Solo Diving - what's in a name?

[Bren Tierney]

Is solo-diving the most appropriate term for this aspect/style of diving?

Have a look at the polll and make your choice - and explain why you might use it or one of the other terms to best decribe this type of diving.

Is all 'solo-diving' self-sufficient diving?

 

[wedivebc]

Solo diving had better be self sufficiet diving. That includes redundancy, training, experience, but it does not mean that self sufficiency implys solo. In fact when I dive outside conventional recreational limits I am rigged for self sufficiency but will often dive with a buddy.

 

[2TH DIVR]

Solo diving for me is solo, no buddy. I have the experience and redundancy.

When other divers are present I'm still solo, for I'm not relying on help from anyone.

If you dive with a buddy, it's buddy diving if you stay together or not. Try to explain to your buddies family why something happened and you weren't there to help. You are responsible for your buddy.

Solo, it's just me and the sea.

 

[er conte]

Solo Diving for me is Solo Diving : for me is the best term to use ... because it's an international term ... I mean in Italian too you can use Solo Diving and all people understand what about you're talking ... the literal translation would be "Alone Diving" but is terrible!!!

 

[Dive-aholic]

To me, solo diving means diving alone. Self reliance and self sufficiency should be a part of every dive. You never know when something might happen to separate you and your buddy. Having help is okay, but it can't be relied upon. Redundancy is the key. I'll even rent a pony on vacations and sling it on deeper dives. I get strange looks, but I can pretty much manage any kind of emergency. If I'm not slinging a tank it's because my profile is such that I can make it to the surface in an OOA situation with minimal risk from my deepest planned depth. And this only happens with a buddy. Solo diving requires redundancy in all aspects.

 

[aquakiwi]

Solo diving to me is just that, diving on my own. It's great for photography, I use a slung pony for my redundant air source. Often on charters I'm diving alone in the same
vicinity as others but I often dive alone on shore dives. I believe all divers should be
self reliant as even with the buddy system you will find yourself alone at some stage.
I'm not knocking the buddy system as I enjoy diving with company as well and on some
dives and situations a buddy is desirable.

 

[Mandy3206]

I dive solo allmost every dive.

When in a spearo dive, allmost every diver go his way and meet at the surface later.

When in a buddy dive, allmost every time I'm the diver who leads the dive and I know my buddy is just following me (girlfriend, daughter, new buddy, ect.), so I don't expect him/her to rescue me, so I'm alone in that aspect.

About 1 out of every 5 dives, I team with a diver with the same experience and attitude towards safety as me. those are great dives, since I'm not a leader, just a buddy.

When my brother used to dive, we comunicated very well and all safety procedures were clear to both, as well as gear configuration. I miss my best buddy, my brother (retired due to ear injury, not diving related)

To me a solo diver is a self suficient diver.

 

[Walter]

Geeze, PC tries to rear its ugly head once again.

 

[Bren Tierney]

Geeze, PC tries to rear its ugly head once again.

With the greatest of respect mate, it sounds like you've missed the whole point of the question.

This is no mere quibble over semantics - more a coversation about folks' awareness as to the level of self-sufficiency needed to be a true solo-diver, and not simply someone who might share the same ocean as other divers.

 

[Scuba]

Is solo-diving the most appropriate term for this aspect/style of diving?

Yes, in that it denotes a dive conducted by one diver. One individual person - alone, without others.

Is all 'solo-diving' self-sufficient diving?

Obviously not, though it should be.

Under the category of Solo, we have to accept all who dive this way, as described above. In the same way buddy diving must own up to those who practice it, correctly and incorrectly. Whether done safely or not, they still fall under their respective category. After all we need some basic, fundamental definitions.

A Solo diver who is not self sufficient is like a buddy diver who can not assist and count on assistance from his buddy. Both defeat the purpose and reason for being from a safety perspective, yet, they fit in their respective categories with perhaps a false sense of security.

One doesn't become self-sufficient overnight. Only when proficient in the basic fundamentals do we become self-sufficient in deed, not just in words or concepts, and can begin to expand and enhace its properties - in deed.

The learning curve always carries some unavoidable risk, yet, it's usually manageable and can be mitigated.

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