How do you feel about solo diving?

[DiverBuoy]

Is solo diving defined as - anytime you dive without a mutual agreement for responsibility with another diver, where you intend to use the buddy method of diving. Is it still "solo" if you're in the water within 15 meters of dozens of other buddy pairs but not actually assigned to anyone? (If so instructors dive solo a couple of times a day )

Let's look at this from the perspective of why people go solo, then for each case discuss why that is not a good excuse to go solo diving.

Can't find a buddy (because...)
a. appropriate dive gear (rebreather, tec, dpv)
b. with same level of education
c. with same dive agenda (hunting)
d. With same schedule (you work graveyard shift or 12/3 days)
d. because you're anti-social, don't know anyone
e. won't risk liability for you in your current medical state (death wish)
f. geographic location considerations (you live hundreds of miles from anything)
g. dive privacy issues or concerns
h. dive involves illegal activity (such as removal of historical artifacts or in restricted waters)
i. cost (or any other money issue)
j. timing
k. a buddy would impede or restrict the particular dive goal
l. Photo/Video/Movie making
m. Not returning along same path (cave, passage, cavern, tunnel...)
n. marine life timid with more than one diver present
o. you are using dangerous equipment with a damage radius in conditions of low or 0 visibility

IMO - the best question asked so far on this discussion thread is should any organization train people to solo dive? Where does the liability lie, if you train them are we encouraging the dismissal of the buddy system, or if we don't train them are we responsible for the cases where it couldn't be helped? The key is can solo diving be justified - can everyone one of the items listed above be excused away or given validity?

 

[Scuba]

DiverBuoy, you are assuming everyone who dives solo does it because they can't find a buddy, or have some type of problem diving with others. Look at some of the previous posts to find reasons why people "choose" to dive solo.

the best question asked so far on this discussion thread is should any organization train people to solo dive?

Yes, why not? They train two people to go into a decaying wreck with all kinds of traps 250 feet deep, or hundreds and thousands of feet in a dark, silty cave with all kinds of passages to nowhere and only one way out, don't they? There's a million reasons why rec diving does'nt cut it for these people - not a failure of rec diving.

Where does the liability lie

Where ever it lies now.

if you train them are we encouraging the dismissal of the buddy system,

No. Tech divers are trained today, does this encourage the dismissal of rec diving? Makes for a better rec diver, does it not? I would suggest that a good solo diver makes for a better buddy diver, after all, the better you can take care of yourself the better you are able to help others.

or if we don't train them are we responsible for the cases where it couldn't be helped?

No. This is a moral question. You can't train everyone about everything. Somewhere people have to take responsiblity for their actions instead of blaming others.

The key is can solo diving be justified

Yes, I think a pretty good argument has been made on this thread.

can everyone one of the items listed above be excused away or given validity?

No need to in order to have the desire to dive solo and do it as safely as possible.

Just because someone chooses to dive solo does'nt mean he/she will always do so. Just because someone dives caves, wrecks, etc. does'nt mean thats the only kind of diving they do. Some will do a certain type of diving primarily others only occasionally.

 

[Lawman]

Honestly, every time I go in the water I'm diving solo.
If it's a dive boat with strangers I get paired off with
someone and I lose track of them in the first 30 seconds. If
it's with my regular group of 3 other guys we dive as
a group. It just worked out that way and we all seem
to like it. We have never been able to make the 2 person
buddy system work. I shore dive on my own all the time.
If I'm somewhere where I can dump my belt and be
near shore that's an acceptable risk.

When I said everytime I'm diving solo, I mean that I'm
responsible for myself everytime I go in the water. I pick
the dive, the depth and the safety standards. Other
than the small group [all DM or AOL&Rescue] I just don't
trust other dives as buddies. That's just the sad truth.

 

[DiverBuoy]

Scuba ...
I have gone solo diving. And if you use the argument that all instructors really solo dive everytime they teach - that extends my solo numbers even farther.

My post was attempting to create a new spin on the thread by asking the question whether or not every solo situation can be counteracted. Is there any case where absolutely no buddy resolution can be offered in a recreational setting? There is always the matter of choice on the part of the diver - can you enforce it (maybe boat operators, DMs, facilities, resorts etc can).

IMO-
I don't believe the choice to go solo should be offered within the recreational field. Teaching recreational divers how to go solo is not a good idea, and the agencies who have taught the buddy system, and designed their practical skills, educational materials, and role-modeling on the buddy system should stick to it. However, going solo should be reserved for technical training only, or to avoid hypocrisy - stick with solo only agencies, that have their entire curriculum geared toward solo diving.

Is solo under these terms an acceptable form of diving, IMO yes. Considering the diver has the right equipment, training, and experience - the reason for the dive doesn't matter.

 

[Lawman]

DB if doctrine is going to be no solo diving, it
doesn't make sense to try and teach it. It would
be saying this is inherently dangerous but we
can train you so that it is safe. Solo diving is
never safer if for no other reason than you need
someone else to report that something went
wrong and to seek help. Even if they didn't
help themselves. Besides, what can you really
train someone to do other than equip them
selves with redundant equiptment? It doesn't
make sense to me.

It's dangerous and if someone wants to accept the
danger so be it. Just like going in caves.

 

[Lawman]

PS: I'm agreeing with you.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Genesis,
I do respect ones right to dive any way they choose.

What I disagree with is the reasoning behind the solo course. I also disagree with the argument that solo diving is safer or an appropriate fix for poor implementation of the buddy system. I know many divers who choose to solo. Divers who's activities range from deep wrecks to sump exploration where you couldn't see a buddy if you had one.

By all means dive alone. If you go buy one of these certs dive boats will even rent you a pony and let you do it off their boat.

 

[Genesis]

that the agencies make is the one you're portreying - of course, I could be wrong about that.

Are they selling it as a "solution to a problem", or just as an alternative?

If the latter, then where's the beef?

Got a link to a curriculum description online anywhere Mike?

 

[Jarhead]

Genesis once bubbled...
that the agencies make is the one you're portreying - of course, I could be wrong about that.

Are they selling it as a "solution to a problem", or just as an alternative?

If the latter, then where's the beef?

Got a link to a curriculum description online anywhere Mike?

Solo Dive Cert. Standards

 

[Genesis]

I don't see any from perusing the curriculum....

Looks pretty reasonable to me, including the pre-reqs.