How Did You Go Solo?

[Barnaby'sDad]

Is it really "illegal" though? In what sense? What if someone decides to take their own initiative to read, study, learn from other solo/tec divers and practice to become proficient? I suppose it depends on where or who you're diving with; whether or not they require some piece of paper or card to prove it.

“Illegally,” as in without the certification. It’s not literally illegal in many areas.

There are locations (ex. Quarries) where access is strictly controlled by an operator. In those cases, they tend to mandate that you only dive in accordance with your certification(s). Ex. It doesn’t matter if I have completed solo dives to ~100’ off NC or in near zero vis down in SC...if I don’t have a solo or self-reliant certification, I am only permitted to dive with a buddy in their glorified swimming pool.

There are plenty of places and dive operators that don’t care whether or not you have a solo or self-sufficient certification. As a result, you can shop around for those kind of opportunities to get solo dives in. Ex. Meg Ledges off NC, Cooper River teeth dives, shore dives at Lauderdale by the Sea, etc. Just about everyone that I saw diving LBTS was going in solo.

Alternatively...you can handle this like one poster mentioned...meet up with a group that’s diving and tell them that you’re going to peel off and do your thing. “You do you” on that kind of thing. I’m not risking it because in my case...it’s the only decent body of water inside of four hours and I’m not going to risk getting caught and blacklisted.

 

[Ana]

So as divers we haven't quite grown up yet, I see.
There has been new knowledge being acquired since those first dives back when, 1940's right? So why we don't use that continuous accumulation of new knowledge to become better divers instead of placing more and more limitations and silly rules.

Sure the lawyers may not get it, they only see liability, let them. But why would we voluntarily help them pave the way to more and more restrictions.
Be responsible for your own safety. Learn to dive, I don't mean take classes and collect cards, LEARN to freaking dive, the information is available more that it ever was, use it.

Go at your own speed and recognize your limits, be an adult FFS. If diving with people doesn't work out for you, then don't. If someone gives you any negativity for diving solo, don't take it, stand up to their BS.

My gauge has always been that if one have to ask if it is ok for them to dive solo, then it usually isn't ok. One should be an adult to dive solo. And yes... sometimes it isn't obvious to know what you don't know, but that's why you need to be an adult and figure out your envelope before stepping out and when stepping out is usually safer to go small increments at a time.

 

[John C. Ratliff]

I was trained to be a solo diver in the U.S. Air Force during Pararescue training in 1967. You cannot be other than a solo diver if you make a parascuba jump into the ocean. We had to be self-reliant. We tried to link up for buddy diving on things like the Apollo SimEx (putting a floatation collar on the Apollo spacecraft), but sometimes that didn't happen.

Now, I usually dive at a site with lifeguards available, due to my age. But that cannot happen with the COVID-19 going on, as the lifeguards have pulled off these areas of the Clackamas River. So now I'm buddy diving until probably next year.

SeaRat

 

[Steveed]

My life has often been about doing what made me happy as a child, but in a more expensive and extreme way.

I started swimming regularly after I got a place near the beach, then one payday I picked up some snorkeling kit. It was about spearfishing and lobsters for a while. Then, I ran into some guys doing SCUBA cert classes at work and they sold me on it. I paid the $500 and got the card. Then I bought scuba gear and started going after lobsters with scuba, while spearfishing jettys with a snorkel.

So, the whole time it has been solo. I enjoy diving with other people as well, just not really while hunting tasty sea critters. (Dive buddies while doing these activitys are more like same ocean buddies.) Primarily, I dive for the purpose of enjoying the underwater world.

About 100 hours in, I try to aim for redundant gear including air, and a self sufficient attitude, and at my age I know that I am not invincible and that I have to respect my mother (nature).

 

[diver00011]

Main reason I did solo training was to make myself a safer diver, and never to have to rely on an unknown insta-buddy to get home alive.
But now that solo is an option, I'm finding I dive _a lot_ more often, because I'm not limited by my buddies' schedules.
I love the solitude. The fish are less scared of solo divers. I don't have to worry about boring my buddy if I stay in one place for 15 minutes trying to shoot that perfect video clip.

 

[WI Scuba Dave]

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

I don’t disagree with that at all.

 

[Pacediver]

Solo diving happened to me ,probably like most as a result of dive buddy’s having to cancel dives or moving away,after awhile I decided to dive solo with my own restrictions,I dive typical no deeper than 40ft. I tell others my dive plan and timings and call when I’m done and on the way home,I do like going with groups but since that’s not possible a lot a lot of dives are solo even as most know when your with other divers you tend to have a plan and basically meet before ,sometimes, during and after dives not usually side by side the whole dive.Solo diving If you’re comfortable with is very rewarding use the KISS principle know your limits and enjoy it.