Solo Diving: PADI Worldwide's Position

[101recon]

One good point.
You do get to see what the hens are like BEFORE you get in the water with them.

 

[DaleC]

canada is not thong terrritory...

Oh man, where did I put my thong photo...

 

[captain]

I think I know where KWS is coming from. I rarely dive with unkown buddies it's either solo or divers I know to be competant. Several years ago on a cattle boat in Coz I was paired up with a young newly certified girl on her first boat dive.
I knew that more than likely she would not be of any help to me in event I had a problem so I did the dive with the mind set that any problem I had I would deal with just as if I was on a solo dive.
I accepted the responsibility of being her buddy and watched her like a hawk through two dives. I didn't think of her as my buddy but as my responsibilty.

 

[ScubaSteve]

I think I know where KWS is coming from. I rarely dive with unkown buddies it's either solo or divers I know to be competant. Several years ago on a cattle boat in Coz I was paired up with a young newly certified girl on her first boat dive.
I knew that more than likely she would not be of any help to me in event I had a problem so I did the dive with the mind set that any problem I had I would deal with just as if I was on a solo dive.
I accepted the responsibility of being her buddy and watched her like a hawk through two dives. I didn't think of her as my buddy but as my responsibilty.

This post I can understand and agree with. You accepted that you were her buddy (accepting the responsibilities that go along with that) however you planned on solving your own problems on your own had the need arisen. IMO, the important part of that (as is relevant to a Buddy dive) is accepting the repsonsibility as a buddy.

 

[waterpirate]

To solo or not to solo? In my opinion this discussion can be summed up in the statement "we live in a D- world" Most of us understand and accept that tech and solo is not for the rank and file, it takes people who are willing to put in the time to get there. The D- world says we have to have equal opportunity for everyone regardless of their IQ or commitment. That is why the trainers of the D- crowd have protocols to protect them from themselves.
If they show promise there are a multitude of roads they can choose to move forward, or continue to be vacation divers and abide by the rules that are there to serve them. If more people would stand up and admit to themselves that not everyone can be a rocket scientist regardless of what it says on your diploma, enlightenment will soon follow.
Eric

 

[Nemrod]

You know, does anyone really care what PadI thinks or says. They have their good points and bad points, the cute little underwater merit badge program that is designed as a revenue producer for retail dive stores etc. Goodie.

Why do we keep trying to justify solo diving, move beyond into the light. The buddy system is an antiquated system developed based upon anecdotal thinking and old saying-isms (like don't swim after eating or you will die from a stomach cramp) and flawed logic etc. There is no evidence to prove that having a buddy is better or safer than not. It is all anecdotal and therefore non scientific or relevant to my underwater explorations. Just because something seems so does not make it so. People die all the time, some will die while solo diving, some will die with a boat load of buddies. Some will die in bed. They all will die.

N

 

[captain]

You know, does anyone really care what PadI thinks or says. They have their good points and bad points, the cute little underwater merit badge program that is designed as a revenue producer for retail dive stores etc. Goodie.

Why do we keep trying to justify solo diving, move beyond into the light. The buddy system is an antiquated system developed based upon anecdotal thinking and old saying-isms (like don't swim after eating or you will die from a stomach cramp) and flawed logic etc. There is no evidence to prove that having a buddy is better or safer than not. It is all anecdotal and therefore non scientific or relevant to my underwater explorations. Just because something seems so does not make it so. People die all the time, some will die while solo diving, some will die with a boat load of buddies. Some will die in bed. They all will die.

N

Nem, when the idea of a seperate solo forum was discussed I was for it but now not so much just for the points you made. Frankly I am to the point where I think this forum should be done away with.
We go on and on about experience, equipment, locations, training but in reality it is just a personal decision. Either you do it or you don't, either you use ten tons of equipment or you use one pound of equipment, you stay shallow or you go deep, only known sites or unknown sites, just decisions, make them wisely.

 

[Nemrod]

I guess I would rather discuss the how to and what to, and where to, equipment of and useful techniques rather than the why should I, is it safe to, will I die if I do, what will PadI think if and the various justifications for doing something that needs no justification.

N
NAVED Master Diver #111

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Some people do care ... others just wanna talk about it for the sake of participating in the conversation.

Fortunately, if you don't wanna talk about it, nobody's saying you have to. Move on ... leave the conversation to those who do ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[redacted]

I like to see the discussions because I would like to see more agencies and more dive operations accept solo diving. Right now there is only one agency that is profiting from solo diving while other agencies lose customers. Probably small numbers right now but it is still a crack in the fortress.