I prefer to dive solo in many situations. Task loading is reduced as you do not have to work to maintain buddy contact which can be difficult in limited viz and can complicate navigation. You also do not have to worry about taking care of a less experienced buddy or one that is just plain stupid.
The most enjoyable dive I had this weekend was a solo dive to 130 ft. It was very relaxing as I was able to conduct the entire dive within my comfort zone and modify the plan as required as the dive progressed without having to communicate the change to a buddy.
The remaining dives this weekend were with 2-5 more divers and involved a much higher workload as, with some divers, leading a dive is much like herding cats.
I enjoy diving with a buddy, but it really has to be a buddy who is skilled, compatible and largely self reliant. I have had way too many buddies with a small problem who come to me to solve it for them and/or grab on to me with a death grip that does not cease until we surface - a saftey issue as it can potentially inhibit your ability to make a normal ascent. I have also encountered problems with buddies who rely on you as a crutch to extend their diving into situations (deep, low viz, deco etc) that is really beyond their training and ability.
Buddy diving is not a solution for poor diving skills and in some respects it contributes to accidents as it leads to a false sense of security and at times can get two divers in trouble instead of just one if the assisting buddy lacks the rescue skills required for the situation.
Safe solo diving requires a thorough and honest self evaluation of your skills and equipment as well as an accurate assessment of the diving site and conditions.
I am not as restrictive on depth limits with solo diving as many of the people who have posted here as I am properly equipped for deeper solo dives and started free diving long before I started scuba diving. As a general rule, you should not solo dive deeper than twice the depth you can free dive. (This means that for many of the current crop of divers with relatively poor water skills and no free dive experience, a realisitic solo depth would be about 20'.)
I do hold a hard line on diving solo in other situations and will abort a dive if I encounter something unexpected or if the dive begins to deviate from my comfort zone at all. I will also usually not even consider a solo dive on an unfamiliar site.
Solo diving can and should be very relaxing, if it isn't you probably should not be doing it.
The most enjoyable dive I had this weekend was a solo dive to 130 ft. It was very relaxing as I was able to conduct the entire dive within my comfort zone and modify the plan as required as the dive progressed without having to communicate the change to a buddy.
The remaining dives this weekend were with 2-5 more divers and involved a much higher workload as, with some divers, leading a dive is much like herding cats.
I enjoy diving with a buddy, but it really has to be a buddy who is skilled, compatible and largely self reliant. I have had way too many buddies with a small problem who come to me to solve it for them and/or grab on to me with a death grip that does not cease until we surface - a saftey issue as it can potentially inhibit your ability to make a normal ascent. I have also encountered problems with buddies who rely on you as a crutch to extend their diving into situations (deep, low viz, deco etc) that is really beyond their training and ability.
Buddy diving is not a solution for poor diving skills and in some respects it contributes to accidents as it leads to a false sense of security and at times can get two divers in trouble instead of just one if the assisting buddy lacks the rescue skills required for the situation.
Safe solo diving requires a thorough and honest self evaluation of your skills and equipment as well as an accurate assessment of the diving site and conditions.
I am not as restrictive on depth limits with solo diving as many of the people who have posted here as I am properly equipped for deeper solo dives and started free diving long before I started scuba diving. As a general rule, you should not solo dive deeper than twice the depth you can free dive. (This means that for many of the current crop of divers with relatively poor water skills and no free dive experience, a realisitic solo depth would be about 20'.)
I do hold a hard line on diving solo in other situations and will abort a dive if I encounter something unexpected or if the dive begins to deviate from my comfort zone at all. I will also usually not even consider a solo dive on an unfamiliar site.
Solo diving can and should be very relaxing, if it isn't you probably should not be doing it.
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