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

[Stoo]

4. When you have that magic right buddy, diving is fantastic - but solo diving helps fill in the gaps in between and can keep people diving when a never ending slate of poor buddies would otherwise cause them to quit.

Well put DA. I have been fortunate over the years to have had a number of great buddies... although we tend to be "same lake, same day" buddies. As we all get older though, many of them are diving less, or stopped altogether. There is one guy that still dives at least as actively as I do, and we occassionally hit the water together... although again, it tends to be as a non-buddy, buddy team. We might see each other on the dive, exchange some achnowledgement of the other if we see each other, but then we get to share the post-dive refreshments which is a big part of the fun of diving for me... Floating in a Zodiac or two, way out in a lake with good friends after a dive is always a plus in my books!

He and I have perhaps 6000 dives in total, and have shared some great adventures together, and I look forward to many more years diving with him. I just don't want to see him while we're diving "together"!

 

[BWDscott]

I think... therefore, I can and do!

 

[watchoutheyspit]

Ditto....Ditto....Ditto...Ditto...& , oh Yeah.....Ditto

 

[Land Locked]

It's not so dark, this weekend I was diving with a couple of buddies. I knew I was going to have to cut the dive early since I didn't make it by the shop and I started the dive with 60 cuft of air. I let them know up front pre-dive what my plans were, I would call, they would go on and I would compass back to the entry. I enjoyed the dive with them to the cut, then I enjoyed my dive back, I didn't crimp their dive and enjoyed some time to myself. Best of both worlds!

 

[jorgie]

Hmmmm, I'm not sure what the crap is or is not. I solo dive because I have no one to dive with, period. My family makes it difficult to get out on charters unless I'm working out of town. So between sets, I slpip off the platform of our ski boat and get 40 minutes of underwater time. Sometimes its great sometimes its just keeping up on skills.

I do agree however with the comment about Lobster hunting. This being my favorite pass time when down south which I am usually a couple times a year for extended periods, no matter how it starts out..it usually ends up as a solo dive.

 

[Al Titude]

Frankly, I didn't take up scuba diving with the knowledge or intent on diving with buddies. It wasn't until I was sitting in class and reading the propaganda and listening to the PADI party line that I "should never dive alone and always dive with a buddy".

I had flashbacks to being a kid at summer camp and going swimming and having to "buddy up"...lol

Needless to say I kept my mouth shut and as soon as I got my cert's and gear, I hit the water solo. Of course this was only after reading many, many posts on solo diving from this forum .

So, to answer the question....

1. My buddy dosen't call and cancel last minute.
2. For almost all the reasons everyone else has posted here.
3. Because I got into diving for me, not to be one of the cool kids.
4. It's the only time I can truely learn and experiment.
and last but not least.......no other responsibilities other than to me......

 

[reeldive]

When I frame a good photo I don't have to worry that my steel slinging buddy is gonna zip in and shoot my subject. Yes it has hapend more tha once.

Oh I wonder what Will is looking at over there - ooo lunch THAWNG! I get even by strobing him in the eyes!!! Hope he attracts sharks on the safety stop.. Now that would make a great photo. Bet I could get it to ch 13 in time for the 10 oclock news!

 

[emcbride81]

I never solo dive as long as I have the voices is my head...:crazyeye:

 

[Timeliner]

Part of why I Solo , when I do, is to bring my story here to the rest of you underwater introverts.
That is not enough, though it is a huge thrill to mind melt here and feel at one behind the Wizard's Curtain in Oz.

We enter life alone and leave the same way. We can't get closer to birth but we can kick the side of the box and maybe even look over the edge and see if the pillows are soft and what shade of fabric lines the coffin.

I don't look for death when I dive alone but somehow I'm never too far from it at times......... or so it seems. The deeper I go, the darker it is, the colder the water, the more close I get to be with.

I'm so ready to live.

 

[ianr33]

I don't look for death when I dive alone but somehow I'm never too far from it at times......... or so it seems. The deeper I go, the darker it is, the colder the water, the more close I get to be with.

Try adding a little helium