How to Make Solo Rebreather Diving Safer
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technical So,what’s Say that you dive on your own with wrong about a rebreather and wait for the reactions. matters bringing a Rubiks cube You’ll hear some nasty comments about along on a dive? you being an accident waiting to happen Discussions about diving never did a solo dive. The other 92 percent have done at least a few Column by are very often boring— solo dives, with 33 percent doing Cedric Verdier always the same stories mostly solo diving. about numerous sharks Of course, a poll only represents dangerously close, strong the opinion of a few individuals current ripping a mask off who want to answer the questions. It cannot be considered as the “big or friendly dolphins play- picture” of the entire rebreather ing during a deco stop. diver community. Nevertheless, it We heard them so many shows that some rebreather divers times. keep on diving solo, even if the perceived risk is so high… So, if you want to have some Why people don’t dive fun, simply say that you dive on solo with a rebreather? your own with a rebreather and Simply because that’s one wait for the reactions. You’ll hear of the most basic rules some nasty comments about one learns during the you being an accident waiting Open Water Diver to happen, and some people course: “Never dive will clearly show you their option alone”. It’s so famous about your mental health. that it’s almost a dogma. And it sounds Why? Because everybody so logical? knows that CCR Solo diving is the most stupid thing to do on Earth 1. Diving with a after driving a motorbike eyes buddy is safer. In closed in Bangkok or throwing case of a problem, sand on Mike Tyson’s face during the buddy is very his nap. We all know that. close, ready to help the Even the stats show that most rebreather diver by providing him of the rebreather fatalities that or her with either additional open occurred in the past few years circuit gas in case of loop flood- involved CCR divers diving on ing or gas depletion, some advice The first exam- Text and photos their own. about navigation, some help in the unconscious rebreather ple that comes to by Cedric Verdier Unfortunately, a poll amongst finding out a leak in the loop or diver back to the surface where mind for a rebreather Additional b/w photos the rebreather diver community the gas supply, etc… A buddy one can safely breathe, speak, diver is the bubble check: any shown that only less than eight is also a good way to survive in laugh and pay taxes. safe rebreather diver wants to be sure that by Peter Symes percent of the rebreather divers case of unconsciousness (hypox- there’s no leak anywhere in their rig at the who participated in the poll ia, hypercapnia, Oxtox convul- 2. Diving with a buddy is more convenient. beginning of the dive, and a team mate sions). The team mate will bring How to make solo rebreather diving safer 77 X-RAY MAG : 18 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Going alone? Unfortunately very often, you of a dive, either directly through unpre- dictable or unreliable actions, or indi- see buddies that are incom- rectly, through an unfounded belief that patible, or spending their security is enhanced by numbers alone, dives looking for each other. regardless of the training or state of mind of the buddy.” I saw CCR divers going much deeper - The annoying buddy than their level of experience would CCR or OC diver, your buddy could allow them, just because they felt safer really be a pain in the neck. You may with someone else with the same lack be one of those people who simply of experience and the same inability to likes to be on their own. You like to go react appropriately in case of emergen- where you want, do what you want cy. The same persons diving solo would or change the dive plan the way you have been scared and would have want without endless communication been much more reasonable. on the bottom. Being alone in the Sometimes, the buddy can even affect ocean surrounded by its creatures, the safety of the dive by improper deci- exploring a fresh water cave or look- sion or behaviour, unsafe practice or lack ing for artefacts in the silted-out room of experience, excessive stress or panic. of a wreck. Unfortunately very often, you see bud- dies that are incompatible, or spending 2. Is diving with a buddy much more their dives looking for each other. Some convenient? divers, who claim to be a team on the boat, ignore each other in the water. Most of the things that are easier to do Others are over-dependant on their with a buddy can also be done on your ...or with a buddy? is obviously very convenient to do that. some clues, as most of the rebreather own. It’s very often a matter of prepara- He or she is also very handy when one divers who participated in the discussion tion: needs to move a sling tank improperly don’t want to be buddied up with OC clipped or remove a fishing line entan- divers or incompetent buddies. And a - If you want to zip your dry suit alone, gled with a tank valve. few others simply dive in places where a simply use a front entry zip. buddy is useless. - If gearing up your rebreather is a 3. Diving with a buddy is much more fun. nightmare, use a bench at the right Being able to share some experiences, to Let’s have a look at the different factors. height, ask a member of the boat plan a dive together, to take pictures of crew to help you or simply gear up at each other, to play stupid games during 1. Is diving with a buddy much more fun? the surface if there is no current. the long deco stops… there are so many It’s clearly a matter of personal prefer- - How to check for bubbles in your examples showing why the buddy system ence: back? You can use a small mirror or has some clear benefits. And some peo- do a bubble check in a water tank or ple simply don’t like to be alone… or are - The Open Circuit buddy at the surface before you’re actually afraid to meet a shark, a snake or Lord One of the problems a lot of rebreath- geared up. Voldemort’s Death Eaters. er divers have to face on a daily basis - Even complex tasks like surveying a is the lack of rebreather buddies avail- cave can be done by divers on their So why diving solo able. If you are the only rebreather own. It’s just a little bit more time-con- with a rebreather? diver on a boat, chances are that suming. you’ll be buddied up with an Open If there still are some solo rebreather Circuit diver. And that means short 3. Is diving with a buddy much safer? divers despite all the warnings you can bottom time and a lot of noise all dive read in most of the rebreather manu- long. To be able to cope with your According to Bob Halstead, “Looking at als, websites and forums, there should long bottom time, the Open Circuit some accidents and fatalities, it looks be some strong reasons for that. Some diver will have to carry so many like buddies sometimes increase the risk people think that buddies are not essen- tanks that they will swim slower and tial for a safe rebreather dive. A recent will never be able to go through the Just being together discussion on an Internet forum gives us restrictions as gracefully as you! is not enough. 78 X-RAY MAG : 18 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED buddies or may fight in case of emer- 1. Training the body feelings”. After 2-4 min, if all what could go wrong and to antici- gency; or don’t even recognize distress All rebreather divers should be trained checks okay, then go deeper. pate the potential problems. An expe- in their team mate. Stats are also full primarily as self-sufficient divers during • And remember that if something rienced rebreather diver will also be of divers left alone when a problem their basic rebreather course. But that’s doesn’t seem right, go to OC. able to stay calm while dealing with occurs, most of the time because their often not enough to become a com- one of those problems, staying away buddy simply panicked. Just being petent solo diver. So far, some training 2. Experience from stress and panic, keeping their together is not enough. agencies designed specific courses for Obviously, a lot of experience is required breathing rate quite normal. Divers have to be able to recognize solo Open Circuit diving. There is no to properly start to dive on your own. Two Always stay on the safe side and be a problem and do something about such thing for rebreather divers. And things will come with experience: The concerned about physical injury, col- it. Will an Open Circuit diver be able even if some other continuing educa- ability to evaluate the risk of a specific lapses, pinches in closing doors or fall- to recognize signs of hypoxia in their tion rebreather courses deal with that dive, and the ability to solve the prob- ing rocks, cramps and entanglement.