Documentary on solo diving

[Darnold9999]

Buddy divers are so dependent and incomplete. I am amazed they are able to survive. Don't you hate having to partner with a buddy dependent diver? It is like being squeezed in a vice, smothered. They are constantly checking my air supply and asking me if I am OK, it gets real old real fast, about the 30th time I am asked if I am OK, I disappear into the blue. See ya. N

Too funny - I figure I will ask a new buddy twice for air pressure. Once about 500psi into the dive, at that point I will know roughly how we compare re SAC and from that will know roughly when to turn the dive and more importantly who is the air hog. Second time is when I figure it is time to turn the dive - if I am using buddy's air to calculate the turn, If I am the air hog then no need to ask, but I will probably ask again anyway just to check my initial calculations. If buddy is a real air hog I will ask a couple of more times as I figure they are running low - particulalry if we are cutting it close re surfacing. After that I probably won't ask more than once a dive and then only if turn pressure is critical for some reason.

Hate the every couple of minutes check. No need unless something about the dive makes me concerned about buddy's consumption.

 

[Darnold9999]

In my mind, not everyone is cut out to be a diver. Of those who are, I don't believe there are many who have the unique skill set that would qualify them as solo diver.

Curious what you think this "unique skill set that would qualify [someone] as a solo diver" is.


Outside of being able to plan for contingencies, be able to self rescue, have a healthy respect for the ocean and understand when to cancel/call a dive I am not sure what else you need that is particularly unique.

Lots of people lack these skills, but I don't see having them as being particularly unique, in fact I see them as required if you are going to do anything but very basic diving anyway. Perhaps I am missing something.

 

[24940]

Curious what you think this "unique skill set that would qualify [someone] as a solo diver" is.

Pretty much the same skill set that would be ideal in any diver, but they are more critical for solo divers.

Problem solving
Dive planning
Stress tolerance
Solid CESA skills
Redundancy, when appropriate for the dive
Foresight

 

[captain]

I hate this "qualifies them" to do this or that. Solo diving is diving alone and represents the utmost in self reliance and personal responsibility, how it is done, what gear is used, etc is up to the individual doing the dive. Some need redundant everything to feel comfortable, others do it with minimal equipment. Who is right and who is wrong, neither. We all perceive things differently including danger and risk and behave accordingly.
Originally I thought the solo forum was a good idea but now not so much. Too much preoccupation with "qualification and equipment".

 

[captain]

Pretty much the same skill set that would be ideal in any diver, but they are more critical for solo divers.

Problem solving
Dive planning
Stress tolerance
Solid CESA skills
Redundancy, when appropriate for the dive
Foresight

Take the "dive and CESA" out of your list and what is left is what we all should have for everyday living.
Perhaps a better way to determine if a person is "qualified" to solo dive or dive at all would be to look at their driving and medical records. A disproportionate number of accidents and injuries for their years of life might be a better indicator than their dive training or experience.

 

[DennisS]

Where did that *&^% buddy go to now, guess I'm solo diving.

 

[Nemrod]

The difference between the skill sets of solo vs buddy are/is self sufficiency. Buddy divers can discuss self sufficiency, solo divers have to live it. Beyond that solo is a mind set, perhaps a personality trait. Some people simply do not enjoy being alone, great, others do and some of them are very good divers and certainly as dialed in as any buddy team if not more so. That of course is what the OP wants to document.

N

 

[dave4868]

The difference between the skill sets of solo vs buddy are/is self sufficiency. Buddy divers can discuss self sufficiency, solo divers have to live it. Beyond that solo is a mind set, perhaps a personality trait. Some people simply do not enjoy being alone, great, others do and some of them are very good divers and certainly as dialed in as any buddy team if not more so. That of course is what the OP wants to document.

Well put.

My perspective is probably limited because I really don't personally know any self-professed "team" divers, although I respect the concept and its adherents.

