Solo diving... thumbs up, thumbs down?

[TSandM]

I've done some brief stints of solo, either setting out the float for my husband, or once when I was kind of riding herd on our private group, and I ended up alone under the boat for ten minutes or so. I enjoyed it. One of these days, I will probably go do a whole dive by myself, just to see what it's like.

But for the most part, I like the safety of diving in a team, and I like sharing the dive with others. One or more sets of additional eyes means we see more, and it's kind of hard to sit over post-dive libations and say, "How about that big octopus?" if nobody else saw it.

 

[Mr Carcharodon]

I have done it on vacation when my buddy came down with a cold. It is not what I prefer and I keep the depth limit and distance to the exit more conservative than if I was with a buddy.

 

[Rainer]

Haven't bothered. Don't see a reason to start.

 

[Mark Michaud SELAUSAR]

A thought to ponder.....If you don't have the skills and mindset to be a solo diver, can you really be a solid buddy? A buddy that does not possess the skills to rescue you when it gets bad, is not a buddy, just another diver who is with you. The same goes for you in regards to your buddy. Having said that, it is just food for thought.

I have done, probably, half of my cave dives solo. Most of my salvage and recovery work on the rivers I also prefer to work alone. When I dive alone, I prepare for my dive, I make sure I have sufficient gas and I monitor it as I should. That seems to be the biggest issue I have read about in regards to solo accidents. I am very comfortable diving solo and prefer it most of the time. There are plenty of hypothetical situations out there as to why a buddy is safer, or why solo diving is more safe. In the end both are good systems depending on the diver.

 

[Sas]

Yes I love solo diving. Being alone in the ocean, being able to go at my own pace and do my own thing and only having responsibility for myself is an awesome feeling. It's incredibly relaxing.

I try to solo dive as much as possible. I have good buddies, who I know it is safer to dive with them (as they are reliable and two brains are better than one), but the risk is worth it.

 

[Kevin Carlisle]

I dive solo, and I love doing it. I also dive teams. There are many cave passages that are better explored solo, tight and silty. I also will go solo offshore, especially on night dives when bug hunting. The way I see it, some of the dives I do can be dangerous, if you can't be a good buddy to yourself then you can't with a partner. I do have my limits when solo and its pretty important to know what they are.

 

[HowardE]

I'll solo or dive with a buddy, or insta buddy, or whatever. If I'm with a buddy, then I behave like a good buddy. If I'm alone, which happens often, then I do what I have to do.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I prepare to dive every dive as if if solo. If I have a buddy available, great. None around, no problem and I enjoy the dive by myself.

The only time I am not comfortable solo is if visibility is really bad (<5') or in a new dive site where I am not familiar with currents or other potential dangers and am totally alone.

 

[tracydr]

I used to when married to my ex. He was more dangerous than diving alone so I would lake and shore dive without him.
Now, I'm married to a dive instructor and never go solo. Plus, the more I learn about diving the more I realize what I don't know. Makes me appreciate all our skills practice. Diving with an instructor buddy has greatly increased my skills and appreciation for can and will go wrong.

 

[redacted]

I do ... sometimes ... because I want to.

Is there really any other valid reason to do so?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I did my first solo dive because my buddy did not want to dive and I wanted to.

My buddy just does not want to dive as much as I do. I told her I don't mind at all. I like solo diving. But I would never refuse my buddy if she wanted to join me.