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I don't believe training should include solo diving, but it should be recognized and avoided if you are not prepared to deal with it. How many side-mount zero visibility bedding plane restrictions have you been through in "your time cave diving"? Judging from your position I would say ZERO. I just pushed one 200' in a virgin system in the Suwannee River to break out into Florida Room size passage to a penetration of 1500' with more leads to push. A buddy ahead of me could not get turned around to help me nor vice versa. So if I have a problem in that bedding plane I better have a fool proof plan for self rescue...sounds a lot like solo diving doesn't it. You might find what I do to be too big, dark, and scary. I will look for you with your putter in your hand. Lee kirvine@sa*.ne* wrote: > No, Lee , you are missing the point - proper training shows you how to > easily solve these problems, and in my time cave diving, that training > has allowed me and my dive partners to handle these with ease - in fact, > it IS CAVE DIVING. > > Rennaker is an idiot, plain and simple. > > Also, the attitude of a "stroke" is what you describe below. Lee, if > this is so big, dark and scary - DON'T DO IT - take up golf. > > Lee Gibson and Lucy Bonilla wrote: > > > > I think some of you are missing the point of the "most important person" > > concept. Mr. Rennaker is just being honest about basic human nature. > > When things are the worst we all revert to our survival instincts > > despite the best intentions. Recent case, the Jackson Blue incident > > also detailed in the Journal (and let me emphasize that I am not sitting > > in judgment of these divers), > > three divers entered the system. At maximum penetration they had a silt > > out and lost communication with each other...they became solo divers. > > Two of them were able to regroup attempt a search and then exit...the > > third was left behind. As the two exited their stress levels were > > obviously elevated with self preservation being the priority. When they > > reached their safety bottles, three full 80cf at 1000', neither diver > > elected to pick up the bottles and go back in to search some more....the > > thought of getting out was paramount and understandable. In all cases > > self rescue is better than buddy rescue and should be taught in that > > order. > > As for solo diving, it should be made as a cognitive choice not as an > > outcome of circumstance. The divers at Jackson had no intention of solo > > diving, but for a time it occurred. Mr. Rennaker's article eludes to > > these types of scenarios.....swimming or scootering too far apart, loss > > of visibility > > without touch contact, long one-man restrictions, stressed or task > > overloaded diver....these scenarios are "solo dives" and should be > > avoided if you are not prepared for them. The other type of solo diving > > is intentional, even if a "buddy" is in the water. Small system > > exploration being the best example. It requires special gear, training, > > and mind set. Solo diving can and is being done safely on a routine > > basis by a small number of experienced cave divers. They just don't > > advertise or promote the activity...solo diving definitely is not for > > everyone, but neither is cave diving for that matter. > > Lee Gibson > > Matt London wrote: > > > > > I was also appalled at this article and Mr. Rennarker and his > > > insistence on his "most important person" concept. The lack of proper > > > buddy system procedures, communication skills, equipment knowledge and > > > configuration, dive planning and the basic diving skills that is so > > > obvious in cave diving today is the direct responsibility of the > > > instructors handing out the certifications. Many people today seem to > > > be more interested in collecting "C" cards ASAP then learning the art > > > of safe cave diving. With all due respect it is my opinion that Mr. > > > Rennikers article is a prime example of what we don't want to teach > > > our students. Best regards M> Thailand's deep cave exploration at - > > > www.divefun.com/tcdp/
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