I've been set free!!! Solo

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OP here. Thanks for all the great responses. To answer several inquires: yes, I did get solo certified. It was fun!

My only concern in the future is the availability of pony bottles for a reasonable rate. I DO NOT want to fly with one in my luggage. Seems like a big (and expensive) pain, when considering all my other gear and luggage fees.

Luckily, Coco View had them for free, but other places I've asked have limited or no availability. Maybe that will change too.

If not available...independent doubles is an option, or sling an al80.
 
I like all of you also like solo diving. But I do feel resistance by the establishment. Just recently I got an email from a resort in Bonaire stating no solo diving is allowed. This happened to me again in the Caymans where 2 businesses would not give tanks out as on that day, my buddy had gone shopping with his wife and I was stranded on land looking at the beautiful water.

First I have heard of this on Bonaire (spent 7 weeks there so far over a few years). Never had a problem diving solo there, even before I had my Solo card. This year things got a bit more strict - you have to have an independant air source (pony) with DFB. I can't see how they would know if I'm using it unless I'm diving from one of their house reefs. Also, don't see how anyone could stop you unless they sent someone in your truck to watch you at every dive site. Which resort told you this?

Yep, Cayman has a very strict no solo policy.
 
Can you please explain about DFB and pony. When you go get your Park permit and sign up, what happens?
Of course enforcement could come when you go get your tank (s).
 
I suspect no one in Bon is going to ask you about solo diving or seek to enforce a solo diving policy UNLESS you specifically ask that particular op. Some ops now have a specific solo policy that permits it under certain conditions. Even on a house reef I suspect no one is going to say anything if you solo dive even if that op has a specific solo diving policy. Unless things have changed at Capt Dons, they don't have a solo policy and I have dove their house reef dozens of times solo in front of staff with nothing said. I can't imagine it ever being an issue if you are doing the typical shore dive package diving on your on at the various yellow rock marked site. If something has dramatically changed on Bon someone chime in.

Yes, solo shore diving is more difficult on GC but it can be done. While most ops take the position that the CITA prohibit solo diving, there is no such prohibition in CITA rules when it comes to shore diving. An op can still prohibit it per its own policies but it is not prohibited per CITA rules.
 
Can you please explain about DFB and pony. When you go get your Park permit and sign up, what happens?
Of course enforcement could come when you go get your tank (s).

DFB has a seperate release form for solo diving and one of the things it says is that an independant air source is required. It also says that you have to be SDI solo or PADI Self Reliant certified. First, you don't have to mention solo diving and you won't be given the form. Second, signing the form is a formality that covers their butt in case you drown. Third, as others have stated, no one checks - no one cares.

As far as picking up tanks, at least with DFB it's on the honor system. You go in, grab tanks, load them into your vehicle and go dive. No one is watching you.

Yes, solo shore diving is more difficult on GC but it can be done. While most ops take the position that the CITA prohibit solo diving, there is no such prohibition in CITA rules when it comes to shore diving. An op can still prohibit it per its own policies but it is not prohibited per CITA rules.

I was told that it is part of CITA, probably to scare me. They also told me that if I did dive solo an email would be sent to all dive shops and I wouldn't be able to ever dive GC again. Probably more BS. I did notice a number of dive shops had "Solo diving absolutely prohibited" signs when we went to pick up tanks.

Diving the Kittywake, I asked the DM if I could stay outside the wreck becaues I didn't want to penetrate. He had no problem with it. I had my pony and card, though he never asked to see the card. Just told me where to meet and how long.
 
Diving the Kittywake, I asked the DM if I could stay outside the wreck becaues I didn't want to penetrate. He had no problem with it. I had my pony and card, though he never asked to see the card. Just told me where to meet and how long.
My experience on boat dives on GC as a solo diver is similar. First, when solo on a boat I always buddy with the DM. Once the DM is satisfied that I know what I am doing and competent, I am always given wide latitude on diving with the group. As long as they can see me or my bubbles they seem fine letting me go off track a bit from the group. Dive ops with shore operations or with the renting of tanks on GC almost universally state that solo diving is prohibited.
 
As far as picking up tanks, at least with DFB it's on the honor system. You go in, grab tanks, load them into your vehicle and go dive. No one is watching you.

Typically, I would go pick up tanks for my wife and me while she was still getting ready in the morning. Sometimes I would pick up a tank for a third person in our group. Nobody at DFB would know who the tanks are for. Nobody ever asks. It seems to me the only time the solo issue could be apparent would be if you were to check in on your first day alone and sit down at their marine park briefing alone.
 
My experiences are as follows:

1. I started solo diving a long time ago in the Pacific NW because I didn't have enough buddies who wanted to dive as often as me or didn't have the availability to dive as much as me (all of my buddies at the time were other divemasters and instructors who spent all of their time working with students and didn't fun dive).
2. I only solo dived locations that were completely familiar to me and had zero hazards. I dived with common sense and redundancy equipment, but no "formal" training cert.
3. I have dived solo on Grand Cayman and Bonaire many times without a solo or self reliant certification.
4. Bonaire is much easier to do so and as others have mentioned, if you don't make an issue about it or bring it up, nobody else will likely do so either. I have rolled into Dive Friends with the pickup by myself and loaded 8+ tanks at a time for me and my group without anyone saying a thing. I grab tanks from any of their locations before they close, by myself, and no one says a thing. I go out night diving or dawn diving and no one says a thing.
5. I have stayed at Sunset House on Grand Cayman numerous times and same thing. I grab tanks before the shop closes and throw them in my locker and do a solo shore night dive or dawn dive and no one says a thing. Don't ask, don't tell.
6. I did decide to get my PADI self-reliant certification, just to have it for any future issues on liveaboards or other dive destinations. I ended up getting my cert in Bonaire and with Dive Friends. I absolutely loved the class and had a great time. As experienced as I thought I was and despite how much I thought I knew, I learned lots of things and don't regret for a minute the $$ spent. Of course, I had an outstanding instructor, so I wouldn't necessarily guarantee that for everyone.
7. You can rent a pony from Dive Friends if you have the solo or self reliant certification.
8. Prior to being self-reliant certified, I was able to rent a pony tank at a very reasonable rate from the TDS shop at Captain Don's Habitat and they never asked to see any cert card. I assume that is still true-- Technical Diving Services - Captain Don's Habitat - Bonaire
9. In a past life, I raced mountain bikes, road bikes and off-road motorcycles competitively and trained solo all the time. I would go on 9 hour training rides in the Oregon Cascades backcountry on my mountain bike with nothing but myself, my bike and some redundant gear (tools, spare tubes, patches, enough water and food)- I find it interesting how different sports and activities treat solo participants differently.

I could go on, but 9 bullet points is probably enough for now.
 
I've been thinking about this thread quite a bit.
Then I thought to myself; Ok I am an inactive instructor: I need to take a solo course when a few years ago when I was active instructor, I could teach it myself? One step further: What if I was an active; should I have taken a solo course?

Before I get flamed for being arrogant, I'd state for the record that I took many courses while an active Instructor. These were in areas that I felt I could learn something. Solo diving was not one of them.
 
@Trailboss123 Next time you want go to Cayman or Bonaire and don't have a buddy, please PM me. I have next week off and wanted to go there but could not find a buddy. I'll end up in FL doing some shore diving.
 

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