Solo.. Or No Solo?

[eponym]

Barracuda2 observed, toothily:
In all of these threads, I'm surprised we haven't heard from "serious" photographers and videographers. [snip] Most times, I'm with a buddy, but he gets bored very quickly with the stillness and slowness of me looking for the perfect shots and heads off on his own. [snip] Moving slowly or being very still allows for capturing marine behavior that most divers don't witness [snip]

Some day I hope to find a buddy who also enjoys sitting on the sand or hovering next to a rock just to watch the underwater world go by. I do this solo from time to time--enter solo, reboard solo. I suppose you could call me a photographer without camera.

-Bryan

 

[dive Mike]

If you love diving sometimes you just have to go it alone when no buddy's avalible don't go very deep though

 

[wedivebc]

Perhaps I didn't make this clear. "Accidental" solo divers are not accidental. When you lose your buddy, good buddy skills call for looking for your buddy for a minute or two, then surfacing. If you continue the dive, then you are a solo diver - regardless if you have the training or equipment.

I think that the scenario that you laid out is laughable. Your reference to any diver as an "oaf" makes me wonder about your attitude as an instructor.

As far as I am concerned the SDI solo cert simply institutionalizes arrogant and self-centered behavior that has no place in diving. Diving solo because it is more convenient is not a good reason to do so.

The first thing that I learned about diving is that there really aren't any rules. While a PADI OW card "limits" you to a max depth of 60ft, it is a recommended limit. There is nothing preventing you from going on a dive and going to 80ft or even 165ft... on air. The risks that you assume are your own. In a way, we, as a diving community, respect this individual right to do what we want. But this emphasis on self-sufficiency is taken too far.

On a recent dive, I didn't notice that hoses were tangled up, nor that I had a slow leak. My buddy immediately let me know that I had a problem before the dive started and the problem was simply and quickly resolved. Let's say that the o-ring let go at depth. Then, as a solo diver, the plan is to go to your pony bottle and surface.

But now you're task loaded and pretty stressed out. Perhaps everything works as it should, and you surface without a problem. Perhaps you have another problem. Perhaps you've had an off day and you make another mistake. Who knows?

Why bother? My buddy saw something that wasn't right and we addressed the problem before it became a serious issue underwater.

And I find this consistently. When I dive with buddies with good buddy skills, the dive goes more smoothly and I'm able to concentrate on the dive. If something does go wrong, I'm confident that my buddy and I will solve the problem together.

My comment concerns differentiating between accidental and intentional solo divers.
I am not sure why you have launched a personal attack against me because I don't know you but I think we are all here to discuss ideas as adults.

 

[Barracuda2]

Some day I hope to find a buddy who also enjoys sitting on the sand or hovering next to a rock just to watch the underwater world go by. I do this solo from time to time--enter solo, reboard solo. I suppose you could call me a photographer without camera.

-Bryan

Golly Bryan, you would make the perfect dive buddy for me. In all my years, I haven't found one who likes to "sit and hover" next to a rock with me, thus, I do it solo as safely as I can.

Barracuda2

 

[srwilson4]

Diving is very relative. Buddy diving is as much a safety feature as it is a means to keep the government from regulating the sport. As some may know, having a bad buddy can be worse then diving solo, especially if that buddy has no clue what to do in an emergency OR does the wrong thing.

Diving solo not only requires experience but proficiency. I have seen countless "long time" divers who are quite inept in their skills. Only dive in familiar areas, never dive deeper then a CESA allows and always carry a backup pony bottle or a spare air. These should be a given. The main thing is that you are proficient with your skills and understand what to do in every situation. I would not suggest solo diving unless you have completed at least the DM course, and further tech courses would be recommended. Know yourself and your limits.

That being said, I think solo diving provides a solitary experience that is quite amazing. And I agree with the previous posts, sitting still and watching the ocean move around you offers a unique perspective. Many divers worry so much about seeing everything that they never stop to just look at the world they are surrounded by.

 

[Wrangler]

Actively taught for almost 18 years. When your with students be honset your solo diving your watching them no one is watching you.
When doing drift runs in high current try staying with your buddy and not having them on top of you. We do group diving people in water just not budded up.
We all setup as solo divers to be able to self rescue.
most fun dives are buddy dives you need someone to share and back up your unbelivable stories

 

[Mako Mark]

Mark, I understand your point of view, however, do you think that moving forum will make a difference? Is the tech forum restricted to people with a 'certain level of training / experience'?

yep, a teacher can light a ciggy in the staff room, but not in the playground dude. I maintain that if solo diving is to be discussed, it should be done so in a Tec forum not general diving

The difference between the other tec activities and solo diving, is that you need special or different equipment to participate in trimix or rebreather or even cave diving. A joe avarage diver may not see the need for additional equipment while solo diving, and consider it just the same as normal diving, just without a buddy.

 

[redacted]

That being said, I think solo diving provides a solitary experience that is quite amazing. Many divers worry so much about seeing everything that they never stop to just look at the world they are surrounded by.

You bet. Just think ablout being the only diver in the water -
on Cozumel.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Actively taught for almost 18 years. When your with students be honset your solo diving your watching them no one is watching you.

Not me. I always have a buddy when I'm teaching as does each of my students. The situation you describe is probably a key reason that divers never learn to buddy dive. They're taught in a pack while following a solo instructor who should be demonstrating buddy diving rather than talking about buddy diving while demonstrating solo diving.

Students are rarely asked to demonstrate that they can function as a buddy either beyond sharing air while kneeling.

It's no wonder so many want to solo dive. It's all they know.

When doing drift runs in high current try staying with your buddy and not having them on top of you. We do group diving people in water just not budded up.

we dive some caves where the flow is so strong it'll tear your mask off and if you get in the wrong spot you won't hardly be able to pull yourself against it ieven if you're lucky enough to have a firm hold of something. We dive them as a team.

Talk about a drift dive, you should ride one of those suckers out.

 

[eponym]

The situation you describe is probably a key reason that divers never learn to buddy dive. They're taught in a pack [snip]. Students are rarely asked to demonstrate that they can function as a buddy either beyond sharing air while kneeling.

Well put! Time for the cert. agencies to add some serious buddy skill drills to the OW requirements (from holding relative positions to following a detailed plan worked out on the surface).

-Bryan