Solo diving on Mike Ball LOB

[FettSolo]

Hey folks,

I'm looking into booking a Mike Ball LOB trip, and while I've read the company's policy on solo diving, I was curious if it differs at all in reality? For example, on my last liveaboard I would start every dive with a buddy, but then I would stay under longer since he burned through his air quickly. The crew did not care that I would ascend alone 10min or so after my buddy.

Basically, I'm just wondering whether it is worth getting a solo diver certification prior to a trip with them.

Thanks in advance!

 

[FettSolo]

Just bumping this in hopes that somebody could give me an answer! Thanks!

 

[MichaelMc]

They seem to give a great policy of allowing or training for. Scuba Diving Information for the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea "Solo Diving: Requires solo certification (available onboard)"

If it's a suitable-for-training expedition, I could go with train prior or during. If not, I'd get it prior. Otherwise you may not be solo diving. ("Most suitable expedition – Fly Dive Cod Hole, Fly Dive Coral Sea, Coral Sea Safari")

I know nothing about them, but that policy seems to make great accommodation, and lists the limits of how far they think they can go to help.

Calling and asking them would be a great idea as well.

Starting separate is a bigger jump for the crew than surfaced separate. What was the policy on the 'didn't seem to care' trip?

 

[ontdiver]

There is a distinction, of course, between hanging around the line an extra 10 minutes and actually diving solo. Most dive operators don't have a problem with those extra 10 minutes provided that you are not holding the boat up and that someone is aware that you are doing just that and not off wandering. According to their site, Mike Ball requires solo certification if you want to dive solo. There was a recent thread on solo diving certification that you might want to read that put some of the liability issues in perspective.

 

[tursiops]

I got my SDI SOLO diver card back in 2001, and went on the Mike Ball Spoilsport in 2002. I showed the card, and they gave me a little Solo test....swam out on compass to a rocky point away from the boat, put up an SMB, submerged, swam a compass course back to the boat. Good to go for the rest of the trip, using their pony. I do not know if their policies and procedures are still the same.

 

[ontdiver]

Tursiops raises an interesting point. Do many operators actually validate "advanced" qualifications by asking the diver to perform some of the skills that are critical to the qualification?

 

[Nomad-Diver]

I'm pretty sure they also need you to carry a pony bottle for proper solo diving.
Where we did repetitive dives at the same site, solo diving had some advantages. For the regular dives though, I found following the Spoilsport guides resulted in me seeing more in their backyard.

 

[FettSolo]

There is a distinction, of course, between hanging around the line an extra 10 minutes and actually diving solo. Most dive operators don't have a problem with those extra 10 minutes provided that you are not holding the boat up and that someone is aware that you are doing just that and not off wandering. According to their site, Mike Ball requires solo certification if you want to dive solo. There was a recent thread on solo diving certification that you might want to read that put some of the liability issues in perspective.

Thanks for everybody's responses. @ontdiver hits the nail on the head though, apologies for not expressing myself more clearly.

I care less about diving entirely solo and more about just having the flexibility to stay under longer than my buddy. Last liveaboard (Bahamas), I would descend with my buddy, he would eventually run low on air and he'd return to the boat. In the meantime, I'd try to find someone else to buddy with (there were some fellow photographers who were happy to have me "tag along" towards the end of dives) or at least stay in the vicinity of others.

I hope that makes more sense. Obviously I've read everything on their website, I just want to hear from others who have dove with MB how flexible (or not) they are in reality.

 

[Dan]

I got my SDI SOLO diver card back in 2001, and went on the Mike Ball Spoilsport in 2002. I showed the card, and they gave me a little Solo test....swam out on compass to a rocky point away from the boat, put up an SMB, submerged, swam a compass course back to the boat. Good to go for the rest of the trip, using their pony. I do not know if their policies and procedures are still the same.

Yes. I was in Spoilsport to Code Hole in Nov. 2016.

They offer Solo certification while you are in the boat too.

 

[CWK]

I asked what size pony they need for solo diving. I was told that they have 2L aluminum tanks on board.