Solo diving in Coz....

[cruiser]

This is the first time I have ever heard of a "Solo Certification". What is this about? 17 or whsatever years ago I was PADI certified as an OW diver and it was recommended we practice the "buddy system" but there was no "Solo Certification" that I recall and no limitation presented that said I couldn't dive without a buddy. Any PADI certified OW diver was free to rent tanks anywhere and do whatever they wanted with them solo or with a buddy.

What the heck is this "Solo Certification" as I've never heard of such a thing. Is this yet another PADI dive op money grab and an excuse to deny grab-and-go tanks to a certified OW diver if they haven't paid for yet another level of certification that is meaningless when one gets right down to it?

Good Lord... I would personally INSIST on diving solo and would NEVER dive with a dive op that forced me to buddy up with some random individual on the boat for the sake of the buddy system because I don't hold some BS "Solo Certification". Luckily, there are dive ops on Cozumel that understand and respect my way of thinking. The only "buddy" I'm going to buddy up with is my wife or a VERY close dive friend who I've been diving with for a long time... No one else... Period.

I took my solo class through SDI, because a new dive quarry had opened in Houston and required a solo cert for solo divers. The quarry has since closed but other operations recognize my solo cert.

PADI offers a class called Self-Reliant Diver to teach divers to be self-reliant and take responsibility for their dive. I don't know if they have officially endorsed solo diving. Does anybody else know?

 

[bamafan]

The problem in Cozumel with solo shore diving is access, tanks and weights . I don't know anyone that specifically rents weights so you can store stuff at Cozumel Scuba Repair or maybe buy weights somewhere or haul your own. Tanks are fairly easy as there is Merdiano's and the new fill station near Casa Mission. Merdiano's is under $3 / tank last time I checked. You will have to know Spanish at Merdiano's.

 

[cruiser]

I wanted just air I'd go to the boat harbor. There's a place there that fills lots and lots of tanks. I got mine for $3 each. The guy in the cage asked if we had ID. We said yes. We didn't get it out and he didn't care to see it. Paid him cash and took the tanks. He logged the tank numbers on his sheet. I don't know what he used for name, maybe Dos Gringos or something.

I prefer nitrox these days and haven't been shore diving on Coz in a while. Things might have changed in the few years since.

I'm not familiar with getting an air fill at the boat harbor, but friends have their tanks filled at Meridiano or rent a tank if they don't have one.

 

[cruiser]

The problem in Cozumel with solo shore diving is access, tanks and weights . I don't know anyone that specifically rents weights so you can store stuff at Cozumel Scuba Repair or maybe buy weights somewhere or haul your own. Tanks are fairly easy as there is Merdiano's and the new fill station near Casa Mission. Merdiano's is under $3 / tank last time I checked. You will have to know Spanish at Merdiano's.

Thanks Bamafan. I didn't know about the new fill station.

 

[Addicted2H2O]

I took my solo class through SDI, because a new dive quarry had opened in Houston and required a solo cert for solo divers. The quarry has since closed but other operations recognize my solo cert.

PADI offers a class called Self-Reliant Diver to teach divers to be self-reliant and take responsibility for their dive. I don't know if they have officially endorsed solo diving. Does anybody else know?

My Solo will be SDI as well since that's what we are at the shop now and who I completed my DM with. May do AN/DP later but first thing is solo since I help with classes.

And the ffm DEFINITELY makes a difference at Scuba Ranch, especially in the cold winter months. I'll actually be out there next weekend with an OW class.

 

[cruiser]

My Solo will be SDI as well since that's what we are at the shop now and who I completed my DM with. May do AN/DP later but first thing is solo since I help with classes.

And the ffm DEFINITELY makes a difference at Scuba Ranch, especially in the cold winter months. I'll actually be out there next weekend with an OW class.

I'm flying back to Dallas on Saturday. If I'm up to it, I plan to be at Scuba Ranch on Sunday.

Last time I was at Scuba Toys I checked out their ffm. I'm jonesing for one now to extend my diving season at SR

 

[NAUI Wowie]

This is the first time I have ever heard of a "Solo Certification". What is this about? 17 or whatever years ago I was PADI certified as an OW diver and it was recommended we practice the "buddy system" but there was no "Solo Certification" that I recall and no limitation presented that said I couldn't dive without a buddy. Any PADI certified OW diver was free to rent tanks anywhere and do whatever they wanted with them solo or with a buddy.

What the heck is this "Solo Certification" as I've never heard of such a thing. Is this yet another PADI dive op money grab and an excuse to deny grab-and-go tanks to a certified OW diver if they haven't paid for yet another level of certification that is meaningless when one gets right down to it?

Good Lord... I would personally INSIST on diving solo and would NEVER dive with a dive op that forced me to buddy up with some random individual on the boat for the sake of the buddy system because I don't hold some BS "Solo Certification". Luckily, there are dive ops on Cozumel that understand and respect my way of thinking. The only "buddy" I'm going to buddy up with is my wife or a VERY close dive friend who I've been diving with for a long time... No one else... Period.

"some B.S. solo certification" ???????????

You are kidding right.... You may not need a certification to solo dive after 17 years but you actually think its b.s.? For divers to be taught what is dangerous and what is safe while solo diving? That is b.s.? I disagree. For me if you dive solo you should know about redundancy, deep vs shallow solo diving, etc .....

By your thought process all you need is OW cert and go solo dive any time you want.The buddy system is taught to all new divers, are you saying everyone but you is doing it wrong?

 

[deepsea21]

"some B.S. solo certification" ???????????

