How Did You Go Solo?

[FreeFlyFreak]

I'll probably get ripped a new one for this, but I did my first solo dive as my 8th dive.

Went with my GF/Dive buddy to an easy local spot to do 2 dives each. After the first dive and during the SI my GF told me she didn't feel like doing the second dive because she was too cold. OK i said, lets sit here for a while in the sun before we pack up.....

I pondered back and forth going solo, we had 2 more full rented tanks in the car and I wasn't cold.

I wasn't 100% comfortable, because I wouldn't have any redundant air, but the site is shallow max 40', and I had 2 cutting devices. After going back and forth with myself I decided the added risk was worth the reward.
Now for the most risky part, broaching the subject with my GF Dive buddy.

Surprisingly enough she said: "I could tell you were thinking about it", she said if it were her or anyone else she wouldn't recommend it. But because it was me and she knows me well "If you want to do it, go ahead. All i want to do is sit in the sun and get warm"

So I geared up and off I went.
The only mistake was not telling her how long I would be down. But our longest dive up to that point had been 45 mins, so I surfaced at 45 mins. Next time I would let her know in advance. "I'm glad you came up when you did, I was wondering how long after 45 mins I should alert the authorities" is all she said.

It was a great dive! So much more relaxing only having to be concerned with myself and my gas. No checking for my buddy every minute.

I have since bought a 19cuft pony to sling if I go solo again, for the added 1st stage and 100% gas redundancy. My GF is often not available to dive, so it may become a regular thing for me.

I should mention that I am not risk averse, having almost 1000 skydives, raced cars, and crossed the Atlantic in a single engine Cessna plus 16k + hours in other aircraft. (I wouldn't do the single engine Ocean thing again though, once was plenty, I got the reward but it wouldn't be worth it for a second time)
Its totally a risk vs reward ratio for me.

I have seen some of the instabuddy candidates on a vacation dive boat, and at local sites, I wasn't overly impressed, plus reading scubaboard instabuddy horror stories. I'd rather dive alone, unless I can find someone I feel comfortable with other than my GF.

 

[DBPacific]

I'll probably get ripped a new one for this, but I did my first solo dive as my 8th dive.

Went with my GF/Dive buddy to an easy local spot to do 2 dives each. After the first dive and during the SI my GF told me she didn't feel like doing the second dive because she was too cold. OK i said, lets sit here for a while in the sun before we pack up.....

I pondered back and forth going solo, we had 2 more full rented tanks in the car and I wasn't cold.

I wasn't 100% comfortable, because I wouldn't have any redundant air, but the site is shallow max 40', and I had 2 cutting devices. After going back and forth with myself I decided the added risk was worth the reward.
Now for the most risky part, broaching the subject with my GF Dive buddy.

Surprisingly enough she said: "I could tell you were thinking about it", she said if it were her or anyone else she wouldn't recommend it. But because it was me and she knows me well "If you want to do it, go ahead. All i want to do is sit in the sun and get warm"

So I geared up and off I went.
The only mistake was not telling her how long I would be down. But our longest dive up to that point had been 45 mins, so I surfaced at 45 mins. Next time I would let her know in advance. "I'm glad you came up when you did, I was wondering how long after 45 mins I should alert the authorities" is all she said.

It was a great dive! So much more relaxing only having to be concerned with myself and my gas. No checking for my buddy every minute.

I have since bought a 19cuft pony to sling if I go solo again, for the added 1st stage and 100% gas redundancy. My GF is often not available to dive, so it may become a regular thing for me.

I should mention that I am not risk averse, having almost 1000 skydives, raced cars, and crossed the Atlantic in a single engine Cessna plus 16k + hours in other aircraft. (I wouldn't do the single engine Ocean thing again though, once was plenty, I got the reward but it wouldn't be worth it for a second time)
Its totally a risk vs reward ratio for me.

I have seen some of the instabuddy candidates on a vacation dive boat, and at local sites, I wasn't overly impressed, plus reading scubaboard instabuddy horror stories. I'd rather dive alone, unless I can find someone I feel comfortable with other than my GF.

Skydiving alone makes you a lot more brave than I am. That and I think my bf would kill me if I didn't tell him how long I'd be down...

Everyone in this thread has a ton of good points and great experiences. I found out that there's a self reliant/solo class nearish me and that's on my list when I'm able to have car access. Having the freedom to dive whenever your schedule allows and the confidence to make it back safely and take care of yourself in any situation are both very appealing.

Hopefully my DSO won't find out though...

