Is limited solo diving completely insane for a new diver?

[The Chairman]

Most instructional situations allow for "auditing" where you basically sit and watch someone else take a class.

There are many that don't. I recall a caving death around 02 or 03 where the instructor allowed a cavern diver to go along on a full cave class. The team turned, the student had an issue and he and the instructor had to stop to resolve it while the tag-a-long just kept going. As he was leading them out, he had no idea, got turned around, got lost and subsequently drowned. He wrote on his slate "I really F****** up". What a tragedy. He had no business being in that kind of situation just like a diver with less than a hundred dives has no business being alone in a class. Diving is about limits. Respect your limits or get hurt. Instructors need to respect the limits of their agency. You're not doing your student any favors by putting them in peril. None at all.

 

[Marie13]

There is no book. The "class" is mostly in the water, and has massive liability for the instructor, even for real students. Imagine in court: "Mr Instructor, you knew the student did not have the clearly stated prerequisites for the class, and dId not sign any of the required forms as an auditor, and yet you allowed him to participate, which led directly to his drowning. How do you explain this?"

On the there’s no book for the PADI self reliant class, other instructors here have said they have their students use the SDI solo book. I’ve read it multiple times. It’s decent.

There would no be solo class auditing at my shop because the dives truly are solo.

 

[Marie13]

Quick update - did some deeper dives yesterday. Paid attention to where my skills are at w/ a private instructor. It'll be a while before I do anything truly solo (and again - I was only considering this at one spot in a limited fashion).

I'm going to leave solo anything for a few more dives...a dozen...more...

I'll reevaluate where I'm at from dive to dive. When I feel it's right I'll grab a pony bottle and practice in max 6' deep water and go slowly from there.

Also - I am definitely not the panic guy but I do get frustrated and p*ssed off when things don't go perfectly. I need to dial that back as it is a bit of a distraction and my breathing rate suffers when it happens. So on a personal note, I'll be working on that negative pscyhological aspect.

This isn't just about not having dive buddies. It's about not trusting anyone else other than people I know and it not being desirable or practical to go through a big online dating-like process to find someone who is a good fit. In the meantime I miss out on how many dives? Also I'm a single Dad with a crazy job schedule. It's tough to line up plans even when it's not diving.
.

You think you’re the only one with a dive buddy issue? Sorry, you’re not. Every person who takes up diving by themselves has the issue. I solved the problem by getting to know people through my shop and I’ve connected with others.

 

[tursiops]

There would no be solo class auditing at my shop because the dives truly are solo.

They should not all be solo. For PADI only the last (third) dive can be indirectly supervised. For SDI it is less clear, but at least dive 1 needs in-water supervision to observe the requisite skills. The last SDI dive (the second) can be presumably indirectly supervised if the need-to-be-observed skills have been completed on the first dive.

 

[Marie13]

They should not all be solo. For PADI only the last (third) dive can be indirectly supervised. For SDI it is less clear, but at least dive 1 needs in-water supervision to observe the requisite skills. The last SDI dive (the second) can be presumably indirectly supervised if the need-to-be-observed skills have been completed on the first dive.

Well, at least the last one is. I didn’t observe the first.

 

[Schwob]

They should not all be solo. For PADI only the last (third) dive can be indirectly supervised. For SDI it is less clear, but at least dive 1 needs in-water supervision to observe the requisite skills. The last SDI dive (the second) can be presumably indirectly supervised if the need-to-be-observed skills have been completed on the first dive.

Hi hi hi,...
My solo instructor gave me good advice after trying to stealth supervise my first of 2 dives:
"Slow down man, I couldn't keep up, it will do wonders for your air consumption..."

 

[kelemvor]

There are many that don't. I recall a caving death around 02 or 03 where the instructor allowed a cavern diver to go along on a full cave class. The team turned, the student had an issue and he and the instructor had to stop to resolve it while the tag-a-long just kept going. As he was leading them out, he had no idea, got turned around, got lost and subsequently drowned. He wrote on his slate "I really F****** up". What a tragedy. He had no business being in that kind of situation just like a diver with less than a hundred dives has no business being alone in a class. Diving is about limits. Respect your limits or get hurt. Instructors need to respect the limits of their agency. You're not doing your student any favors by putting them in peril. None at all.

I wouldn't normally think any actual diving (by the auditor) would happen during a class audit. I would expect to sit in and watch classroom stuff. If feasible, I'd expect to watch from shore any pool or near shore water work. Do you know if the instructor allowed the deceased to do the dives or did the guy just follow a class into a cave without the instructor's blessing?

I'm guessing it's just a lack of details, but I can't imagine how the above situation played out. Wouldn't the instructor be the first one in and so the last one out when the class turned the dive?

 

[tomcatbubba]

They should not all be solo. For PADI only the last (third) dive can be indirectly supervised. For SDI it is less clear, but at least dive 1 needs in-water supervision to observe the requisite skills. The last SDI dive (the second) can be presumably indirectly supervised if the need-to-be-observed skills have been completed on the first dive.

True, but I don't like allowing even the last dive to be truly solo. I make the student plan the dive, conduct the dive, then debrief to me. I shadow them in the water watching the whole time. Even though PADI allows a solo dive, I cannot accept the responsibility nor liability if a student would get hurt or worse, killed.

But, back to the OP. Never in a million years would I advocate for a new diver to conduct solo diving. Even special operations guys are typically required to have a buddy in the water with them, even on very benign dives or during training in the pool. These are some of the fittest and best swimmers on the planet. And s#@t still happens to them. I know you love diving, but if you hurt yourself, or, even scare the holy bejeesus out of yourself and are lucky to survive; are you willing to be forced to give it up? Better to start slow, within safe bounds, and expand your risk tolerance over time. The water will always be there. Go find a buddy.

 

[Bierstadt]

Tursiops, I completely agree with you, as I am sure nearly all instructors do. But trying to explain this to someone that is not an instructor is probably a waste of your time. Like trying to explain calculus to a dog, they just have no idea what you're talking about (and would rather you just give them a treat.)

There is an instructor at my LDS that holds a similar attitude towards the unwashed masses of nonprofessional divers. I have always considered him to be blessed to get students through the dive shop, because no one is going to pay for his attitude twice. And here I get to have yours for free... Tursiops had an opinion I am willing to consider; yours is just insulting. But I suppose if you are going to call nonprofessional divers stupid an anonymous forum is the place to do it. Good choice. You even instruct in the perfect place - nowhere near me.

 

[HeliMech]

You think you’re the only one with a dive buddy issue? Sorry, you’re not. Every person who takes up diving by themselves has the issue. I solved the problem by getting to know people through my shop and I’ve connected with others.

Why would I think I was the only one?
Thanks for the weird and slightly angry sounding response.

This wasn't a thread about needing buddies.

I didn't take up diving by myself. My girlfriend just isn't quite as dive crazy as I am. (I'm happy to go practice in 5 feet of vis on a -5c day - her not so much)

This was about wanting to dive by myself to get more practice in at a single spot that I am comfortable at (and whether it was crazy to consider this)