Solo diving in Coz....

[AdivingBel]

Right. It's not a solo diving certification as per careful wording on the PADI site, and will not be accepted as such by Dive Ops- again to the best of my knowledge.

My solo/self-reliant is through PADI but was taught using SDI literature due to PADI not having their literature fully distributed at the time I took the course. To date I've not been refused solo on presentation of my PADI card unless all solo was prohibited by the dive op. Their boat, their rules.

 

[blake7]

Heck, years ago I went out on a dive boat in the FL Keys that enforced the buddy system. The buddy I was assigned wanted to drop to the bottom under the anchored boat and squirt 3 cans of Easy Cheese into the water feeding the fish for an hour! I looked at her and gave her the "you OK" sign, she responded and off I went on my own... Later "Buddy".

So if I understand correctly, you left your assigned "buddy" by herself under the boat?

 

[blake7]

I think several other agencies have certifications for solo diving yes? I thought I saw it mentioned at least....

There are some well published/recognized equivalencies. Here are the recreational:
Recreational Sport Diver Equivalences - SDI | TDI | ERDI

You can search for the different names that PADI and SSI use for SDI's Solo Diver.

And the technical: TDI Equivalent Ratings with Other Scuba Diving Agencies - SDI | TDI | ERDI

 

[Dan G]

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.

This is where your argument falls apart because what you describe is precisely the opposite of what we should do.

 

[deepsea21]

So if I understand correctly, you left your assigned "buddy" by herself under the boat?

Correct. However, she was in agreement that I not sit there and watch her unload Easy Cheese and frozen peas for an hour. Dive boat on a mooring, 30' of water, no need for anyone to be concerned and no DM in the water to know what we were doing.

 

[caruso]

Correct. However, she was in agreement that I not sit there and watch her unload Easy Cheese and frozen peas for an hour.

Exactly when did the two of you agree that you would separate during the dive because she was going to feed easy cheese to the fish for an hour?.. On the boat? .. Written on a slate underwater? Or was your agreement nothing more than exchanging ok signs and ditching her?

 

[deepsea21]

This is where your argument falls apart because what you describe is precisely the opposite of what we should do.

My point is the vast majority of divers who dive the buddy system are generally not in close proximity to each other. They know where each other is but in an emergency situation as in NO AIR the odds of getting the other's attention in a timely manner is the issue. How long are you going to hang around shaking a rattle hoping your buddy hears and looks at you before you start heading to the surface? Choice is yours to make... drown shaking a rattle or get to air. As long as one is staying within recreational limits one needs no 15' safety stop. Yes we all perform safety stops as an extra precaution but recreational limits were set such that one can make an emergency ascent to the surface and not get bent (theoretically of course as everyone is different). Now, I'm not a technical diver nor will you find me deeper than 80' as I generally hang in the 40' - 60' range where there's more light, more color and the surface is that much closer.

 

[deepsea21]

Exactly when did the two of you agree that you would separate during the dive because she was going to feed easy cheese to the fish for an hour?.. On the boat? .. Written on a slate underwater? Or was your agreement nothing more than exchanging ok signs and ditching her?

On the boat of course! I'm not an A-hole.

 

[caruso]

On the boat of course! I'm not an A-hole.

Then why did you exchange ok's with her under the boat before swimming away rather than just do your own dive from the beginning? And let the crew or DM know you were planning on doing your own separate dives?

If you think I'm trying to poke holes in your questionable story you'd be right.

 

[deepsea21]

Then why did you exchange ok's with her under the boat before swimming away rather than just do your own dive from the beginning? And let the crew or DM know you were planning on doing your own separate dives?

Isn't that what anyone would do before separating? It's not like I was just going to jump in and fin away. I did want to see that she got parked there on the bottom without any issues. It is basically saying You OK? Yes, I'm OK and agreeing that we're both on our own now. We weren't telling the crew because it was none of their business what we did once we were under. This was in the FL keys where boats hook to a mooring and everyone goes in... there is no DM on the dive with the group, everyone generally does their own thing and is expected to make it back to the boat. I personally use my compass and either head in one direction for a while and work my way back or dive a big square that brings me back to the boat.