Do you dive solo?

Do you dive solo?

  • Anywhere anytime, I’m trained to do so

    Votes: 53 25.5%
  • Anywhere anytime, I’m an experienced diver

    Votes: 74 35.6%
  • When my dive buddy fails to show up

    Votes: 9 4.3%
  • When other divers are near by

    Votes: 19 9.1%
  • In shallow waters

    Votes: 28 13.5%
  • In shallow waters near shore

    Votes: 32 15.4%
  • For short test dives example, 5 minutes

    Votes: 10 4.8%
  • To recover or place something

    Votes: 12 5.8%
  • I plan to try it one day

    Votes: 21 10.1%
  • Never, I’m too frightened

    Votes: 2 1.0%
  • Never, it’s not safe

    Votes: 12 5.8%

  • Total voters
    208

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I am comfortable with my skills and dive accordingly. I don't set out to dive solo but almost always end up that way. Two reasons for this are 1) my air consumption is better than my buddy, and 2) I am a photographer.

Depending on where we are, if I feel dive conditions are safe, I'm not getting out of the water until I'm out of air or bottom time. And the exception to that is whether or not the dive boat has strict bottom-time limitations.

Having said this, remember to dive within your own limits. Know how to rescue yourself from basic situations and carry signaling devices. Even diving solo means you need a plan - tell someone your plan. Anything can go wrong no matter what your experience level so let other divers or boat crew know which direction you're going and how long you expect the dive to be. If you are the last one back to the boat, the crew will know if you've succeeded your estimated limit and someone will look for you.

Happy Diving!
~ R
 
Did my first solo dives this past weekend. LOVED it. Not saying I'd like to do it all the time (because I also enjoy sharing the dive experience in the presence of others), but it is great not having to worry about anyone else other than yourself. I was amazed to realize at how much of my concentration is dedicated to my buddy.

Another thing I've come to suspect is that some buddies actually don't pay enough attention to their dive buddies. I think that for them the attraction of diving solo is not as great because, in fact, they aren't dedicating much attention to them in the first place.
 
Did my first solo dives this past weekend. LOVED it. Not saying I'd like to do it all the time (because I also enjoy sharing the dive experience in the presence of others), but it is great not having to worry about anyone else other than yourself. I was amazed to realize at how much of my concentration is dedicated to my buddy.

Another thing I've come to suspect is that some buddies actually don't pay enough attention to their dive buddies. I think that for them the attraction of diving solo is not as great because, in fact, they aren't dedicating much attention to them in the first place.

Absolutely agree on both accounts.
 
Another thing I've come to suspect is that some buddies actually don't pay enough attention to their dive buddies.

I'd love to know what % of buddy pairs do pay 'enough attention' to each other, as judged by the view I often see expressed in ScubaBoard posts.

I was amazed to realize at how much of my concentration is dedicated to my buddy.

As much as I dislike paying attention to even simple navigation, I find it's less burdensome than keeping an eye on even a good buddy, or at least that's my impression. Solo enables considerably more 'free-form' recreational diving in Bonaire, for example. Depth, how fast to swim, whether to stick around watching something or move on, can be decided on the fly.

Richard.
 
I'm curious to know what percentage of divers dive solo in spite of local ordinances prohibiting such (e.g. Laguna Beach, CA).

How about if it's not illegal per se, but very difficult or inconvenient due to standards generally adopted by the local dive shops (e.g. Grand Cayman)?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2
 
I'm curious to know what percentage of divers dive solo in spite of local ordinances prohibiting such (e.g. Laguna Beach, CA).

How about if it's not illegal per se, but very difficult or inconvenient due to standards generally adopted by the local dive shops (e.g. Grand Cayman)?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2
Don't forget Point Lobos in Monterey Co.
Believe it or not I've never dove there because I never was able to line up a reservation with the right buddies with the right weekend off, etc.
In other words the sun, moon, and stars weren't lined up just right so it never happened.
But, I have heard that there is a park ranger there that has taken it upon himself to be the dive police/nazi of PL.
The rules are that there must be at least two divers entering the water at the same time, no solo diving. You cannot make a reservation to dive there solo either. The last time I checked (and it's been quite a few years) you had to have at least three divers in your group to make a reservation.
If he sees a diver pop up without a buddy they get the riot act read to them.
However, being a state park I am surprised at this micro managing about solo diving.
Come to think of it, maybe that's also why I don't dive there.

