What equipment should I have before I begin.

[Protist]

I'v been considering solo diving a lot recently. Soon I'll be moving to Florida and ill be losing the one of three divers that i fully trust with my life to be my dive partner. (the other two were my past instructors (who do live in Florida), and even though they are willing to be my dive partner, its just not always practical because there busy teaching)

So before i get off topic, my question is, what equipment do you solo divers suggest that I should have before I tackle solo diving for the first time?

There are some pieces of equipment that I know I will need.
-Safety Sausage.
-Extra source of air.( Or two or three)
-2 dive knives.

But is there anything else i'm missing? Anything that would be useful from personal experience?

Thanks in advance

 

[Dive-aholic]

Lots of experience and the knowledge and ability to get yourself out of any bad situation underwater. All the gear in the world isn't going to do you any good if you can't think through situations and resolve problems underwater. You may want to consider taking a course such as IANTD's Self-Sufficient Diver or SDI's Solo Diver course. I teach both and recommend IANTD's course over SDI's. It has more requirements in the standards. However, if you decide to take either course, interview the potential instructors carefully. Neither course will prepare you for solo diving, especially if done to the minimum standards.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Personaly, I feel that if you feel you need different equipment from that which you regularly dive your not ready.

 

[Protist]

First id like to thank-you for your responses. You've given me a better idea at what im looking at.
Halemano--> this to was my thought process. But from reading all the posts from Solo Diver, i started to think that wasnt the way to go.

Lots of experience and the knowledge and ability to get yourself out of any bad situation underwater. All the gear in the world isn't going to do you any good if you can't think through situations and resolve problems underwater. You may want to consider taking a course such as IANTD's Self-Sufficient Diver or SDI's Solo Diver course. I teach both and recommend IANTD's course over SDI's. It has more requirements in the standards. However, if you decide to take either course, interview the potential instructors carefully. Neither course will prepare you for solo diving, especially if done to the minimum standards.

Dive-aholic -->I'm all about taking more courses and furthering my education .Especially as a scuba diver. But I find your statement slightly contradicting.
You recommend a Solo Diving/Self sufficient diver course, but you say it wont prepare me for solo-diving
I feel like your telling me it would be a waste of time, and money. For example, Why take a course on how to fly a small craft airplane, if at the end of the course, it doesnt "prepare" you how to fly an airplane.

But perhaps im interpreting your statement incorrectly? Maybe its kinda how some people believe that the OW course for padi doesnt prepare you to dive?
Elaborate?

 

[Scott L]

Personally I would take advanced nitrox/decommpression procedures in lieu of or in conjuction with solo diver as the cirriculum entirely encompesses and excedes solo diver's content. In fact, a lot of instructors will combine the three for a minimal cost increase (hard cost of solo card). Your knowledge and skill level of diving will skyrocket as a consequence IMO...Where in Florida are you moving?

 

[Protist]

Thanks Valhalla, I'll look into it. Ill be moving to Fort Lauderdale / Plantation area.

 

[texdiveguy]

Experience and redundant gear.

 

[Dive-aholic]

Dive-aholic -->I'm all about taking more courses and furthering my education .Especially as a scuba diver. But I find your statement slightly contradicting.
You recommend a Solo Diving/Self sufficient diver course, but you say it wont prepare me for solo-diving
I feel like your telling me it would be a waste of time, and money. For example, Why take a course on how to fly a small craft airplane, if at the end of the course, it doesnt "prepare" you how to fly an airplane.

But perhaps im interpreting your statement incorrectly? Maybe its kinda how some people believe that the OW course for padi doesnt prepare you to dive?
Elaborate?

What I'm trying to say is the course alone isn't enough preparation to solo dive. The standards aren't sufficient IMO. Even the prereqs to teach the courses aren't very involved. To teach SDI's Solo Diver course the prereqs are having certified 50 students...that's it. There's nothing in there about having solo diving experience. Even IANTD's Self-Sufficient Diver course doesn't require solo diving experience.

So my point is interview potential instructors if you plan on taking either course. Following the course standards is not enough to prepare someone for solo diving. The instructor is a much bigger part of it. For example, I offer both courses. I do solo dive. In fact, I solo cave dive. And I have designed my particular courses based on my experiences solo diving and I impart that onto my students. I won't issue either card unless I feel my student is ready to solo dive under any condition (you never know when conditions can change during a dive). My students also do a solo dive at the end of the course.

 

[NAM001]

if you are going to do this great

there are logical steps to get there.

all the posts so far are valid imo. perhaps what you may need, to get the answer you want is let us know is the whats and where's you want to solo. ( ill burn for this)

ie you want to solo to 50' the post about adv nitrox may be moot for that depth ( i assume .... i haven't taken adv nitrox course) as opposed to deep wreck low vis solo diving. also needing large pony tank is moot for that depth. i am sure that i will get some flack on this, but ok.

i for instance have set limitations on my self for when i will and WILL NOT dive solo. no enclosure's no deep diving, no dry suit diving, no night diving no unfamiliar water diving. if i am in any of that i will dive with a buddy. i have limits to any kind of diving i may come across. for me having the solo skills are more important than using them.

look at the course outlines for solo diving and see the equipment and skills that required and that should get you going. there is always talk here on sb on the merits of the gear proceedures and content of the course.

watch out for those who are company divers who are bound to agency policies despite thier personal opinions. you just dont learn what you want to know. the decision to becomne self suffiecient is a big one if you dive alone or it can be wealth of info and skills for those times you are diving with others who have less than a full bag of skills to help you if needed.


for the critics i do support formal training for this.

hope this helps.

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

...But is there anything else i'm missing? Anything that would be useful from personal experience?

Thanks in advance

Hi Protist,

From personal experience: The only thing it looks like you are missing is personal experience

The skills needed to solo are the exact same skills that should be used on every "buddy" dive.

You need to be able to plan and execute a dive safely, plan and manage air use, have good "core" dive skills, be able to evaluate a dive site for potential risks, be able to navigate, know how to respond if the dive "goes sideways", etc.

None of these skills are solved by just strapping on extra equipment. And my opinion is that few of them can be learned completely in any class. A class can maybe point you in the right direction and point out things you may not have considered (which is good), but experience and situational awareness are what you really need, and cannot be taught.

Not everyone can/should solo.

My opinion, for what it is worth: If you can plan and execute a dive safely at a brand new location, without a dive professional giving a briefing or leading the dive, and feel ready to lead other divers on a dive like this, you are probably ready.

When you feel ready, keep your dives shallow and close to the entry/exit, and gradually ramp up the difficulty from there. Or not.

When I solo: Same gear configuration as when I buddy-dive. I do carry 2 knives. I do not generally use a pony/stage when I solo (but my dives are warm water, fairly shallow, good conditions, near-zero entanglement, no overhead). I do service all of my own gear. I primarily shore dive, and am often the only diver in the water, and sometimes the only person on the beach. In other words, completely solo.

Good luck, welcome to the "dark side", and Best Wishes!