What are the Essential Skills you need to have down before considering diving solo?

[GJC]

1 Be very comfortable exhaling your total lung volume and fixing an air delivery problem

2 Be very comfortable removing your BCD to fix a problem. I've had to do that twice since solo cert. One was a dive flag float line entanglement. One was to rearrange a hose that was routed incorrectly before the dive.

3 If you shore dive, be in good shape and be prepared to swim long distances alone. I have swimmed (swummed?) 1/2 to 1 mile on a dive.

4 Depending on the type of dives you will be doing, carry a lot of signalling devices: lights, mirror, SMB, radio, PLB, flares, smoke, etc.

 

[nippurmagnum]

I think that one of the main things to consider in starting to dive solo is to pick the right place to start.

I started to dive solo in Roatan, during a week-long stay at CoCoView, about 6 years ago. It was really a perfect place to start diving solo, because (1) the shore entry is dead easy, and navigation couldn't be simpler (there is a big wreck directly ahead of you), a wall to your left, and a wall across the wreck -- you couldn't get lost if you tried, (2) you get an orientation dive at the beginning of your stay that explains how solo divers are tracked (with a numbered tag system and a timed in/out log sheet), as well as what landmarks to look for in navigation and (3) there is no current. Those were ideal conditions in which to get started diving solo, and my skills improved HUGELY during that week. I then started doing solo dives at the Blue Heron bridge, in the NC wrecks, in Kona, in San Diego, and in Bonaire. All those places had additional challenges, whether it be current, entanglement hazards, rocky entries, surf, and/or low visibility. But I was super grateful to have started my solo diving at CoCoView.

I will also say that the next step up from solo diving, in terms of a skills challenge, is to go out with a less experience buddy, and actually take responsibility for a buddy team. I've done that separately with my wife and daughter, both of whom do one or maximum two dive trips per year, and wouldn't ever consider going out solo. We've done dozens of dives together in recent years, and I feel that my solo diving skills were a huge help to my ability to dive with someone less experienced. While my wife and daughter have from time to time certainly pointed out stuff that I had not noticed from a safety point of view, I generally feel less safe when I'm with them than when I'm solo, because my attention is definitely divided when I am with them.

 

[W W Meixner]

Hypothetical question for now, I’m nowhere near ready to consider this, however I wondered what skills one should work on and have absolutely nailed prior to considering this type of diving?

What gear choices should be considered?

Things like cutters, redundant airsource(s) and someone on the surface to raise alarm if you don’t come back are obvious, but what are some of the things one might not be aware of?

Sam...

Hypothetical answer...of which there is only one...

Thoroughly discuss your wants/needs with a qualified instructor fully familiar with/qualifyed to instruct in this specialty...

Take all the required courses...ensure you have all the required gear...

Do not allow yourself to be enabled into doing anything you'll live to regret...or not live to be able to chalk it up as ''lesson learned''...

Training/experience/practical application...leave you far less suseptible to bad ideas...

Hypothetical answer...

W...

 

[The Chairman]

Geez, it almost sounds like you have to be a Navy Seal to dive solo? Being comfortable under the water, is really enough.

Then it seems that you must add 43 tons of gear? More realistically, you'll need to add a spool, an SMB, an additional cutter and redundant air. Extra points if you already dive with those.

Then you need more dives than Jacques Cousteau? A hundred is fair. Make sure you take all that extra gear on a dozen dives or more. It's better to get used to it with all sorts of help around, rather than on your own.

Then you need to decide if solo diving is for you. Not sure? Take the class. You'll never be required to solo dive after you finish, but the techniques, strategies and trouble shooting skills can be used even with a buddy. Taking the class will answer a lot of your questions about whether solo diving is a good fit for you as well as make you a safer diver overall.

BTW, if you want to really get ready for solo diving: take a cavern class. Sure, take the solo class as well, but it's my opinion that this singular class does more to instill the needed skills than any other class. This is especially true if your instructor allowed you to kneel in your OW class.

FWIW, the first time solo diving was brought up on ScubaBoard, it was deleted because many help it to be an unsafe practice. We even had a few grizzled instructors leave when we created the forum dedicated to it.

