The Solo Dive
Either you learn from this or it makes you want to follow this form of diving thats down to you, but I do dive this way and the reasons i shall comment on, since being in the Army i have always wanted that extra buzz a parachute jump working in hostile environments whatever it was i needed it,
So to Solo diving; people on here and every where else will say a solo diver is self sufficient, but lets get on thing clear nobody is self sufficient 75 meters down,
The Afric is just the dive for this It starts on the boat, the buzzing in the fingers and hand which is like a high the thought of dropping into the water alone, sure there will be other divers there but not with you/ you move to the edge of the lift and the skipper give you the nod to go in the waters cold but funnily you don’t feel it as much, on to the shot line and my hands are shaking dumping the air from the wing you slip beneath the waves and down to the wreck.
Now because you don’t have a buddy to check your kit the 10 meter stop is more so important than before, you roll over onto your back and and watch for streams of bubbles non this time so roll back and on wards to the wreck as the shot slips through your hand and the sea closes in you switch on the main light which cuts through the darkness, the shaking has stopped and then comes the feeling of being the only one there in the darkness i see other lights in the distance then the wreck comes into view although dark there is some good visibility.
The wreck stands 20 meters from the sea bed wooden decks stretch out in to the darkness, moving over the wreck the sense of being alone with 70 meters of water above you is daunting to say the least, the darkness plays tricks on you and you feel very venerable nobody to hep if you get into trouble. The pressure gauge is more important to you here constant checks are a must, breathing is increased even though you don’t realise it, theres a large net hanging from the rail to the sea bed gently moving this to one side revels a hole in the side of the ship you check for lines both visual and then a sweep with the hand. Better having a fishing hook in your hand that it wrapped around some kit.
It’s funny but solo diving prioritises what you would find acceptable hooks in the hand loss of kit etc what or how far do you go, lining off i have a karabina which i snap and lock the line into, if i drop the reel i can retrace the line to the spool. i have two other spools in my pocket plus a pathfinder reel. looking around the silt from moving the net is still hanging and i don’t push it further into this wreck, a quick look at the gauges, just enough time to grab some plates and exit,
Gently swimming along the wreck to the shot i notice the timber on the deck is still very intact but netting is everywhere at last the shot line comes into view. i take a strap from my pocket and snap it onto the line and a d ring, just in case anything happens at least they will find my body! moving back up the line for the obligatory deco and 170 minutes later I’m on the boat.
another dive i look forward to the next time we arrive back in Plymouth in time for kit scrub and a few beers, the feeling of I’ve do it feels good and i notice the shakes again but only until the first beer hits my lips
Graham