You are kidding right.... You may not need a certification to solo dive after 17 years but you actually think its b.s.? For divers to be taught what is dangerous and what is safe while solo diving? That is b.s.? I disagree. For me if you dive solo you should know about redundancy, deep vs shallow solo diving, etc .....

By your thought process all you need is OW cert and go solo dive any time you want. Where the buddy system is taught to all new divers.

I simply don't see what this "Solo certification" teaches someone that isn't taught in a standard OW course. The "Buddy System" is only recommended because it serves as a secondary back-up in the event a primary back-up/solution fails. OW certification already teaches solo diving, redundancy, etc. Realistically, unless one is holding hands with their buddy throughout the entire dive, if something goes very wrong and a primary back-up fails one isn't going to hang around holding their breath trying to get their buddy's attention - they're starting their emergency ascent and they'll do it instinctively and immediately.

For those who scream "Buddy System" must be practiced if one doesn't hold this "Solo certification", as far as being forcefully placed with a "Buddy" one knows nothing about or has no idea of their skill level, that is a recipe for disaster. You've all seen them as they are everywhere... Divers who can't maintain neutral buoyancy and are either rocketing to the surface or plummeting into the depths like a rock... Pay no attention to their depth, PSI or DC's... Go fining off chasing this and that everywhere and anywhere regardless of depth or what the group's dive plan was to be. I don't want buddy'd up with someone like that as they shouldn't be diving in the first place... Just as I wouldn't get in a car with someone who drives at night with both headlights burned out. I remember watching a diver on one trip after bragging about all the places he had supposedly been and all the dives he had supposedly logged roll in with a spear in one hand and a selfie stick in the other complete with Gopro on his first dive his first day of diving. One diver signaled to him almost immediately that his BC was leaking air... He waved that diver off and down he went and then started sinking like a rock. Then one fin falls off and now he's spiraling down in circles with spear and selfie stick both flailing around as he's doing an underwater dog paddle with hands full of spear and selfie stick. Eventually he managed to remember to start adding air to his BC that had totally deflated and up he started but I certainly have interest in being buddy'd up with a mess like that. I'd never get near a mess like that... Go after him and he's freaking out with a spear flailing around trying to grab at anything and get close to him that's how 2 divers end up dead instead of one. He stayed on the boat the 2nd dive and wasn't seen again after that day.

 

[caruso]

This is the first time I have ever heard of a "Solo Certification". What is this about? 17 or whatever years ago I was PADI certified as an OW diver and it was recommended we practice the "buddy system" but there was no "Solo Certification" that I recall and no limitation presented that said I couldn't dive without a buddy..

It's not the same world. Rules change, laws change- all the time.

Unless you only dive in third world countries with questionable Ops who don't have liability concerns, you're going to find ever limiting opportunities to solo dive off charter boats.

Be ready.

Is this yet another PADI dive op money grab .

As far as I know PADI does not offer a solo diving certification.

 

[NAUI Wowie]

I simply don't see what this "Solo certification" teaches someone that isn't taught in a standard OW course. The "Buddy System" is only recommended because it serves as a secondary back-up in the event a primary back-up/solution fails. OW certification already teaches solo diving, redundancy, etc. Realistically, unless one is holding hands with their buddy throughout the entire dive, if something goes very wrong and a primary back-up fails one isn't going to hang around holding their breath trying to get their buddy's attention - they're starting their emergency ascent and they'll do it instinctively and immediately.

For those who scream "Buddy System" must be practiced if one doesn't hold this "Solo certification", as far as being forcefully placed with a "Buddy" one knows nothing about or has no idea of their skill level, that is a recipe for disaster. You've all seen them as they are everywhere... Divers who can't maintain neutral buoyancy and are either rocketing to the surface or plummeting into the depths like a rock... Pay no attention to their depth, PSI or DC's... Go fining off chasing this and that everywhere and anywhere regardless of depth or what the group's dive plan was to be. I don't want buddy'd up with someone like that as they shouldn't be diving in the first place... Just as I wouldn't get in a car with someone who drives at night with both headlights burned out. I remember watching a diver on one trip after bragging about all the places he had supposedly been and all the dives he had supposedly logged roll in with a spear in one hand and a selfie stick in the other complete with Gopro on his first dive his first day of diving. One diver signaled to him almost immediately that his BC was leaking air... He waved that diver off and down he went and then started sinking like a rock. Then one fin falls off and now he's spiraling down in circles with spear and selfie stick both flailing around as he's doing an underwater dog paddle with hands full of spear and selfie stick. Eventually he managed to remember to start adding air to his BC that had totally deflated and up he started but I certainly have interest in being buddy'd up with a mess like that. I'd never get near a mess like that... Go after him and he's freaking out with a spear flailing around trying to grab at anything and get close to him that's how 2 divers end up dead instead of one. He stayed on the boat the 2nd dive and wasn't seen again after that day.

Well you arent doing yourself or your point any favors with your message. You repeatedly mention all kinds of incompetant divers that are a danger to themselves and possibly others and simultaneously state they should all just get their OW and go solo dive because they should KNOW how to do it via OW certification....

Quite frankly and non argumentatively I will quote a famous actor who has since passed away and say "That is illogical".

I believe that the majority of divers that currently hold an OW C card should never solo dive. So I agree with you about the crazy behaviors of many divers, I see it most dive trips and for that very reason I dont want them doing it. There would be a huge spike in scuba diving deaths if OW divers were recommended to solo dive.

Me personally? Im still relatively new but i have a 19cf pony and a 40cf tank and can sling either with me if id want to do a solo dive and of course as I dive primarily monterey ill have two cutting tools and a good light even on the best day. as well as smb of course.