DIVE DISCLAIMER - ALWAYS DIVE TO THE LEVEL OF YOUR CERTIFICATION / TRAINING
Back in June 2020 I was desperate to find a way to dive multiple times a week. Most dive sites were closed. There were no charters going out..Options were limited at best.
So I headed down to Lock 28 and the Conestoga dive sites and scouted them over a couple of days. I wanted to see how the lock down rules were enforced. I had heard that in Cardinal the rules were a bit more relaxed so I needed to verify. What I found out is there were no real signs of enforcement. It was time to make a decision. Dive solo and start to work on the core skills. This was used as a way to avoid buddy planning and also minimizing exposure during some weird covid times. I decided to mitigate the dive risk by only diving in shallower dive sites and only in areas where it made sense to work on core skills. I used 2 sites to work on core skills.
Practice site 1 - WeeHawk (confined open water area)
Max depth 17ft This was a perfect site as it had great protection from observers, had a small wreck and current on either side of the wreck. So I could work on my buoyancy behind the wreck and at times, move out into the current to become familiar with its effect. Dive #1 was a success ! I had free dived many times solo back in my younger years. So this really did not feel any different.
Practice site 2 - Conestoga
Max depth - 22ft
Once I got a bit better with my skills, I ventured over to the Conestoga. I decided to avoid any wreck penetration, instead worked on finding a practice spot that was out of the current. That spot happened to be at the stern of the Connie. It became a great place to practice buoyancy, fin control and trim. Leaning out into the current at times to understand its effect. Then I would circle around and head upstream on the chain and exit.
By the end of June, dive charters began opening up and I was also able to get some dive experience in with Scuba Clint. But many times over the next few months I would head to Cardinal to continue to dial in my core skills.
While my solo diving approach didnt end there, it did take a turn in the right direction when I had one dive at Prescott Scuba park and one of the dive groups who were going in suggested that IF I am going to dive solo...then I should consider diving with a Pony..a term I was not familiar with from a diving perpective....It was time to learn more about this !
PONY TIME - By mid July I had researched redundant air options..talked with a few gurus and decided that my next investment was going to be a 40cf pony bottle with first stage / reg / spg setup and to get ready to take the PADI Self Reliant course. But this needed 100 logged dives, so I needed to put in the work.
July 23rd - Dive 57 -I had my first practice dive at Centeen Park with my redundant pony tank. Spent time at the platform switching back and forth between primary reg and pony reg. It felt foreign to have this additional tank hanging from my left side. My jacket style BCD was also not ideal in terms of D rings for it to clip to. But I decided that I would never dive without some form of redundancy again. Regardless if I was solo or diving with a buddy. 900+ dives later, I never broke that rule unless I was in a pool or a training course where they wouldnt allow me to carry it.
BEFORE deciding to dive without a buddy, please ensure you have the proper training and gear redundancy to reduce the risk.
Comments