About to break into the Solo World

[lowviz]

This is quite an important point. I latched onto horizontal trim as an alter to worship at.

Yes, when diving with your DIR/GUE/UTD buds, it is that important. No dis. They are a highly disciplined and indoctrinated bunch. Kudos, seriously, I mean that. -just not for me...

A million years ago, I finally comprehended just how foreign 'solo diving' is to 'DIR' diving. It is a choice (and not a choice to be taken lightly).

If you have fundamental questions about solo diving, then please avoid solo diving.

 

[Bob DBF]

In any event I pretty much consider all dives solo dives.

A cute phrase I hear a lot, but inaccurate. A buddy, or team, dive is not a solo dive, treating it as your own personal dive is in the bad buddy column. Being self reliant in the event of an unknown problem is an asset to both you and your buddies, but it is not solo diving.

And remember. Shears, not knives

Shears, knives, and line cutter. The right tool for the job, I add other implements of destruction as necessary.

 

[InTheDrink]

A cute phrase I hear a lot, but inaccurate. A buddy, or team, dive is not a solo dive, treating it as your own personal dive is in the bad buddy column. Being self reliant in the event of an unknown problem is an asset to both you and your buddies, but it is not solo diving.



Shears, knives, and line cutter. The right tool for the job, I add other implements of destruction as necessary.

re: treating all dives like solo dives. I should rephrase. All dives IMHO should be ones where you can self rescue. I know there are teams dives etc with team deco gas etc but that’s not my gig. When you guide groups of people you don’t know you, you are essentially diving solo. No-one is your buddy.

It doesn’t mean that I dive and not be a buddy. I do. So I still dive like a buddy (when not guiding) but generally ready to look after myself (and buddy) if required. This is why I ALWAYS have redundant gas. Even on baby dives.

Re kit. Cutters or shears. Ain’t never seen any use case for a knife apart from chopping apples or a makeshift screw driver and if I have to carry more kit I’d prefer an EPIRB, mirror, spare mask, etc than multiple cutting tools. If you have a use case where carrying 3 cutting tools (especially a knife) I would genuinely be interested to know.

I’ve a lot to learn! Always will

 

[InTheDrink]

Yes, when diving with your DIR/GUE/UTD buds, it is that important. No dis. They are a highly disciplined and indoctrinated bunch. Kudos, seriously, I mean that. -just not for me...

A million years ago, I finally comprehended just how foreign 'solo diving' is to 'DIR' diving. It is a choice (and not a choice to be taken lightly).

If you have fundamental questions about solo diving, then please avoid solo diving.

I agree. They are a highly disciplined bunch and highly versed in the basics which can be fairly absent with other organisations.

That said, and I repeat. Trim really is context dependent. Honestly. If you have 6 guests and 8 agitated sharks in deep blue water - horizontal trim is not the correct position. And indeed, even the frog kick can be misplaced if you really need to belt it to get somewhere fast fast to stop something happening.

That said, I love what I learned with GUE and typically dive that style. I’m just not religious.

And re solo. I’d prefer to dive alone than an instabuddy. Unless they were GUE

 

[Trailboss123]

I went to Tulum and trained on the go razor sidemount with Geraldine in the cenotes for 3 days. Still the best dive training I have ever had.

then I did the PADI solo in Bonaire. That was so-so especially after the razor training.

Who did you do your PADI Self Reliant with in Bonaire, just out of curiosity? Sounds like you got a lot out of your sidemount training in the cenotes- that is great.

 

[Bob DBF]

When you guide groups of people you don’t know you, you are essentially diving solo. No-one is your buddy.

You are not diving solo, you are working, you cannot change your dive plan and swim off on your own as you could solo. Yes you do not have a reliable buddy so you should be self reliant, but you are not solo. A solo mindset does not include other divers.

Re kit. Cutters or shears. Ain’t never seen any use case for a knife apart from chopping apples or a makeshift screw driver and if I have to carry more kit I’d prefer an EPIRB, mirror, spare mask, etc than multiple cutting tools. If you have a use case where carrying 3 cutting tools (especially a knife) I would genuinely be interested to know.

A knife good for line larger than a line cutter and shears will handle, and rock scallops of course. My BFK is the only tool that takes up any real space, but I've been wearing it for well over 50 years, so... Gear, other than cutting tools is another discussion and is in addition to, not instead of.

I've been entangled several times, helped others that were, and being an amateur salvage diver, so I may have a distorted view of the importance of cutting tools.

 

[InTheDrink]

You are not diving solo, you are working, you cannot change your dive plan and swim off on your own as you could solo. Yes you do not have a reliable buddy so you should be self reliant, but you are not solo. A solo mindset does not include other divers.



A knife good for line larger than a line cutter and shears will handle, and rock scallops of course. My BFK is the only tool that takes up any real space, but I've been wearing it for well over 50 years, so... Gear, other than cutting tools is another discussion and is in addition to, not instead of.

I've been entangled several times, helped others that were, and being an amateur salvage diver, so I may have a distorted view of the importance of cutting tools.

Thanks for your take on that. I’ll dwell on it as I think you’re right. Solo encompasses more. Particularly sites you haven’t dived before. And many other things like letting people know your plan, ETA, etc.

re knives. I was only really taking the piss and I’m not a salvager so never found knives much use except to make up for a small penis. I used to have a big knife strapped to my calf. Looked awesome. Bitch to reach tho and guaranteed cramp!! So cutters and shears have always worked fine for me but I can see situations when a BFK could be useful, just not probably my scene.

But thanks for the insight

 

[Ministryofgiraffes]

Who did you do your PADI Self Reliant with in Bonaire, just out of curiosity? Sounds like you got a lot out of your sidemount training in the cenotes- that is great.

I honestly recommend it to anyone. First day in the pool and the second and third in the cenote. It was the perfect place to train. Absolutely the best training I’ve had. Very thorough and Geraldine never let me off the hook if I was slacking on anything.

I did my solo with dive friends at delfins. It was fine, but just a bit pedestrian after the razor training. Much easier now they have rebuilt the dock as well

that night I did my first solo night dive at saltpier. Went into the water at dusk...about 30 mins later it dawned on my that I had grossly underestimated how spooky it would be out there completely alone. no other divers on site. I like my adrenaline, but it was quite the experience...serious mind over matter exercise.

 

[InTheDrink]

I honestly recommend it to anyone. First day in the pool and the second and third in the cenote. It was the perfect place to train. Absolutely the best training I’ve had. Very thorough and Geraldine never let me off the hook if I was slacking on anything.

I did my solo with dive friends at delfins. It was fine, but just a bit pedestrian after the razor training. Much easier now they have rebuilt the dock as well

that night I did my first solo night dive at saltpier. Went into the water at dusk...about 30 mins later it dawned on my that I had grossly underestimated how spooky it would be out there completely alone. no other divers on site. I like my adrenaline, but it was quite the experience...serious mind over matter exercise.

Diving solo somewhere you’re unfamiliar with, particularly a little deep, is wonderful for navigation skills!!! And yeah can initially feel a little spooky.

But a little fear is a good thing, right?

 

[Ministryofgiraffes]

Diving solo somewhere you’re unfamiliar with, particularly a little deep, is wonderful for navigation skills!!! And yeah can initially feel a little spooky.

But a little fear is a good thing, right?

It was more the ‘pitch blackness’ and the divebombing tarpons as I had my lights off, but I did enjoy it. I’m weird that way.