For those of you who dive solo . . .

[TSandM]

I'm finding myself luckier and luckier these days, in that I'm acquiring a nice circle of excellent dive buddies. In thinking about this, and thinking about WHY they're excellent dive buddies, it occurred to me to wonder -- Those of you who dive solo, would you do it if you had a dive buddy who:

Had skills equal to or better than yours;

Had equipment similar to yours and properly maintained;

Was on the same page you are with respect to the way a dive should be planned and conducted;

Had excellent buddy skills and underwater communication;

Had excellent training in emergency response, and kept those skills sharp by regular practice;

And, of course, was regularly available to dive

 

[fire_diver]

Well sure! If I had a dive partner who had even a few of those things, I'd rather dive with them than alone. I think most solo-ist find themselves in the same boat as me (pun intended)

I love to dive but my job and family makes planning dives VERY difficult. I take opportunities as they come. 99% of the time, others can't jump up and go dive by my schedule. It also helps that I don't mind being completely alone (human wise) on a dive. I find it relaxing in it's own way.

I know alot of people are turned off of solo-ing by the inherent danger of it. But danger is all relative. What I consider a limited risk, others would call suicide. But then again I'm a cop, soldier, and firefighter so I do many things others would never dream of doing.

FD

 

[ScubaKris]

I have been solo diving for over 20 years, have an instructor cert in solo diving and 95% of my dives are solo.

I jump in the water 4-5 times a week. I found the spring I was looking for three years ago. I will take the boat to it with my wife, she has a bad back and does not do much diving these days, and two dogs. Then be back this afternoon for friends coming over for a BBQ.

Divers these days are mostly cyberdivers, they talk a lot.

There was a diver I met on one board. He is about 150 miles away. He is low time and wanted to dive with me. I've heard that over months, then he planned one a few weeks out. A couple days before the dive I had not heard from him, thought he decided not to come. That day I spoke with him on the phone and he was coming. The next day I received an email, not a phone call that he would not make it. Does not bother me, I dove the next four days in a row ,..SOLO. If I depended upon a buddy ,..I would have been angry. I doubt you will find a good buddy in a dive shop. I see the instrutors and divemasers in the springs all the time. Most of them only dive every couple ,..four months and looking at them,..NEED A BUDDY!

Now we are talking about Diving in Florida like Springs, Not drysuit WA, the NorthWest Ocean etc.

 

[Dive-aholic]

My wife and I learned how to dive together and have progressed through our training and experiences together. I still find there are times that both of us find ourselves diving solo. Usually it's on dives we're doing for training and we each have a different focus. It's also happened because one of us hasn't felt up to a dive, so the other one dives anyway. We'd always prefer to dive together, but it just doesn't always happen that way.

 

[WVDiver]

It is hard to find all those things and ironically it is hardest to find someone regularly available to dive.

But just as I like to take a drive, a hike, or a bike ride by myself once in a while I'm sure diving solo, even if I had all those things on the list, it would be no different. I think everyone likes a little solitude now and again, especially when doing the things you have a passion for. It gives you freedom to allow your senses to wander and experience your surroundings completely without interruption. It is relaxing in it's self.

 

[DiveTub]

Me, my Rebreather and my Cameras. Anything or anyone else just gets in the way of a tops dive.

Cheers
Chris

 

[Diver0001]

I'm finding myself luckier and luckier these days, in that I'm acquiring a nice circle of excellent dive buddies. In thinking about this, and thinking about WHY they're excellent dive buddies, it occurred to me to wonder -- Those of you who dive solo, would you do it if you had a dive buddy who:

Had skills equal to or better than yours;

Had equipment similar to yours and properly maintained;

Was on the same page you are with respect to the way a dive should be planned and conducted;

Had excellent buddy skills and underwater communication;

Had excellent training in emergency response, and kept those skills sharp by regular practice;

And, of course, was regularly available to dive

Yes. I wouldn't suggest solo diving to anyone but there is definitely something special about being totally alone. I like walking in the forest alone too, which probably isn't too bright either, but it's relaxing in a way that being with another person isn't always...

R..

 

[ScubaKimmie]

I spent a few years working full time as an instructor so it pretty much was solo diving every day.

But to address a couple of your points I enjoy diving solo and with friends. I don't need to have a buddy equal to me skill wise or diving a same configuration to feel safe. I know my self aid skills will get me out of just about anything other than a direct attack by my buddy, so maybe I should have a signed release from their shrink?

 

[SDAnderson]

Most of the time, being part of a group is my choice. Safety, logistics, and just good old fashioned camaraderie means that most of my diving is done with a buddy.

Like Diver0001, sometimes a quiet walk, alone in the woods, is what I crave. Call me selfish but, if I can't be a good buddy and I don't need a safety diver along to watch over me, I'll sometimes opt to dive alone. As with praying, sometimes its better if I skip the communal experience of church so that I can cut out the extraneous noise and have a little one-one-one time.

Solo isn't for everyone - I consider it to be a form of technical diving and unsuitable for many. It takes more experience, more training, more equipment and, above all else, willingness to accept more risk. But, done correctly and within limits, its a delight.

 

[mjh]

At base I think solo diving just fits with certain peoples personalities. As others have mentioned I enjoy the freedom solo diving offers. I can go when I want, where I want and dive any profile I like. As an enthusiastic amateur photographer I am a horrible buddy. I have met DIR advocates that say you can be a photographer and dive DIR. I am sure it is possible but if you look at the majority of top photographers very few claim to dive DIR. Diving with a camera is just too self absorbing. My wife is a wonderful buddy and I do try to modify my diving when with her or in a group, no sitting there for 15mins waiting for the blenny to pop out of its hole. But the fact is she has to modify her diving to deal with me. Fortunately she has embraced going slow; she loves to look for the little creatures I seem to swim buy. So in the end most solo divers are just a little selfish and we are ok with it.