Solo diving certification

[scubadada]

I have an SDI solo diver certification and have always been able to dive solo
I have an SDI solo diver certification and have been denied being able to solo dive
I have a PADI self reliant diver certification and have always been able to dive solo
I have a PADI self reliant diver certification and have been denied being able to dive solo
I do not have solo diver certification and have always been able to solo dive
I do not have solo diver certification and have been denied being able to dive solo

 

[tursiops]

Wow, you're a mess!

 

[descent]

Looks like a poll, except I can't choose any of the options.

 

[scubadada]

Sorry, my 1st try at a poll, seems to be working for me now. My apologies. It was a challenge by RJP

---------- Post added May 27th, 2015 at 11:51 AM ----------

Wow, you're a mess!

Thanks very much

 

[tursiops]

Can't vote, have both certifications.
I have been denied because the boat/resort/country did not allow solo, period, nothing to do with the certification.
I have also been denied when I showed the card, but by doing a solo checkout demo I was then cleared to dive solo.
I have also been denied because I did not have a pony; 30 ft in clear warm water did not matter...I was not rigged for solo, no matter the certification(s).
So it is more complicated than the poll suggests!

 

[tbone1004]

don't have one, never been denied places where solo is allowed. Been denied plenty of places where it isn't allowed and I wasn't aware, but I think it's only an issue in certain "scuba parks" and certain boat operators

 

[scubadada]

Can't vote, have both certifications.
I have been denied because the boat/resort/country did not allow solo, period, nothing to do with the certification.
I have also been denied when I showed the card, but by doing a solo checkout demo I was then cleared to dive solo.
I have also been denied because I did not have a pony; 30 ft in clear warm water did not matter...I was not rigged for solo, no matter the certification(s).
So it is more complicated than the poll suggests!

Sorry, folks seem to be voting now.

If an operator does not allow solo diving, the point seems moot, not a denial.

If you are not equipped for solo the operator may deny diving, I have to admit, I frequently dive solo in relatively shallow, benign circumstances without a pony.

 

[RJP]

Sorry, folks seem to be voting now.

Your options are effectively "always allowed" and "always denied" so your margin of error is going to be fairly wide; not sure what conclusions you'll be able to draw.

I didn't bother with poll, since neither choice accurately reflects my solo diving experience.

I've got an SDI solo cert. I had done ~200 solo dives before getting the cert. In most cases it was allowed as a matter of course, without solo cert needed.

I'll always ask an operator if they allow solo diving - largely out of curiosity - even if I don't plan/desire to dive solo. So I'm not sure that I'd characterize a response of "No, we don't allow solo diving" as a denial in those cases. (If I didn't want to dive solo... they didn't really deny me the ability to do so.) Not once - whether it was before or after I was solo certified - did anyone ever respond "Depends on whether your card says 'PADI' or 'SDI' on it."

I've never been "denied" solo diving privileges anyplace I really wanted to solo dive... both before and after being solo certified. Though, of all the places I did dive solo... I was never asked for a solo card. (A handful of tech/wreck/cave certs seems to satisfy most folks.) I also find that being a known entity carries more weight than any card. On a recent Truk trip I was told that solo diving was OK... though not for penetration dives. But after lunch on the second day of diving I was told that I could solo wherever I wanted to go. I guess I passed the audition.

 

[scubadada]

Your options seem to be essentially "always allowed" and "always denied" so your margin of error is going to be fairly wide; not sure what conclusions you'll be able to draw.

I didn't bother with poll, since neither choice reflects my solo diving experience.

I've got an SDI solo cert. I had done ~200 solo dives before getting the cert.

I'll always ask an operator if they allow solo diving - largely out of curiosity - even if I didn't plan/desire to dive solo. So I'm not sure that I'd characterize a response of "No, we don't allow solo diving" as a denial. Not once - whether the answer was 'yes' or 'no' - did anyone ever respond "Depends on whether your card says 'PADI' or 'SDI' on it."

I've never been "denied" solo diving privileges anyplace I really wanted to solo dive. Though, of all the places I did dive solo... I was never asked for a solo card. (A handful of tech/wreck/cave certs seems to satisfy most folks.) I also find that being a known entity carries more weight than any card. On a recent Truk trip I was told that solo diving was OK... though not for penetration dives. But after lunch on the second day of diving I was told that I could solo wherever I wanted to go. I guess I passed the audition.

RJP,

No, it's have always been allowed, or have been denied, with an invitation to elaborate.

I also have about 200 solo dives, mostly with operators known to me. I got my SDI solo to allow me to dive with operators who do not know me, it has been effective.

Whatever, I'm interested in what people have to say, I don't think it's been explicitly asked previously,

Good diving, Craig

 

[cbm32]

Hmmmmmm......I didnt vote but I am not solo certified, have never asked to dive solo, but have often wound up without a specified buddy and/or same ocean diving, which is in effect solo.