Do not ever say you are a rescue diver

[SlugLife]

The issue I have with every dive being solo, is that a solo diver has no responsibility to a buddy, which is at odds with buddy diving. It might be better put as a self reliant mindset which would include buddy diving, and actually how I was taught to buddy dive decades ago before all these fancy words were used.

That's a misunderstanding of the concept. Phrase are always simplifications. If anyone uses the concept "think of every dive as a solo dive" (or other phrasing) to mean what you just stated, they're talking about something else entirely.

We try to use similar definitions and meanings, because to type out an encyclopedia EVERY TIME, just starts to get ridiculous. Even if I use the term buddy-dive, there are certain assumptions we diver have around what that means. For example, a "buddy dive" doesn't mean "diving nearby someone who you think of as a buddy or friend."

 

[SlugLife]

I think if you worded it: you should prepare every dive like if you could dive it solo

It would be more palatable, but then in a basic, no deco stop, buddy diving scenario you just abort in case of separation, so it’s still different?

I don't think it's a misleading label. It's just something that requires explanation, when speaking to a relatively inexperienced diver.

The term "self reliant" may be a bit more precise, although it doesn't roll-off-the-tongue similar to a slogan. For some reason it took me a little while to warm-up to that term, and I still forget to use it. I guess it doesn't roll-off-the-tongue like a slogan?

 

[Bob DBF]

That's a misunderstanding of the concept.

The concept of a solo diver is diving solo, and is how one plans and executes the dive. A solo mindset is used to complete a solo dive successfully.

If a buddy dive evolves into a lost buddy, one does not become a solo diver, rather one carries out the lost buddy procedure in order to reunite the team.

 

[SlugLife]

The concept of a solo diver is diving solo, and is how one plans and executes the dive. A solo mindset is used to complete a solo dive successfully.

If a buddy dive evolves into a lost buddy, one does not become a solo diver, rather one carries out the lost buddy procedure in order to reunite the team.

Like I mentioned previously, the concept is only communicate is self-reliance, which includes things like self-rescue, redundancy, etc.

If you're ignoring dive-buddy protocols, while diving with a buddy, you're doing it wrong. You seem to be criticizing a concept for what it's not meant to be.

edit: This is known as a strawman. You're describing something that looks and sounds similar, and is easy to tear down, but it is not the same thing. This is also probably why the standard course is generally labeled "self reliant diver" (or similar) and not "solo diver," because some people seem to think solo-divers mean anti-social divers or something of the sort.

 

[Bob DBF]

Like I mentioned previously, the concept is only communicate is self-reliance, which includes things like self-rescue, redundancy, etc.

If you're ignoring dive-buddy protocols, while diving with a buddy, you're doing it wrong. You seem to be criticizing a concept for what it's not meant to be.

I'm not a fan of the confusion of terms and concepts when conflating buddy and solo diving. It's bad enough that buddy diving is only given lip service in a lot of OW training, and that instabuddies have given a bad name to buddies, but intentionally dragging in solo diving, is making buddy diving more confusing rather than less.

When discussing buddy diving, promoting good buddy procedures should be the point, and the word and concepts of solo should be left to a discussion about solo diving.

 

[John C. Ratliff]

I'm not a fan of the confusion of terms and concepts when conflating buddy and solo diving. It's bad enough that buddy diving is only given lip service in a lot of OW training, and that instabuddies have given a bad name to buddies, but intentionally dragging in solo diving, is making buddy diving more confusing rather than less.

When discussing buddy diving, promoting good buddy procedures should be the point, and the word and concepts of solo should be left to a discussion about solo diving.

Bob, I agree with you. Whenever you dive with others, there is a very different mentality than with solo diving. I mostly dive solo, but when I dove in 2020 with two other divers to show them the High Rocks area of the Clackamas River, I had to work to keep the team together. Please watch the first three minutes of the above video to see what I'm talking about. In order to keep our dive team together, I had to grab one of the guy's tank to keep him from being carried away by the current (he wasn't used to diving in a current). Whenever I dive with a buddy or even in this case two divers, maintaining contact is a very important part of the dive. Without that, one diver could get into an area that could cause problems.

For instance, there was across-current that we followed under the river's rapids, which were above us and we needed to navigate that hazard. It was fine when I was able to show them the problem, but if either of these divers had encountered it without me being there, it could have caused problems.

To confligrate this type of team diving, or buddy diving, with solo diving whereby you only care for yourself is to also make the dive more hazardous for the others. The reason for buddy diving is to give an extra set of eyes and twice the experience to the dive team.

SeaRat

 

[tursiops]

This is also probably why the standard course is generally labeled "self reliant diver" (or similar) and not "solo diver," because some people seem to think solo-divers mean anti-social divers or something of the sort.

The "standard" course is SDI's "Solo Diver" course, c2001. PADI's "Self-Reliant Diver" course came along some years later (2011). I have never heard that anti-social connotation to Solo Diver, although I can imagine some solo divers acting that way.

 

[TMHeimer]

I too almost go solo exclusively now, but wasn't the case years ago. My experiences buddy diving back then was that far too often divers don't put staying in constant contact as the No.1 priority. I also observed other buddy divers straying what I consider too far from each other. I thought the addition of PADI's "Mini Dive" to the OW Course was a good way to point out that staying close together is most important. And that it can be a pain in the neck -- literally.

 

[SlugLife]

"Whether you dive with a buddy, or alone, it is wise and prudent to be able to self-rescue, and not depend on a buddy to rescue you. Because there are many scenarios in a buddy-dive where a buddy may not be able to assist."

Is that statement incorrect?

edit: JC Ratcliff seems to describe an instructor/mentor role, which I might consider one of the exceptions. If that understanding wasn't there going into the dive, then I'd consider the other divers unprepared for that dive. For example: Typically, the first time one jumps out of an airplane, they're usually tandem, with someone very competent, but perhaps not competent to do the jump themselves.

 

[L13]

(If none of those things have ever happened to you while diving, you probably have little dive-experience, little buddy-experience, or go by the name "mac".)