Blackbeard as buddyless diver

[WarrenZ]

when I was on Blackbeards Dec 2017 they had reversed their policy and were no longer accepting a pony and solo cert on their boat. so we usually dove as a group of 3 but soon picked up a fourth diver as he wanted to dive with us since he wasnt satisfied with diving with some of the other groups. Photographers can be funny about who they want to dive with. It will work its self out.

 

[WarrenZ]

I also had a thought if you need a buddy just pay for my space on the boat and Ill dive with you.

 

[drrich2]

when I was on Blackbeards Dec 2017 they had reversed their policy and were no longer accepting a pony and solo cert on their boat.

Very sorry to hear that, but thanks for letting us know.

 

[drbill]

Went solo on a Blackbeards trip a few years back. Had no problem finding buddies to dive with and formed a few friendships as well.

Sorry to hear they've reversed their position on solo diving. When I went, I received permission from their main office to dive solo but once on board the dive master said no. She was fired not long after as several of the passengers complained about her. The rest of the crew was great.

 

[WarrenZ]

Went solo on a Blackbeards trip a few years back. Had no problem finding buddies to dive with and formed a few friendships as well.

Sorry to hear they've reversed their position on solo diving. When I went, I received permission from their main office to dive solo but once on board the dive master said no. She was fired not long after as several of the passengers complained about her. The rest of the crew was great.

I went at the direction of the on board crew I am not sure If I could have argued it with the head office but it wasnt worth ruining a trip over.

 

[Scuba-74]

I went at the direction of the on board crew I am not sure If I could have argued it with the head office but it wasnt worth ruining a trip over.

Interestingly enough, they don't check anything else about people's diving - depths vs. certification levels, timing of the surface intervals, adherence to no decompression limits, or anything else of that matter. But they are anal about people diving solo on the simplest of their dives.

There was this one dive site that was very shallow, 18-20' at the deepest, it involved swimming from the boat directly east towards this island for maybe 3-4 minutes over the sand, then proceeding either directly N or S along the shore. No current, minimal wind. We were there for 2 dives. My buddy and I went S, and although I liked the dive, my buddy got bored and said he will skip the second dive. I asked the DM if I could go solo, he said no, so I had to go with this other group. Luckily they were OK with going N, so my 2nd dive wasn't the exact repetition of the 1st one.

 

[Shasta_man]

As a single diver I found it could be a good thing. Some groups take you in because you are a single diver, and it can be easier to sync personalities when it is just you and not you and the wife, no matter how wonderful she is. Just a note to say I have had good luck on most liveaboards.

 

[drobertsca]

Posting to a bit of a zombie thread but just came across it and the comments a few up about Blackbeards changing their solo diving policy had me worried.

Just sent an email to the office, and they say they still allow solo for divers with the correct certification and all the required redundant gear including redundant air supply.

They don't rent pony bottles so in the past I've just traveled with my own 40 cubic foot pony. Never a problem with the airlines or with Blackbeards filling it on the boat. I've probably done 3 or 4 trips with them in this configuration as recently as a couple of years ago.