Unlike Laguna Beach which is owned and patrolled by the City of Laguna Beach which has had a written ordinace on the books in place against diving solo and mandatory snorkel since 1962.
 
I'm sure glad our dive park and our local boats do not have restrictions like those in many other places.... if they did, I might become a (shudder) landlubber. Of course I think in most cases it is wise for people to dive with a buddy, but for those who have the training/experience and the proper gear to do it, I think choosing to dive solo is appropriate. As for a snorkel, I dropped those ages ago due to issues while filming in tight places. There have been a very few times when a snorkel would have been very helpful, but my BCD has no pockets or easy way to carry one.
 
Those CA laws are just silly. Like the Long Island State Parks that don't allow you in the surf to swim after the lifeguards leave after Labour Day (yet you still pay the stiff parking fee--what's that for then?). I like the places with "swim at your own risk" signs (can't every place just post these and avoid lawsuits? Every motel pool-except once- I've ever swam in has this sign and no lifeguard). Better yet I like N.S. with no signs, etc. at all.

---------- Post added June 6th, 2014 at 06:18 PM ----------

I'm curious to know what percentage of divers dive solo in spite of local ordinances prohibiting such (e.g. Laguna Beach, CA).

How about if it's not illegal per se, but very difficult or inconvenient due to standards generally adopted by the local dive shops (e.g. Grand Cayman)?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

I once dived Ft. Pickens near Pensacola solo (against rules) after waiting hours for those who were to join me (instructors) showed up after I was done. It was the off season (March) so I figured no one would be looking for divers. Wasn't about to go all the way back to Biloxi without a dive. The inlet current there is no worse than at the Destin or PCB inlets (and all of these to be dived at slack tide of course), so why the no solo rule there?
 
Those CA laws are just silly. Like the Long Island State Parks that don't allow you in the surf to swim after the lifeguards leave after Labour Day (yet you still pay the stiff parking fee--what's that for then?). I like the places with "swim at your own risk" signs (can't every place just post these and avoid lawsuits? Every motel pool-except once- I've ever swam in has this sign and no lifeguard). Better yet I like N.S. with no signs, etc. at all.
It's only a few spots in California that are like that. Where I live, up at the north end, I don't know of a place that has no solo rules. There are Marine Protected Areas (MPA's) but those are for no taking of game.
The only signs I see up here are warning signs about unpredictable surf and sleeper waves. But then if someone want's to go in on a big day they won't stop you, they can't, they would be violating your rights as a citizen to do what you want. They could strongly suggest not to go in but they can't physically stop you.
We lose about 5 to 8 abalone divers each year to drowning for various reasons.
The park rangers have a pretty active rescue program along with the local Sheriff's dept. and local fire depts.
My brother is the chief engineer for the main responding FD out on the coast and his daughter is the one who rappels down the cliff side to get to stranded (or dead) divers that get washed up onto the rocks.
The sheriffs dept also has a tea bagger (that's a guy who hangs on a line out of the chopper and they dunk him into the water right next to to a victim and he straps a harness onto the diver then they pull them up).
Their attitudes are that it's just a fact of life and it's their job. There will always be idiots that insist on going out on a bad or unpredictable day or are too fat and out of shape to be dealing with those types of conditions. Many times they are solo too, but not always. Sometimes it starts out as a buddy activity then turns into every man for himself and everybody is just trying to save their own skin.
I just hope that they never tack on a bunch of rules, that's one very cool thing about living up in Norcal, it's pretty laid back.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/04/2...r-weekend-in-separate-accidents-off-northern/

Here is another one:
http://bodega.towns.pressdemocrat.com/2012/03/news/raging-surf-greets-abalone-season/

I was trying to find a vid with the heli rescue but can't seem to find it.
Pretty hairy!


One other very interesting thing about California is with their charter boats, they are probably the most laid back liveaboards I've ever been on or heard about. It seems like many places in the world the charters are babysitters and micro managers, but here they let you do whatever you want. Dive solo, no problem, Dive with any gear including vintage, no problem, want to dive with no BC, no problem.
I think it's probably because most people who use those boats are locals.
 
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Eric S., I like all that. The way it should be. I do wonder if the rescued diver (assuming alive) has to foot any of the bill for his rescue. That would only seem right, considering having the freedom to choose to dive on a bad day. I'm not sure how that situation is here, but I don't think the victim pays. Same thing as if they have to rescue boaters, etc.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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