Diving without a buddy?

[CamG]

Hm loaded question could they be sued?
Well this is America and you can be sued for looking funny......so I guess they could try.

As for my thoughts on the solo verses buddy dives.
I have outstanding buddies that literally we would drive hours to dive together and do regularly.
Of these we all are capable of diving solo many of us certified to do so and we all on occasion do dive solo.
Yes it is peaceful not to have commitments to buddies and have your buddy strapped to your side 80cf is a minimum mind you.
However we actually rarely end up alone as we enjoy each others company and work on dive skills every dive.

I have had the pleasure of having buddies who have embraced the training mind set and we plan our dives to incorporate air share, line drills, valve drills, etc.
We train like we dive run schedules on all deep dives it just is a normal thing with this group.

What has developed is the less comfortable divers are with skills the less likely they are to join our dives.
So it kind of stacks the deck a bit and we keep building the ranks with new but like minded divers.
I do sympathize with instructors that dive solo and have all the responsibility of a full class to boot.
I have assisted with training and understand the toll it takes after a long season of brutal training schedules.

I enjoy solo dives enough to get the required certifications but in reality only do a few true solo dives a year.
All my dives are treated as solo dives in terms of conservatism and planning.
I consider it to be self rescue rules apply unless absolutely necessary for otherwise, thus why we train for gas emergencies.

I cast no judgement at any diver who dives solo carefully planning with conservatism and I understand their choice.
Diving is many things to many people so it is different for us all and to say one is better based on our opinion is pretty ignorant.
Personally I love to see the different thoughts and ideas it challenges me to research and think about my own methods.

CamG Keep Diving....Keep Training....Keep Learning!

 

[Kharon]

I dive solo whenever I can (equipped, experienced, & trained). I prefer the freedom. The exceptions are when I volunteer for Milfoil remediation ( a team effort) and on club outings (they frown on solo dives).

 

[oldschoolto]

Most likely 80% of my diving has been solo, And when I do dive with a buddy .... It's always been two guys diving in the same area, Not really buddy diving... That said, My wife is newly into diving and very much a new school diver.... So I'm learning to be a good buddy... She's alot of fun and I'm still very protective of her.... And she looks hot in and out of her dive gear... so that is a plus...

I don't think I would put up with a sport death dive buddy, I'm not being a joker when I say... " Some of these divers should take up bowling "

Jim...

 

[dwhthediver]

After teaching all day, I love grabbing my doubles and splashing alone. It is a great way to unwind, but I will say, when students are gone, and we all want to do a fun dive, the instructors will dive as a group, and it is a great way to unwind also. We will play... hide a hotdog in a BCD, get a group to be remoras and 1 instructor hauling the group around the quarry, unknowing, of course. When I dive solo, I practice skills, just move slow to make sure I miss nothing that is hiding. So I don't get sued, I am not only certified as self reliant, I teach it, and don't recommend doing it without proper training.

 

[Searcaigh]

I cast no judgement at any diver who dives solo carefully planning with conservatism and I understand their choice.
Diving is many things to many people so it is different for us all and to say one is better based on our opinion is pretty ignorant.
Personally I love to see the different thoughts and ideas it challenges me to research and think about my own methods.

BANG ....... Cam you summed it up 100%, could not agree more

 

[AfterDark]

After teaching all day, I love grabbing my doubles and splashing alone. It is a great way to unwind, but I will say, when students are gone, and we all want to do a fun dive, the instructors will dive as a group, and it is a great way to unwind also. We will play... hide a hotdog in a BCD, get a group to be remoras and 1 instructor hauling the group around the quarry, unknowing, of course. When I dive solo, I practice skills, just move slow to make sure I miss nothing that is hiding. So I don't get sued, I am not only certified as self reliant, I teach it, and don't recommend doing it without proper training.

Where were you in 1970 when I started solo diving? Could've used a used a few pointers then, too late now. If I showed you log books with 400 or 500 hundred solo dives would you give me a cert?

 

[Bob DBF]

Where were you in 1970 when I started solo diving? Could've used a used a few pointers then, too late now. If I showed you log books with 400 or 500 hundred solo dives would you give me a cert?

Amen, brother.

I'm working on a deal with an instructor, I'll teach him how to solo it if he certifies me.



Bob
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I may be old, but I’m not dead yet.

 

[Ben Prusinski]

When I dove in Catalina, I was a solo diver for most of the dives and never had an issue. Just make sure to have a spare pony bottle and good navigation skills.

 

[Laurie S.]

I've been doing more and more solo dives lately. I'm at the point that if my dive buddy/boyfriend can't go out with me because he's teaching, then I go solo. I've had way too many frustrating and bad buddies that I won't do an instabuddy anymore. I don't take a pony bottle but I do stay at about 60 to 70 feet. I still get back on the boat with 1000-1500 psi after an hour.

 

[Akimbo]

Diving without a buddy? Almost always… unless jumping in together counts. We might see eachother once in a while, ususally swimming in opposite directions.