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

[Compressor]

I like diving with other divers but when diving with some who are not competent, its like diving solo.
When I dive alone, its because I can get very relaxed as I do not have to keep an eye on the other divers. I really get in tune with my own situational awareness.

I do believe that we are in a social sport. If I am diving with competent divers, its the greatest fun with me. When I dive with students or those willing and eager to learn its great too. When I dive with those who are sloppy, not willing to learn or are simply careless, I'd rather dive alone.

 

[tilikum]

I am an introvert and I like the idea of not having to answer to anyone. When I used to dive the local lakes and ponds people would give me dirty looks when I geared up by myself and entered the water without a buddy. It was like I grew a third arm or something.

 

[Stoo]

I love that this thread I started over eight years ago is still chugging along! I must confess that I have been doing fewer solo dives than I used to. My explanation is that since I am shooting photos on every dive, I like to have a model! However, even doing solo dives, I still get the odd keeper. One of my most popular images from last year was taken while I was diving solo, but lurking on the bottom, away from the stern of Forest City (155') in Tobermory. There was a charter boat up above, and I managed to grab a shot of a random, solo diver... who ironically was a friend of mine!

DIVER Mag picked up the image and featured it in their October issue... this shot of a solo guy, shot by a solo guy. "Random Dan" wasn't even aware I was there, skulking about in the shadows...

 

[NAM001]

We all dive for a reason. diving solo allows one to maximise the experience. You buddy dive and you have to compromise from start to finish, what you do where you go how long you stay down. You never get the full individual benefit for that dive unless you are solo. .

 

[Frontpointer1000]

It's 2 AM, I'm at work and i'm just thinking about the first solo dive I ever did.

I felt like I was cheating, stealing, and doing something dirty. I LOVED IT. I was a little scared which made me hyper-aware and ultra-sensitive. I certainly didn't push any limits, was rather conservative (I think my greatest depth was around 30 feet). It was so beautiful, quiet, serene. Everything was mine and mine alone. I liked not sharing anything with anyone else. It was like a secret that I wasn't going to share. It felt like the difference between driving through a countryside in a car versus riding through the same countryside on a motorcycle. Same place, same environment, but you FEEL the world around you differently. My senses were heightened and alive. It was addictive.

I love diving with others, but there is a secret, guilty selfish pleasure in getting my own deep, dirty dark secret, getting my little ocean all to my self. I like not sharing. I like riding a motorcycle under water.

 

[Frontpointer1000]

Stoo:
BTW, great shot - very beautiful.
You were diving solo from your Zodiac? How did you tie off or moor your boat?

 

[Stoo]

Stoo:
BTW, great shot - very beautiful.
You were diving solo from your Zodiac? How did you tie off or moor your boat?

Thanks FP. Mrs. Stoo was tending boat up above... If I can't tie to shore and also anchor, I won't solo from the boat...

 

[kafkaland]

Ok, paraphrasing Woody Allen: Dont knock [solo diving]. After all, it's having [a dive] with someone you love!

 

[Frontpointer1000]

Thanks FP. Mrs. Stoo was tending boat up above... If I can't tie to shore and also anchor, I won't solo from the boat...

Does that mean you are tied off twice? How do you tie to shore (assuming you are further than 50 ft)?

 

[Stoo]

Up in Tobermory, many of the wrecks are technically shore dives. It's just that the "shore" is on an island, typically one that strayed into the path of a ship.

For example, the Forest City struck Bears Rump Island. Bears Rump is about a 9 mile trip from Tobermory, by boat.

Many of the shorelines are rock so if I am diving like that I run a line to the shore and then an anchor out the back door.

This image shows the shore line of Bear's Rump... the charter boat there is from G+S Watersports. We were waiting for them to leave so we had the wreck to ourselves...