I do personally know a whole bunch of people who, like myself, enjoy diving solo, enjoy diving alone (a subtle difference) and also enjoy an occasional cooperative, even dependent, "team" type of dive (as long as it's only occasional..... ).

Nemrod has touched on a possible "mind set" and "personality trait" of solo divers, and I'd agree some solo divers may have something that could be viewed as a stabilizing factor that helps them handle challenges underwater.

For some of us it seems to be a fatalistic, reality-oriented serenity.

In other words, not giving a damn about stuff that doesn't matter....

I find that kind of diver is great to dive with, whether it's "same ocean" solo dives or shoulder to shoulder buddy "team" dives.....

Dave C

 

[DaleC]

Any idiot can dive solo, but being a solo diver, in my mind, speaks of a level of experience, competency and skill which I haven't seen present in many/most of the solo dives I've witnessed... My experience tells me the state of solo diving is about as piss poor as the state of recreational diving.

Perhaps you need to hang out with a better class of diver.


It's sad that you have such a negative view of divers/diving. Perhaps you are a tad burnt out? I want to dive for the love/study of flora/fauna and to have plain old fun. When I begin to look down upon my fellow divers with disdain it will probably be time to move on or to "re invent" my passion.

Pretty much the same skill set that would be ideal in any diver, but they are more critical for solo divers.

Is this the same as saying they are less critical when buddy diving? That's putting a lot of trust in your buddy isn't it? Funny, when I read the near misses and accident reports they often tend to involve some sort of "buddy" sheenanigans.

I was also wondering how all those hang gliders and parachutists survive? After all, once they are passed the initial training period they all fly/fall solo as well. Do you think they discuss soloing up front in a calm practical manner or do they shiver at the thought of such a taboo subject? Are those activities any less dangerous than diving?

Perhaps the safety of solo diving would increase with more open discussion.
Every time it is brought up here there seems to be a balanced dialogue regarding mental attitude, gear selection, redundancy, skill sets, dive planning, limits and progression. Imagine if every diver spent a little more time contemplating those issues right from the get go as though their lives depended on it instead of being taught to depend on their buddy/DM. Imagine how much more motivated divers would be to learning/practice if they understood that diving wasn't really such a safe sport after all (most solo divers are confronted head on by that stark reality). What if every diver was trained to be self sufficient from the start, and then introduced to the buddy system afterwords? Would they be better buddies because of it?

Some thoughts that can't really be answered because no one is allowed to talk about it.

 

[24940]

Perhaps you need to hang out with a better class of diver.


It's sad that you have such a negative view of divers/diving. Perhaps you are a tad burnt out?

I do 3+ dive trips a year, instruct OW classes monthly and dive most weekends. I interact with divers on a regular basis and base my statements on what I observe. I stand by my statements.

Perhaps you should pull your head out of the sand. If you think the overall skills/attitude/standards of divers is positive, perhaps you might consider raising your standards.

To be specific, some of the things I see, which I take issue with:

New divers diving solo (less than 50 dives)

Solo dives in cold dark water, with no redundant gas supply at depths greater than they can CESA from

Divers who solo because they have crappy buddy skills and nobody wants to dive with them

Divers with poor skills (all divers)

Divers without a plan (all divers)

Call me negative if it makes you feel better, but it won't change reality. When a diver goes solo to 100' around here without being properly prepared, luck has more to do with their survival than the inherent safety of the activity.

Is this the same as saying they are less critical when buddy diving? That's putting a lot of trust in your buddy isn't it? Funny, when I read the near misses and accident reports they often tend to involve some sort of "buddy" sheenanigans.

No, it's not really the same. With buddy diving you have more options. In the incidents you refer to, do you think the buddies are functioning as a team or were they displaying the piss poor situational awareness I have referred to?

The concept of buddy diving is solid, it's application is not. Pointing to a couple of idiots who are, in effect, solo diving with a buddy and using that as a basis for judgment of the buddy system is just ignorant.