For those of you who dive solo . . .

[Jim Lapenta]

If I could find someone with those qualities I'd love to dive with them. Problem is along with my schedule finding a competent buddy in those areas is difficult. Gear configuration is not an issue unless they are total disaters. Familiarizing myself with someone else's set up takes about two minutes regardless of their set up. Problem is usually with their buddy skills. Also I do not dive as if my life depends on the person I'm diving with. This is the flaw in the buddy system as taught today by many. If I'm not able to be totally self sufficient and need to rely on a buddy for anything other than a dire emergency then I need to work on some things or not do the dive. It is no more dangerous than driving or flying. I know the risks involved and accept them. If I could find a buddy with all of the qualities you mentioned then I would gladly dive with them. But in all honesty I would still solo because I still value highly the freedom and peace that it gives me. And that's why I dive in the first place. Freedom from gravity, stress, and the world in general. Peace from the solitude and relaxation, usually no sound except that of my breathing, and the lack of interaction with people. Only conversations are between me and the fish and my idea of what is in ultimate charge.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

We often dive solo because it gives you the ultimate freedom. Communicating with a buddy, staying close and aware of a buddy takes a lot of your time. Eventually you and your buddy can learn to do it instictively, but it still is a distraction.

For example, when spearfishing with a buddy, I always have to take a quick double check of the buddy location before I fire, otherwise he could get shot. This is a distraction. When spearing with a buddy there is always the chance that you will get shot. This is a definite draw back in buddy diving, especially if the vis is less than 20 or 30 feet.

For a simple recreational, sight seeing dive, I enjoy having another competant buddy. But for many dive objectives or conditions it is a hinderance.

 

[Charlie99]

I really put the list together the way it is for two reasons: One, I've read a lot of posts on this board by people who have discussed why they dive solo, and a common theme is that they feel that a buddy is as likely to be a liability as an asset.

I see several different reasons/justifications/attitudes.

1. As you noted one "is that they feel that a buddy is as likely to be a liability as an asset." is a common excuse/rationale/justification. People posting this sort of stuff are usually attempting to "prove" that solo diving is safer than diving with a buddy, or at least safer than diving with an unknown buddy.

2. Another version of the solo diver is the macho one. "Diving is dangerous, solo diving is even more dangerous, but I'm super-cool, am a skilled diver and have every redundant bit of gear known to man".

3. This thread has brought forth several from another style of solo diver: "I do it because I like to". For me that is sufficient rationale. I don't have to convince either myself or anyone else that solo diving is safer than diving with a buddy. I don't have to convince myself that I've taken every possible precaution. I simply have to have looked at the risks involved and decided that they are acceptable.

In much the same way that, if one's diving experience were only reading Scubaboard, one would believe the most divers use a backplate & wings setup for singles; reading Scubaboard would lead one to assume that most solo divers have a pony. That's not what I see in real life.

 

[Diver Dennis]

Great story Paul. Thanks.

 

[Diver Dennis]

There are some terrific posts here. It's nice that one can, as Charlie described, solo dive because you want to. We really don't have to justify it to anyone but ourselves. It's not to say solo diving is for most people but for those who do, we should not have to be in the closet.

 

[JohnL]

It's a good question. Given your set of qualifiers, I would probably never consider solo diving. The reality of the situation is that all of the good divers don't work on the same schedule and not everyone has the same mindset when it comes to planning a dive and develloping skills.

I am still pretty new at this and at this point have only done two solo dives. Both were in 30 feet of water and I needed to get out and work on my buoyancy and ascent skills. I did it to get some practice without taking away dive time from one of my buddies. It was also one of the most relaxing experiences I can remember. There really is something to being in the water alone, on your own plan, and being able to concentrate on the environment. I will probably do it again in the future, but I need more experience first. At this point I am getting things figured out, but don't know what I don't know.

I really enjoy diving with a good buddy and will agree that it may be a bit safer. I know a few people that are good communicators under water and can put together a plan and stick to it. It definately makes diving allot more relaxing and enjoyable.

To a degree I think that "team" divers and solo divers are more similar than they are different. Although at opposite ends of the buddy debate, both groups are large proponents of planning, gas management, simple - reliable equipment, staying within personal limits, and PRACTICE. These are the very things that for so many simply having a buddy in the water elliminates the need for.

editted to add that I also enjoy solo backpacking, climbing and kayaking...so I might be a bit biased

 

[IwakuniDiver]

I think I am pretty lucky. All of my buddies are excellent divers and we train together weekly, (I have the fewest dives of any of them) but most importantly, they are my closest friends.


It's not so much that I don't feel comfortable or safe diving by myself, I just have no desire to dive without my friends.

 

[Nemrod]

"I have been wondering for a long time, if there are so many folks here diving solo, why the Solo Diver forum has never had any posts? Wouldn't that be the perfect place to share ideas, techniques, equipment issues, love of the solitude, etc.? I'm glad that this thread has finally addressed this somewhat.
I'm not urging that this be moved to that forum or anything like that but maybe it's time for solo divers to express their views there also? What do you all think?"

I never said that there were bunches of solo divers, I expect actually that for real solo divers are fairly rare. More than that, despite the Solo Forum supposedly being a no troll zone it keeps having threads similar to this one justifying and questioning it rather than discussing methods and practices and equipment etc for the advancement of solo diving.

I don't think I have ever used the bad buddy as an excuse to dive solo, I make no excuses or apoligies for it and make no efforts to hide the fact that I like diving solo and could care less what PadI or DIR gurus think about it.

As to DIR, as said before, I like much of the concepts and equipment arrangements and their adherence to a set of ideals, what newbie DIR divers fail to understand or appreciate is that they are not the only ones that may adhere to standards or have specific gear arrangements or have highly developed skills.

We live in an "airbag" world where we have come to think we can enjoy any activity and if we just wear a helmet and knee pads or have an air bag or a perfect buddy with Super DIP Skills in Black that we can be assured of 100% safety. When did this fascination with safety become so pervasive and ultimately stiffeling, chocking the life blood from LIVING and Breathing as a free thinking person. I always hear things like "safety first", h##l, it ain't even in my top five.

Besides safety is way overrated, live dangerous and die free. N

 

[neil]

I have been wondering for a long time,
if there are so many folks here diving solo, why the Solo Diver forum has never had any posts?

Maybe I'm misunderstanding, but the forum has plenty of posts, you have to subscribe to it.

 

[Nemrod]

Solo diving is kind of like sex. At first a child hears of sex and they think it is a joke and people don't really do such things--disgusting. Then they figure out it is not a joke and worse their parents did it and they are the product of it and they are shocked! Then at some inevitable point they find themselves vaguely interested in sex and then still thinking it bad dabble a bit more with it as they learn. Then eventually they decide that not only is sex good but they too sort of like sex and then soon there are little ones running about that are proof of it. Solo is not a dirty secret any more, we are out in the open and we ain't gonna be forced back into the dark, we are here to stay, deal with it. N