Solo diving... thumbs up, thumbs down?

[Splitlip]

Most of my shore dives are solo. I usually do them for weight/equipment checks. Even did one without a mask once.

I've done many a deep dive on charters alone because my buddies could not dive. Not sure if that is "solo" as other divers are around. I really avoid buddying with strangers. I will admit, I have picked up a couple members from this forum.

I have also done "one up, one down" on private boats and now have a pony.

 

[DaleC]

I have some pretty firm personal rules about solo diving:


I only do it when I'm not diving with a buddy.

I only do it in known locations, unless I am exploring.

I don't violate NDL limits, unless I intend to go into deco.

I only solo with new gear, unless I'm going vintage.

 

[Garth]

I am a little surprised that more people aren't bashing solo diving.

 

[Splitlip]

I have some pretty firm personal rules about solo diving:


I only do it when I'm not diving with a buddy.

I only do it in known locations, unless I am exploring.

I don't violate NDL limits, unless I intend to go into deco.

I only solo with new gear, unless I going vintage.

Nice!

 

[merims michael]

My first solo diving was in the Exuma Keys, when my buddy decided to abandom me at 89 feet and a second time on a shark encounter, in the same week, that's when I started to solo dive.
But I always dive with a stage bottle just to be safe.

 

[lowviz]

I am a little surprised that more people aren't bashing solo diving.

Why? It looks to me like your poll teased out the point that a lot of SB divers consider themselves the stronger half of the buddy system to the extent that they are more comfortable alone. Beginning divers may be reluctant to go up against the "more experienced" divers, thus the lopsided results. Still interesting, though.


Thanks for posting in the "Advanced" forum: Solo diving has the added advantage of dancing closer to the edge, the rewards are greater as the percieved threat is renewed, fresh, and immediate. Solo diving attracts adrenaline junkies. Solo diving attracts solitude junkies. Solo diving attracts divers fed up the insta-buddy system. Solo diving is not as safe as a solid buddy system. Solo divers typically don't give a rats a** about that. I'm not defending or promoting it, it is just what a lot of divers routinely do.

 

[lamont]

i just find team diving to be both more challenging and more interesting than solo diving...

i was getting an itch to do some solo diving awhile back, for no good reason whatsoever other than to solo dive, but it went away after awhile..

 

[Cave Diver]

i just find team diving to be both more challenging and more interesting than solo diving...

Not surprised. We've seen your dive buddy.

 

[DaleC]

Interesting couple of comments.

I don't solo dive for the thrill or for the challenge. In fact I take great pains to make it rather anticlimatic. I don't like getting my heart rate up above resting during a dive for the most part.

Diving is just a means to an end for me. Many people who have invested a lot of time and money into training and equipment in order to be safe team divers don't really want to do many of the dives I do mainly because they appear boring and unchallenging. I often have an agenda, and I don't like roadblocks. For all the psychology of personality traits, risk attraction/aversion etc... it really just comes down to that.

 

[Bogie]

Diving with a competent and good diving buddy is the best.

Diving solo that is impeccably planned and prepared for in a very known environment is safe and very pleasurable.

Diving with an incompetent, ill prepared, discourteous, inattentive "Bad Dive Buddy" is the least safe type of dive. It puts a double burden on me. I know he will be no assistance to me so basically I am diving solo with the added burden of keeping him safe.