 

[Graveyarddiver]

I’ve been diving since I was around 12, until I was an adult I always dove with my dad, who was both an instructor and an army combat diver (rebreather qualified, and would do long deep dives on air). After a a hiatus from diving in college, I came back and started going on boats and getting paired with insta buddies. I was alarmed at the lack of ability, training, confidence, overall awareness of these individuals. It was at this time that I brushed the dust off my twin 80s, added a spare mask to my harness and started showing up on dive boats with compete redundancy, and refused to dive with insta buddies for my own safety, and the sake of my dive. There was no way I was going to call a dive with more than half my gas, after a 2 hour drive, and $120 to get on the boat because my buddy burned through his gas. Since then I have expanded my solo diving to tec dives, with significant planning and a whole lot of redundant gas. It’s great to be able to plan your own dive and dive your plan, without additional variables thrown in. When summer really warms up the water I’ll go so far as to dive with my single tank, 4lbs on my weight belt, 1 regulator, w/ psi gauge, and my watch, ditching the wetsuit and BC. Total freedom, but absolutely a controlled risk, dine only at depths I’m confident I can make an emergency ascent and done on a rich nitro blend.

At this point 75 percent of my dives are solo, most of the operators that are reputable know me as a familiar face and are confident in my abilities to deal with any situations I face on my own.

 

[WI Scuba Dave]

The vast majority of my early dives were solo. Simply because I had no one to dive with. I was certified at 16 in 1977 and none of my friends dove. And while they taught to dive with a buddy, it was a different time. In fact most of my early diving was with just a tank and a weight belt. Not even a BC. Later added a snorkeling vest and finally buying a horse collar BC. It was all local lakes and mostly pretty shallow. And to be honest, I love being alone underwater. A few years later, my dad had bought a place on a lake in northern Wisconsin and I would go up and visit, and often solo dive off his shire. He sold it a few years back and recently passed away. I really miss having that availability.

Now, I’m not nearly as comfortable with solo diving. Not because I’m afraid to, Though I am much more safety conscious as I was back in my younger days ... but partly because of the difference in culture about it.

I am thinking about taking the PADI self-reliant diving course though. Just so I have it if a park ranger questions me about doing a shallow dive off the beach by myself to try out a new piece of gear, or check buoyancy.

 

[lowviz]

Truth be known, I was always solo, I just didn't really grasp that concept. So when did I really "go solo"? I went solo after the kid moved away and I had to weigh the risks vs. benefits.

Solo is how I dive. For my own peace of mind. Solo means that I won't bore anyone by watching a terebellid worm feed or waste dive time trying to figure out the ins and outs of quahogs...

 

[Dark Wolf]

A bit of back story before my answer. I signed up for PADI OW in very early '07, with an agreement on where I would do my OW checkout dives. I had been freediving for over 10 years at this point. I finished classroom work, and confined water dives with no problem. The dive shop then started giving me a hard time about where we had agreed to do checkout dives, and wanted me to go to a lake (with associated boat costs, etc.) to do the dives.

In the meantime, I found a local diver who did air fills. We visited and I explained my situation. I told him I wasn't trying to bypass the cert, I just wanted time in the water. He quizzed me a bit, then told me he would fill my tanks. My dives were all done in areas, and to depths that I had been freediving. I also banded up my first set of independent doubles at this time.

So, for my answer. I had 24 solo dives when I went for the weekend to do my OW checkout dives. Got my SDI solo card the year after my OW cert.

I still do a lot of solo diving, and don't see that ever changing.

DW

 

[happy-diver]

Now, I’m not nearly as comfortable with solo diving. Not because I’m afraid to, Though I am much more safety conscious as I was back in my younger days ... but partly because of the difference in culture about it.

What a complete shame that as you approach the age of calm and control
you sacrifice attainment due to buying into the product other peoples fear

 

[Cdncoldwater]

Just started diving three years ago and recently certified solo with both SDI and PADI. I dive primarily in the North Atlantic and some fresh water with poor visibility and I’ve also had the misfortune of some substandard insta buddies. If my regular dive buddies aren’t available I’ll dive solo and I do every dive now in my solo configuration. I don’t mind diving with others that I trust and the environment I dive in the solo practices are very beneficial.

 

[AfterDark]

What a complete shame that as you approach the age of calm and control
you sacrifice attainment due to buying into the product other peoples fear

Now, I’m not nearly as comfortable with solo diving. Not because I’m afraid to, Though I am much more safety conscious as I was back in my younger days ... but partly because of the difference in culture about it

It is a shame, I don't get the difference in culture about solo diving. The difference I see is that solo diving is far more accepted in the 21st century than it was in the 20th century. There were no solo classes during most of 1st 70 years of sport diving and it was pronounced by experts as a ticket to death. These days around here divers are more upset if you are not displaying the dive flag than if you're solo diving. I can't remember the last time some asked me if I was diving alone. Years ago it was a common question especially among non-divers.

 

[scuba127]

I started solo diving on Bonaire because, at the time, I couldn't always talk dive buddies into going to Bonaire as often as I wanted to go.....I started out with a pony tank and have gone to side mount after completing PADI side mount and PADI Tec 40 classes....I prefer solo and don't really care what the scuba nazi's think about it....I am OK with admitting I do PADI Tec 40 dives solo which, yes, includes deco.....for the record I did get a solo cert but had been solo diving quite awhile before getting it...