

Sidemount; thirds, to include stages. if I scooter solo, I have two scooters, one spare that I switch onto at turn. If it requires more, I'll stage bottles and scooters. I never solo with one scooter. Aainsley presents an alternative, place enough gas to swim out, which is one way, but you get punished at deco, and depending on the depth, that will most likely not be an option. Ensure that you plan enough deco gas to cover this emergency swim exit (in either case), time is no factor- if you run out of the deco gas above you can always switch to the next deeper gas, you just hang out all night.

Personally, once I am past two stages I place safety bottles, the odds of a gas failure increase with each bottle, and a significant delay (getting stuck somewhere sidemount) can easily exhaust your safety third or more on a stage bottle.

I never solo without a dry suit. Redundant lift.

oops- some more.

I never carry more than one exploration reel- Unless I need two. If you have to make jumps and crap like that your diving the wrong place, or the line needs to be fixed. A large exploration reel as your primary reel leaves lots of line for fixing errant or retarded line gaps. I carry lots of line arrows.
(Ok, that is not strictly true, though it should be. Sometimes I carry a jump reel if I know I'm going somewhere that requires a retarded gap reel in the beginning.)
Not to mention, a large reel leaves plently of line for line searching in large dark passage.
Carry a spare small knife. Or at least carry a knife. (Right Cindy?) Geez.
I dont carry extra lights- Primary and two are sufficient if they are sufficient to be used as a backup light (many arent) and spares can be staged with safety bottles for really long dives.
One computer (backup and depth) one watch and tables (primary) (In most cases you will know the depth where you are going, so you dont have to look at the computer until just before turnaround (or max pen) to see how deep the new passage you just laid line down was.

hee hee. feelin cranky.

Jason

[DR2K]

Extra dive planning, visualization, redundancy and when you are back mount diving, a "diver's mirror" (a.k.a. signaling mirror, for self bubble check) won't hurt.

Safe diving.

ED

[CaptainSpeleo]

Sludge:

My comment about the "half plus 200" rule was not in response to your reply, so please don't take offense to it. I was just making a general comment about it.

Aainslie:

I started sidemounting about 3 years ago and rarely do any backmounting anymore, unless it's something real deep and requiring stage and deco tanks. I also feel more mentally comfortable doing a solo dive in sidemounts.

Frank

[Gary]

1) gear configuation; eg, backmount doubles with the isolator open/closed, buddy bottle, sidemount etc..?

Independent Doubles - same air rules as for sidemount. (1/3 off tank 1, 1/3 off tank 2 - turn - down to 1/2 tank 2, down to 1/3 tank 1, 1/6th tank 2 etc. On a normal dive jut 2 reg swaps involved (Tank 1->Tank 2-turn-Tank2->Tank 1-exit). two pressure gages - one 1st and second stage on each tank.
Use a long hose on tank 2 for buddy diving - puts the long hose in reg in mouth for donation thru the distant end of the dive thru the turn and much of the way back out.

2) do you dive 1/3s or something more conservative (I know this depends on where you are and the conditions, but asking in general)?

Normal 1/3s - more reserved for standard reasons (scooter/syphon/etc)

3) What gas rules do you use if diving with a buddy bottle?

My backmount tanks are 120 each - so if i have a buddy bottle I breath a 1/3 from each - leave the buddy bottle untouched - leaving 80 cuft in each of 3 bottles. In case of any accident that gives the best ballance of air reserves.

4) do you carry more than 2 backup lights. extra mask, other items that you might not take when diving with a buddy?

Yes I have found a 2nd primary light is a good backup to have. I have a 2nd HID NiMh 10W HID I carry on many solo dives. If geting out on a backup light would cause a delay (for example scootering on a b/u is slow).

5) any other modifications, calculations etc. that you use to dive solo.

2 computers, b/u deco gas bottles if it is a critical part of dive plan, sometimes dual scoooters, extra safety boottles, cell phones for remote locations, surface O2 in car for emergencies... probably lots of other things.

[steve2281]

A couple of replys have mentioned Ginnie. Is solo cave diving allowed at Ginnie??

[chimie007]

A couple of replys have mentioned Ginnie. Is solo cave diving allowed at Ginnie??

Ginnie/LR/Telford : solo allowed
Madison/Peacock: State Park, no solo, enforced

[Oister]

with one always on (when solo).

Why?

Why?

If you've ever been solo and your primary light went out, you wouldn't ask this question.

It gets dark REAL fast.

[akcaver]

with one always on (when solo).

Why?

Yes, so when the primary light goes out im not completely in the dark. I dont have it on when im with a buddy because having two lights on may confuse the buddy.