 

[Addicted2H2O]

IMO though solo diving isn't just about learning to conduct dives alone. It's about teaching a diver to rely on him/herself more than they would with a buddy. Truth be told I pretty well treat every dive as a solo dive and try not to rely on my buddy because that's just how I am. But at least for me, getting solo certified isn't so I can technically dive alone. There are no scuba police and more often than not in touristy areas like Cozumel, etc. even with a solo cert. they're not going to let you dive solo. For me, the solo certification is more necessary because I DM classes and anytime I'm under with students, it's pretty safe to say I can't rely on them to assist when an incident occurs. So effectively, the instructors and I are solo divers. My son turns 10 in September and will get his OW shortly thereafter. It stands to reason that when he and I dive together, once again I will effectively be a solo diver since the likelihood of him being able to assist/rescue me (even though he'll have learned the procedures) should an incident occur would be very slim. I know that really doesn't have much to do with the original question of "What do I need to have mastered to dive solo?" but it's something to think about when asking "Why do I want to be a solo diver?"

As far as what you need to know/do....some really good answers have been posted already. Be comfortable in the water. Be comfortable handling issues underwater when they arise. Notice I didn't say "if".....I said "when". Because dive long enough and at some point something will happen. For me, it was a blow o-ring in an omni swivel on my ffm at depth. I've made it a priority to practice mask drills with my ffm both doffing and donning underwater so if the time came where it was ever necessary I'd have it in my bag of tricks. O-ring failed, primary hose was free-flowing and losing air fast so I disco'd my ffm, switched to a backup traditional mask I had in my pocket, then connected a backup 2nd stage reg to my primary hose so I could finish the dive and still have an octo to donate if needed. Moral of the story: Be Ready for ANYTHING. Maybe practice different scenarios underwater with a buddy nearby watching just in case, but not really assisting. Mask drills, CESAs, anything you can think of that could possibly be necessary so that should something happen it can be kept to an incident rather than an accident. The only other thing that I could maybe recommend that I don't think has been mentioned is take the Rescue course. It'll teach you a lot about self-reliance and what to look for in other divers and your diving environment to keep accident sfor occurring.

 

[BikerBecca]

I've never given this any thought. I generally never dive solo but when I do it is to set the float before a weekend class of open water students. I must say, being out there alone around 7am, just me and the ocean, is so very peaceful. I truly enjoy it.

Things to think of before diving solo would be, and please this is just my opinion/experience and not a perfect checklist.

• Confidence. How sure are you with yourself and your diving abilities?
• Training. How long have you been diving and what training do you have? I didn't do a solo dive until I was an SSI and PADI pro.
• Health. This is the scary part. How is your health? Do you feel safe being alone in the vast ocean if something should go wrong?
• Gear. Have you maintained it? Do you have everything you need if something goes wrong?
• A plan. Who knows you are diving solo? Where are you diving? Is it in a popular place or the middle of nowhere?

I guess I can go on and on, but that's my 2 cents. I really am not a proponent of solo diving and, like I said, the only time I do is when I am setting up for class, but people know I am out there. People know how long that should take. People can see me and know I am safe. Still, all alone, with nobody around, out in the ocean in the early morning is truly a beautiful experience.

 

[Ana]

Geez, it almost sounds like you have to be a Navy Seal to dive solo? Being comfortable under the water, is really enough.

That's what I thought after I read the OP. The desire to be on your own and be comfortable in the water.

Everything else depends on what dives you'll do.

Most of my dives these days are done with zero redundant gear. I go to the same general area off Pompano Beach, hard bottom between 40 and 100' , with most of the dives around 60-80. It all depends on what spot is free of other boats.
After doing more aggressive diving when I was young, I know myself and what works for me.

 

[bmorescuba]

As @nippurmagnum said, I started doing solo dives on really easy, shallow sites. Since then I have a lot more experience diving, I've taken the Cavern & Solo courses, and I've worked with a lot of students as a DM. But I still keep all my solo profiles very conservative. I think the most important aspect is to be comfortable - with your gear, the dive site, your bouyancy, navigation, everything. If you're comfortable, you can prevent minor problems from turning into major ones, and you have enough mental energy left to handle the unexpected, since the normal aspects of the dive are routine. I love the feeling of walking in from shore, just me & my camera, navigating a good dive on my own, and the peace & quiet of a solo experience. I just wish I had a rebreather - even my own bubbles make too much noise!

 

[The Chairman]

Most of my dives these days are done with zero redundant gear.

While I agree that many people plan their dives to go well and not badly, a little thought shows that people sometimes dive with redundancy they don't realize. Like what? An SMB makes a wonderful float if your BC should fail. I've been there, done that and have the t-shirt.

 

[BikerBecca]

Most of my dives these days are done with zero redundant gear.

The pilot in me loves redundancy. I never dive without at least 2 computers and both digital and analog SPG. I expect man-made devices to fail.