solo diver is better?

Are true solo divers better to handle emergencies than the average diver?

  • Yes

    Votes: 55 32.5%
  • No

    Votes: 21 12.4%
  • It depends.

    Votes: 69 40.8%
  • dude, what are you smoking?

    Votes: 29 17.2%

  • Total voters
    169
  • Poll closed .

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all4scuba05

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There are great solo divers. Just as there are great "buddy divers". There's a thread on reaching your tank valve. Many advocate being a great buddy diver and at the same time stating that you must be able to reach your valve even though that's one of the reasons for having a good buddy.
Is it possible that solo divers are a little better at handling bad situations since they usually have the most redundancy and are not jumping into the ocean expecting or hoping that their buddy would bail them out? Chances are, a true solo diver would've performed more drills than a buddy diver. For example removing and redonning the gear underwater to fix a problem. Its probably a drill that solo divers should be more proficient at since they don't rely on a buddy. Lets say you're diving with your buddy at 80'. Vis is 2'. Now you're seperated for whatever reason. At this moment you ARE solo diving till you find him. OH no, some line is caught on some part of your tank. You go to cut the line but can't reach it. Well then its time to take atleast one arm out of the BC. A good solo diver would stand a better chance of not panicking, and would most likely be quicker or better at removing the gear. Why? Well truthfully, how many recreational divers actually condsider the removal a drill that needs to be practiced? Its like removing and replacing the mask. They did it for OW and thats it. Hoping they never have to do it again.
A good solo diver of all people should be practicing all drills necessary, after all he depends on redundancy and himself. Because there are many scenarios that can kill divers, there is no way that a solo diver is invincible. Yet in a real world emergency, what can a buddy do for you that you can't do for yourself? I don't think its much. But I'm sure you guys can name some right now.
Which diver would I prefer to dive with? A diver who's great at solo diving. He's redundant and used to diving alone so has less chances of panicking when he finds himself alone. Has already practiced lifesaving drills for the sake of surviving an emergency while diving solo. And if I'm as proficiant as him, then puttting us together is one hell of a team.
Point is...when it comes to teams of two, put two good solo divers together and chances are they'll be the better team.
I don't think most divers that exist are here on scubaboard. Here on Scubaboard are many great divers with inmense knowledge and expertise. And they don't even solo dive. But I don't think they represent the majority of divers in the world. Solo diving doesn't make you the best. But if you're a true solo diver, chances are you're ready for emergencies better than the average diver.
 
you have some very good points!!! i do a lot of solo diving, but i also have a couple of dive buddies(also solo divers) that dive with me from time to time, GREAT dive buddies. i was in PI recently and dived with a group, i for the first time ever was introduced to a very rude diver, that during a conversation stated we (he and wife) dont need no stinking classes, oh what an understatment, this guy was all over us pushing , kicking and just really all over me, i wanted to turn off his air ,so to speak, i did all i could to stay way away from him. point being, it sure reminded me how nice and peacful it would be to have been a SOLO diver that day!!!
 
I think that it depends- there are good and bad solo divers, just like there are good and bad buddy divers. Just because someone dives with a buddy, doesn't mean that they aren't allowed to practice self rescue skills or be self reliant.

Regarding what kind of buddy I would want- I have to look beyond the skills, and examine the attitude. Some solo divers might have superhuman skill underwater, but they might not have the buddy skills since they aren't used to diving with one. The solo divers I've dove with don't look for me if we get split up. They'll finish their dive and expect to see me on the surface.

You can also train as if you were a solo diver and still dive with a buddy. Self resuce is a great skill to have, but that doesn't mean that you have to give up the buddy.

edit: what can a buddy do for you that you can't do yourself- back out of a dive and prevent you from making a bad mistake, and take a picture of you underwater so that you have something to show your friends. All the really bad divers I've heard of were solo divers because they couldn't find anyone stupid enough to dive with them.
 
all4scuba05:
Point is...when it comes to teams of two, put two good solo divers together and chances are they'll be the better team.

Chances are they won't function at all as an actual team. They might be well above average buddy divers for as long as they managed to stick together, but the skills to function as a team are orthogonal to the self-sufficiency skills of a solo diver. They'll be better together than your average set of OW divers, but that is going to be becaue the average OW diver has neither self-sufficiency skills or team skills.
 
You also need to consider why some choose to dive solo. You say you would rather dive with a solo diver as a buddy. Many of us dive with buddies or with others out of necessity when assisting with or teaching classes. Given the option when diving for pleasure, some would choose not to dive with anyone for various reasons and some will only dive with those who are of similar skills and /or experience. I will usually dive with just about anyone until they give me a reason not to. This has happened more than once for various reasons. If you are unsafe, plow up the bottom or take unnecessary risks(some consider solo one of these,I do not) I will not dive with someone like this. Like the shirt says, "Sure you can dive with me, surfacing however, is another matter!"
 
no, i'd rather always dive with a buddy, if available

unfortunately, that's not always the case for me, particulalry when on
vacation out of the U.S.... so... it's either not dive or dive solo... so... i dive solo

(i think my sign "Stroke Looking for Dive BUddy" may have something to do
with my bad luck in finding buddies)
 
matt_unique:
Two solo divers who choose to dive together are the best possible team in my opinion. You hit the reasons above...

--Matt

I usually dive solo and disagree. To make an excellent buddy diver takes a long time. To make an excellent buddy team takes even longer. A good buddy always knows exactly where you are and never changes course, or depth or does something unusual without letting you know. A good buddy team can communicate with very few signals and they can anticipate each others actions. They instictively know who is the leader and their separation distance is governed by depth and visibility without even thinking about it. They also work well together when getting gearing up.

Examples of buddy teams are very experienced photographers and models. They have a complex and detailed job that requires a high degree of communication. You can not just pick any old solo diver and expect him/her to immediately fall into place. Other teams I have witnessed are good hunters. Good buddy teams also have to have one common objective, not two people out to have a good time underwater.

Solo divers are probably better than your average diver (whatever that means) but there is no substitute for experience as diving together as a team. The very best buddy divers are buddy divers.
 
A good solo diver will be even better equipped to handle an emergency when diving with another good solo diver -- provided those two divers also have good buddy skills and are diving as a team.

I do most of my shore dives solo, but haven't found the need to try and convince myself that this is safer than going with a buddy.
 
Solo diver have there own mission;He/She be even better to handle an emergency procedure skills.
 

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