Dive holiday solo freaks me out...

[Marie13]

@Nasenbaer

Just gird up your loins and do it.

Or if you can’t get past the thought of diving with someone else, cancel the trip.

Those are your choices.

 

[Steve_C]

I am pretty self reliant and have no problem with an instabuddy and have done it many times. If however, the dive is special (deeper, more interesting, on my bucket list), I just hire a private DM and we discuss what I am looking for in the dive. Has worked great a number of times. Some times you have to "train" the DM. Some want to rush around. But they all get it eventually.

 

[Nasenbaer]

Thanks a lot guys for the encouragement and the great advices!
Made me feel a lot better and more confident in doing it
(I’m still hoping my girlfriend can come though, in case she reads this )

 

[arew+4]

1. Avoid the one in the brand new fully color coordinated gear.
2. Avoid the one in a complete rented kit complete with rented camera.
3. Avoid anyone who says "in my day", or "OK Boomer"

 

[Nasenbaer]

1. Avoid the one in the brand new fully color coordinated gear.
2. Avoid the one in a complete rented kit complete with rented camera.
3. Avoid anyone who says "in my day", or "OK Boomer"

 

[W W Meixner]

1. Avoid the one in the brand new fully color coordinated gear.
2. Avoid the one in a complete rented kit complete with rented camera.
3. Avoid anyone who says "in my day", or "OK Boomer"

A+4...

Don't forget the ''God's gift to scuba diving...and the guy who says...''I've forgotten more than most divers ever knew''...

One side of the coin...is just as bad as the other...

The diver that knows what he/she is doing is usually the one...assembling/checking/testing...and keeping his/her mouth shut...not necessarily silent...but quiet...not telling you what they know...but showing you...

If you find this person...the relationship will likely last longer than the single charter...

W.M...

 

[TMHeimer]

On a charter I have been "solo" from the get go. How "comfortable" are you diving-wise and also water activities in general (assume at least pretty good on both)? My very first boat dive (78') I was buddied with a very experienced diver, who proceeded to chase lobsters and ditch me--not a great feeling. I hooked up with a couple of others until he "found me".
I've been lucky in that most of my "instabuddies" have been pretty good. The biggest thing I go over is how to release each other's weights, but there is the other stuff to review on deck of course. I've had no choice as my wife doesn't dive and we don't travel with a "built in" buddy.
I felt better about this after taking the Rescue Course, which pretty much is recommended by all here on Scubaboard.
I dive solo at home but limit my depth to usually 30' or less. Everyone has different risk tolerances going alone. The down side is you have no one to assist you. The upside is there is no one to get you in trouble.
I'm not recommending solo diving, as I didn't do my first until dive #76, and that was kind of out of necessity due to our location and my buddy moving.

 

[EFX]

95% of the charters I've been on I've gone alone. If you are used to diving with a regular buddy going alone on a trip or charter can be disconcerting at least. But, don't let your nerves get the best of you. The charters I've done are two types: the herd and the insta-buddy. On the herd dive stay close enough to another diver so that if you need assistance you can swim to them and grab them to get their attention. If you want the extra security stay close to the DM as others have mentioned. Insta-buddies can pose a big problem. In the beginning of the dive I watch closely how often my buddy looks at me. If they won't pay me as much attention as I feel they should, and there are a lot of those kind of buddies, I make an effort to stay closer, close enough that I can swim to them and grab them to get their attention. Before you jump into the water communicate your expectations to your buddy and go over the pre-dive check with them.

 

[drk5036]

I think the "insta-buddy" thing is a much bigger deal in America, where you're often diving without a DM in the water, and have free reign to do basically what ever you want---you just have to end up back at the boat at the end of the dive. In Asia, there will always be a DM in the water, guiding the dive for you. Usually, with about 4 people following the same person. While you always will be assigned a buddy, it's usually done as one big group dive, and if you were to have a problem you basically have 4 other people around who can provide support. Basically, don't sweat it. If you have a bad buddy, you'll probably have others around anyway, and if you have a good buddy, great you've made a new diving friend!

 

[Tippytoes12]

Diving in Bali is very different to elsewhere, the Guides take great care of you compared. I do a solo dive trip every year in February when my hubby cannot get away. For the last few years it has been to Indonesia and always includes Bali. I have dived almost exclusively with just the guide and it has been wonderful. I have also dived with single travellers and groups of friends and have made some lovely new friends that way. Am back three weeks from 2 weeks in Bali this year and everywhere was so so quiet. So the chances are that you will be buddied with the guide. So please don’t worry and enjoy your trip !