Yamtechnician
New
In South Africa you are frowned upon when asking about a solo, but it's my point of view that it's only their lack of knowledge that they are holding onto...I will go as far as saying that most people who have a negative word on going solo is in the same boat...BUT of course I am not saying a diver with no experience can just jump into the water...but... that is actually how diving was done in the past...how many dives does it take to know...well...if I only walked 10 pace's from my deck and dived one spot of 12mts deep with nothing except sand on the bottom, and no hazards alive or dead in said water, and perfect visability, and in an area the size of 50Sq mts and at one temp and surface condition, with no currents a 100 times...Those dives count for very little except for getting kitted up and getting wet...I don't like crowds of divers ( or people for that matter ) all around me...I really want to see a solo diver to try kick his/her own mask off !! There is danger in just walking across the road and...walking across the road is not the same as going solo...but on every dive you do...you get your cozzy on, pack your dive bag,get all the way to the dive shop or charter, put your wetsuit on, and get all kitted up...now you may have a buddy who is helping but you should be able to do all this on your own...you were taught to at the swimming pool...and then you even got into the water and did all the skills perfectly...so you can truly watch your own Butt...now... is your dive buddy there to watch your Butt or their own... if they are so needed as a comfort and confidence life-line that you can't do it without them... you should be in the pool or a confined body of water still and not out in the big blue playing with the fish... why do i say this... because you too busy watching your buddys Butt and them yours to even notice the rest of the dive group, the DM, the currents, your SPG, your depth, your computer let alone the fish...
