OK, 'fess up.... the Dark Side of Solo...

[Stoo]

Get a redundant air source and practice with it. I use independent doubles and practice switching a lot with my eyes closed, exhaled breath, either hand ect.

Sound advice. Doubles are best, but even a nice little pony for those shallower dives. Rig it properly and practice deployment.

And add a bunch of other stuff too... a second computer or tables (although not issue if you are staying above 30 feet)...

 

[Skeeter1097]

I have read most of the reply. There are so many grate reasons. I thinking doing it on your whom time and going ate your pace. Some times I just go to the jetty or bridge we have here and for a hour never go over 15 ft. Looking at all that is there and just been there. But I do like diving with a buddy in the open ocean, most of the time.

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

Why do I like solo; let me count the ways

1.) Freedom to dive when the urge strikes (I live 15 minutes from a dive site).
2.) Freedom to not dive if I get to the dive site and change my mind
3.) Freedom to go as slow or as fast as I want gearing up.
4.) Freedom to go as deep or as shallow as I want.
5.) Freedom to stay in one spot the entire dive, becoming "one with the turtles" at a cleaning station
6.) Freedom to explore, or to not explore.
7.) Freedom to roll on my back and blow bubbles.
8.) Freedom to take off my fins, and walk across the sand at 60 feet. Or dance an underwater jig.
9.) Freedom to swim up to a drop-off, exhale, spead my arms and swoop downward, pretending I'm flying.
10.) Did I mention Freedom yet?

Best wishes.

 

[seawraith1]

dive buddys are like a- hole's everyone's got one . some come with more crap than others. Doing it solo is less crap to put up with.

 

[jorgie]

Memorial day weekend is here and I will finally be home for a few days. 1st solo dive of the season on my home lake! Can't wait, however soon they won't be solo dives as my son will be joining me next summer, but for one more summer its mine all mine

 

[pdelannoy]

There's nothing better than a remote stretch of water. The lack of city noises and the vast ocean of the under water world. Solo is good.

 

[Nemrod]

There is no darks side and I confess to nothing. I dive solo 90% of the time since I was a kid and plan not to change. I use little or no redundancy and much to the dismay of the guys down in the panhandle forum I have, do and will dive into a cave with a 19 cf bottle, a breathing tube and no buddy and don't care. Rules are for other people. Safety is just a word that is cliche and worn out. It is all relative, death/fate, stalks us all.

I am headed to Florida again in a few weeks, fully intend to do a solo shore dive on the Pompano Drop Off with nothing but a steel 72, single stage Voit Blue 50, fins, mask, snorkel (maybe), spg, compass, computer and a Speedo and a t shirt, don't need anything else. I go fast and light.

N

 

[Stoo]

It is all relative, death/fate, stalks us all.

LOL. That might be true, but I prefer to give the Reaper a run for the money. I think most of us on this forum would agree with your comment about rules... many seem arbitrary and unnecessary. The whole "safety" thing though... sorry, I like living. I hate the thought of what my premature demise would do to my wife and kids, so I take every reasonable precaution to stay alive.

Like you, I do virtually all of my diving alone, but I don't consider the lack of a buddy to be fool-hardy. I do, however, consider the flagrant disregard of common sense to be a little pointless. Sounding "cool" on a forum is fine. But, and I say this with the greatest respect, I think your choice to dive in antique gear, with no redundancy is just plain stupid.

 

[Ragnar]

Whoa Nemrod, I'm pretty new around here but man am I surprised at your post! Antique gear and a 19cf pony in a cave! For God sakes.....Why!?

Regarding the original topic, there have been a few times for whatever reason I've gotten pretty narcked, it just doesn't happen every time at the same depth etc, and since being alone there is no chance of a buddy possibly having a clearer head to help out if a situation developed right at that time. Of course without a buddy there is also no worry of him narcking out and causing trouble for me either

 

[Stoo]

So our season has started again up here in the Great White North. One dive down. One lecture from a total stranger about the evils of diving alone...

I think I'm going to buy and inflatable Love Doll and drag her around with me... :mooner: