Solo dives

[dpbishop]

When you dive solo you are your only resource in an emergency. The problem is, until you have experienced some sort of dive emergency, you don't know how you will respond. Its' easy to say "I know I won't panic", but in truth, nobody knows that until the have been there. I had over 500 dives before I did my first solo dive. In that time I had a sudden out of air emergency at 80 ft, several equipment failures, and a few other incidents that I was able to handle without needing my buddies help, so I feel comfortable relying on myself within the limits of my solo dives. (less than 10 meters, minimum surf, familiar location).

Most of my solo dives are shore dives for lobster, at night. It's hard to get buddies for that on short notice and easy to lose track of them underwater. All lobster dives seem to become solo dives for at least part of the time. I find that I miss a buddy the most before and after I enter the water; Navigating over slippery rocks in the dark with 50 lbs of stuff hanging off you is probably riskier than anything you will encounter in the water. But I really like lobster, so I'm willing to take that chance.

Diving solo just for recreation is something I rarely do, and I've never found diving with a buddy, even a pick-up one, to be all that limiting. I would say the OP needs a lot more dives before taking up solo diving.

 

[freetudu]

I did my 1st dive in 1970 when I was certified, since then the majority of dives I've done are solo. I don't even think about the issue that much any more. I would say this, if you are faced with dive only with a buddy or don't dive at all I'm getting wet. I think going solo enhances, planning skills, mental alertness, and develops a divers survival techniques way more than sharing an experience. Situate 10 divers in a life threatening episode, I'll wager if only one comes out it will be the guy who trusts and relies own his own judgement.

 

[knowone]

If I were given the opportunity to publish a legible comprehensive manual on solo diving
I wouldn't dream of it even in my wildest dreams.

 

[HomelessDiver]

I have to admit, solo diving is a lot more Zen. I'm going to recommend it but am still in agreement that you should get some more dives under your belt unless its really shallow and close-in diving... but not all good diving is out on the reefs, I can take a half empty tank and put-put around in 5 meters depth of shoreline just poking at things in the sand with a stick.

Look at what you want to, when you want to, for how long you want to - thats so much more enjoyable IMO.

Sharing "finds" with buddies while underwater? Thats would be the opposite of allowing them to do the above sentence. I saw an underwater 'field' of coke bottles swaying on the bottom of a channel in 2007 (coke graveyard) that were sealed and had fallen off a boat the year before during a storm. It fascinated me, coolest thing I'd seen in a while and there were already patches of flat pink and brown coral growing on the bottles. Most of my dive companions saw it as trash.

No, I would greatly prefer the less stressful route not following other people. Groups fascinated by items that they've seen in better resolution 200 times in HD on Discovery Channel. The "oh...theres a large fish!" where everyone points and gets epileptic. Trying to cram as much distance into a single tank as possible. The hurry-up-and-wait in the diveshops. The dive operators cramming multiple dives into a single boat trip when the shore is only 20 minutes away but the sites are 45 minutes apart and then its a mad dash to get re-geared and in the water.

Diving is a personal thing. Its not a contact sport. Its not some bragging, high-five sport so I dont get the references to spotting sealife. "Oh, did you see that ray!.. yea!... it was... well, it was a ray". Say it out loud and its just not the same as what you felt when you saw it. Of course, this is my take on the affair, diving is different things to different people. Now, perhaps if I found a body or a nuke on the bottom, well...... lol

I would agree with posters suggestions on you taking the rescue course (its just simple first responder adapted to diving) if nothing other than to grow your own self confidence. Some people have it in the water, some don't. Some are prone to panic, some aren't. Taking a course that focuses you on helping others will go a long way to making sure your own panic levels are lessened, should something go wrong.

 

[Dale76]

Hello everyone;

I want to get your views or take on solo dives. I realize this is a hot topic and one that is not supported during training but I would like to hear from divers who have done a few solo dives and get your feedback with regards to the safety aspect and if you personally feel it's ok.

Having said this, I do realize that there's a risk evertime you dive, solo or not,and having a competent partner may actually save your life but I think the main point here is having a competent partner; one you can trust and one that will follow some of the protocol we've been taught during an emergency. Unfortunately you never know exactly how your dive partner will react until you do encounter an emergency.

I recently completed 2 solo dives and as taught during my training..."dive according to your skill set and what you are comfortable with" I did 2 shallow dives (10 meters max) and I have never felt more relaxed and at ease. Being alone allowed me to focus on nothing else but my own dive. I did not have to keep tracking my partner, checking our air, bearings, etc.; I just had a very relaxing dive and to tell you the truth, the most fun yet. I concentrated on navigation techniques, my breathing, my buoyancy and my euipment.

Again, I realize this is not an accepted practise and I am in no means trying to promote this; I just want to get some feedback on people's experiances and your honest opinion on diving solo.

Thanks everyone
Wayne

Solo Dives are great as long as you limit your self to the dangers as you are the only one that is able to get your self out of danger, and if that happens as I have relized buddies can't be trusted and also no one is your friend at 50m and if your buddy helps you he also becomes in danger, as I have relized that I am more relaxed when I dive by myself and dont have to worrie about depending on someone else that doesn't care or doesn't follow the rules and puts you in a situation where you are responsable for your partner.(don't borrow someones gear when your computer malfuntions.)

Also not all deep dives are the best dives most of the dives I Have done Have been shallow and what I have seen at these deapths are breath taking.

 

[Limoges Diver]

I have restricted my diving because of lack of dive buddies because I know that solo diving is a risky business. I did it once, on my 8th dive though: I have a freind that lost a panel for his small hydro-electric dam, and needed someone to go down to about 10 feet depth to attach a rope to it so he could pull it out of the water. The dive took about 5 minutes, and the visibility was about 2 feet max. I had my friend snorkeling above me, holding onto the rope. We had worked out rope pulling signals, and a plan in case something wen wrong, with a third person on shore with a cell phone and instructions on what to tell the 911 operator.
Even with all these precautions and restrictions, I felt uncomfortable doing the dive. Sure, it's only a 5 minute dive, and with a buddy floating a few feet above me: it was still a risky "venture". So, does that dive count as a "technical dive"? heheh!

So why did I post this? Because I don't think solo diving is right for anybody, let alone someone with as few dives as the OP had at the time of posting.

I will be taking the rescue course as well as the enriched air course next Spring, btw

 

[danvolker]

Solo Dives are great as long as you limit your self to the dangers as you are the only one that is able to get your self out of danger, and if that happens as I have relized buddies can't be trusted and also no one is your friend at 50m and if your buddy helps you he also becomes in danger, as I have relized that I am more relaxed when I dive by myself and dont have to worrie about depending on someone else that doesn't care or doesn't follow the rules and puts you in a situation where you are responsable for your partner.(don't borrow someones gear when your computer malfuntions.)

Also not all deep dives are the best dives most of the dives I Have done Have been shallow and what I have seen at these deapths are breath taking.

It sounds like you have had many very poor buddy choices in the past.....This does not reflect badly on buddy diving, but on what you were willing to accept.

You could say that the choice of dive buddy IS your most important gear choice.....

If it is worthwhile to be picky about a choice of girlfriend or future wife...or of who your friends are...then why would it not be worthwhile to be picky about who your dive buddies are?

Regards,
DanV

 

[nanadiver]

As a PADI DM, I am often though of as responsible by many of the people I dive with, even when I am not "working" and it is purely recreational. I am talking about divers of advanced, master diver, or rescue status, not newbies. Therefore, I love solo diving when I feel safe and comfortable. I am only responsible for myself. I can, as you said, enjoy looking around without another person to keep track of. I do this in a local quarry where I am completely at ease. I do this on certain dive trips where I know the lay of the land. I am also very quick to caution people not to solo dive until they are completely comfortable with diving or with the location they are diving.

When I dive alone, I am keenly aware of my surroundings, my depth, and my air supply. I realize that I have only myself to rely on. I trust my skill and knowledge as a diver and do not dive outside of my skill set at any time, especially alone. That does not mean that I don't continue to learn, but solo diving isn't the place for learning, it's for complete peace and relaxation.

 

[lemondiver]

I took the SDI solo course after I had tried solo diving. Good course. Solo diving is the most relaxing as long as you're comfortable.

 

[dead shark hunter]

i think of an instructor who said "don't dive deep just for the sake of diving deep" the point is, if there is a good reason to make the dive and you have the skills to do so, do it. I have dove the Cooper River in SC several times. It is very low vis and strong current. It is a solo dive, like it or not. There is a good reason to do it, I have the skills, so I do it. But if in a situation where I do not need to dive solo, I don't. I guess, I do ot solo dive for the sake of diving solo, but I don't mind it either.

Just my $0.02