New to this group

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

Today while surfing around I ran across this group & decided to join.

I frequently solo cave dive - some of my most fun cave dives are solo.

Over the years I have done deep wrecks solo (200' +) and of course shallower wrecks & reefs.

For a couple of years as I was leaving to go on a fun cave dive my wife would ask "Who are you diving with"? My reply was "AL" -- one of my buddies spilled the beans a year or so later when he told her AL was an Aluminum 80 -- she waggled her fingers much like this little icon-->

We are all good with it now....Looking forward to reading how folks learn to solo dive & the approaches you all take.

 

[matt_w]

Hi Jim,

I started solo diving when I was younger and on vacation with the family in Hawaii. The south shore of Kauai has some great diving, but my budget could not keep me on a boat every day. I knew several very good sites were within 300 yards of shore or so. I decided one day to head out on my own (I believe I was 16 at the time). I did look for buddies, but no one wanted to make the swim. I was probably a little foolish back then, but I learned to really enjoy the serenity of diving alone.

Until I did my Basic cave class last year (With you coincidentally), most of my recent solo diving has been confined to putting the float in the lake for open water students or setting up a Nav course . Since the class, I spend as much time as I can swimming in the lake in my doubles and working on trim and propulsion. Not a lot of people interested in swimming about in the murk for a couple hours at a time.

I recognize I am a lot of training and many (many) years away from diving in a cave solo, but I can see where that would be a great experience.

Take care,

Matt

 

[JohnHall]

Hi, I see quite a few divers and have dove with solo divers. Anyone know what the
percentage of solo divers to non-solo divers are? As part of my diving duties I on
occasion dive by myself but would not say it is solo diving. I have also been on boats
with solo divers and the are either very good or very bad.

 

[DaleC]

I have also been on boats
with solo divers and the are either very good or very bad.

Somehow that stuck me as both very funny and very true.

I don't know about stats but I think you could further divide the groups into:

Dedicated Buddy divers
insta buddies
dedicated solo divers
someone who just winds up solo

 

[upthechain]

I solo out of necessity. I am crazy cautious and not at all ashamed to admit when a dive is to tough or the conditions aren't right. I truly enjoy the freedom of not being worried about a buddy and being able to go where and when I want. But when I do buddy dive I stick to my buddy like glue and I take responsibility for their safety even at the expense of my enjoyment of the dive.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Some of us dive solo because we don't want to abort in tough conditions due to our pansy buddies

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Today while surfing around I ran across this group & decided to join.

I frequently solo cave dive - some of my most fun cave dives are solo.

Over the years I have done deep wrecks solo (200' +) and of course shallower wrecks & reefs.

For a couple of years as I was leaving to go on a fun cave dive my wife would ask "Who are you diving with"? My reply was "AL" -- one of my buddies spilled the beans a year or so later when he told her AL was an Aluminum 80 -- she waggled her fingers much like this little icon-->

We are all good with it now....Looking forward to reading how folks learn to solo dive & the approaches you all take.

Howdy Jim ... looking forward to seeing you in a few days (not for solo cave diving, thanks) ...

I started solo diving because I have a nice dive site a few minutes from my house and sometimes I am spontaneous about deciding that I want to go diving. When I got my new photography setup in February I started solo diving more ... so I could dedicate my attention to my camera and strobology.

I learned solo diving by learning how to dive well first, then applying what I had learned to diving without a buddy.

I currently do about half my dives solo ... and, ironically, the other half mostly with DIR buddies. Does that make me a little bit of a schizo?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

.... I currently do about half my dives solo ... and, ironically, the other half mostly with DIR buddies. Does that make me a little bit of a schizo?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I see that you must be very "conflicted" ..... Well, as long as you do not go into full multiple personality disorder, and have GI3 as one of your personalities loudly calling your solo-diving personality a "stroke" while you gear-up you should be just fine .....

Best wishes.

 

[matt_w]

I see that you must be very "conflicted" ..... Well, as long as you do not go into full multiple personality disorder, and have GI3 as one of your personalities loudly calling your solo-diving personality a "stroke" while you gear-up you should be just fine .....

Best wishes.

Well, now it is not solo diving any more

 

[Cave Bum]

Hi, Jim!

I can't believe you weren't already a member of this group. :shocked2:

For the others here, I've known Jim for ages and he's one of the best divers I've had the pleasure of diving with and taking classes from. We often bump into each other gearing up for cave dives, many of them solo.

My guess is this forum will get a lot of great input and discussion with Jim as a member!

Good to have you here.

Bruce