Solo Diving

[scubazen]

Hi all,
I read articles about solo diving. I would be interested to have the opinion of others.
What do you have to say about it?
Do you support it?
Have you ever done it?
Would you do it again?
As an instructor, I have done it sometimes at the end of the dive, when all my students where back on the boat. It was a great way to decompress from the work load.
I wonder how the new solo diver certification is going to be accepted around the world?
Philippe

 

[Hocky]

Hi Scubazen

I solo dive and I have done so for a number of years. However its important to clarify what "responsible" solo diving is so that newbies to diving don't get the wrong idea.

I view it as a form of advanced diving, and simply put it isn't for everyone. For a start I wouldn't reccomend it for anyone with out a minimum of 100 plus dives under their belt. Secondly you have to be 100% self relient and be ready to apply the special procedures and equiptment configurations that are needed to engage in this activity.

This includes, but is not limited to redundant air sources, specialized equipment configurations, specific dive planning, and management of solo diving problems and emergencies. Responsible solo diving is not diving alone without the mental discipline, attitude or equipment.

You should also notify someone, be it a dive store, a friend or your wife where you are going and what time you expect to be finished. Its also a good idea to have an idea of the layout of the area that you are diving and even better to have dived the area before so that you are familar with the topography.

Its not as easy as it sounds and before you just run off and do it...think hard about what you are about to undertake.

regards

Hocky

 

[Greg G.]

There was an article in Rodale's recently about a new certification for solo diving. I have done it frequently, but I still prefer diving with a buddy simply because it's more fun doing an activity with a partner (please, no jokes about the obvious). I agree that it's should be for experienced divers, a totally redundant air source is a must (not just an octo on the same first stage, which I've never liked anyway) and I would also add that I usually only solo dive at familiar sites, although I have made exceptions on one or two occasions and then only because of unexpected circumstances, e.g. a boat dive with 4 divers, two down and two up, my buddy became too sea-sick to dive and the other two didn't have enough surface interval to go with me.

 

[Walter]

..........dive masters frequently dive solo just to do their jobs. How many times have you seen a DM set the anchor or attach a down line to a wreck? Have you ever seen it done by a pair of DM's? Solo diving has been around for a long time, far longer than it's been discussed openly, and it will always be a part of diving. Personally, I dive solo frequently. I was diving solo yesterday and will probably do so again today. I have logged 325 solo dives, but I do not recommend the practice to others. I don't believe I need a solo c-card and I certainly would never issue such a card. If you are capable of diving solo you are aware of it and certainly don't need some instructor with less experience than you to tell you so. If you aren't capable of diving solo, no amount of instruction will prepare you for it. If you aren't sure, you aren't ready.

WWW™

 

[Greg G.]

That's a good point. Nobody needs a solo c-card for the vast majority of solo dives. I think it's acceptance will be up to charter boats, who always religiously stick with the buddy system. Invariably, I always get mis-matched on a charter for a couple of reasons. One is I always have camera in hand, and non-photo buddies tend to be a real pain-in-the-ass. And even if I'm with another photo buddy, we're both concentrating on photo ops and for the most part, diving solo anyway. Another reason is a mis-matched air consumption rate. I don't like cutting another divers enjoyment short because I'm low and they aren't, and vice-versa. If I need a solo card to dive solo from a charter, so be it, I'll get one. Other than that, I agree, when you think about it, why do you really need one other than in a situation such as the one I just mentioned above?

 

[GetWet]

About solo diving:
I only solo dive when my partner on diveboats disappears, unintentionally.
The only exception to that is if I need some skills refreshment in the spring before going on a trip and there's no one to come with me to do it. Then I'll go to the lakes and solo but always someone knows where I am. It doesn't seem dangerous or uncomfortable to me so I guess if you're confident in your own abilities then go for it.
The thing about a c-card to do it seems totally stupid to me. It's strictly a self-confidence thing - if you don't have that then you probably won't do it anyway. Just my thoughts.
--------------
GetWet

 

[kubefish]

i dive about 40-50 dives a year. i started solo diving by accident. last year. my dive buddies never seem to stick around while we are at the bottom. even when we go down and surface together i have noticed that if there was an emergency situation they would not be close enough to be of any assistance. now, everytime i dive i use a pony bottle

i have also noticed that when i dive alone i am more aware of my suroundings and of my air supply. i think that sometimes when i dive with a buddy i have a false sense of security.

as far as a solo cert goes. i dive my own boat and don't see a need for it.

 

[100days-a-year]

I dive about 100 solo dives a year not including bounces and anchor setting retrieval.I suggest that you stay within normal rec limits (130',no overhead,decent vis)I also dive mostly my own boat or with rabidly independent spearfishermen.I watch my air and try to always be able to surface directly alto occasionaly will have a small deco obligation.Liability the way it is in the States it's almost silly for a diver that has training or DM certs to dive with someone not similarly cert'd.Even with the obligatory insurance.The rest of my diving is low stress Keys playing with my wife and friends about 50-100 more a year.

 

[Hocky]

Hi Gang

Ok so we all dive solo at some stage.....the question is, those of you who dive solo intentionally, on a regular basis, do you take a redundant air sourse with you? Does anyone use "Spare Air"?

I take a spare air with me when I go, the dive is always planned, and more often or not I dive a site that I have dived before. I also leave a note or tell my wife where I am going and what time I expect to be back.

You just never know, none of us are superhuman.

Regards

Hocky

 

[Walter]

I think all bridge workers and helicopter pilots should have one. I don't believe they have any use in SCUBA.

I usually dive solo with doubles and an extra regulator (complete 1st & second stage). I do feel comfortable diving solo in almost any situation I'd feel comfortable diving with a buddy. OTOH, I have literally hundreds of solo dives logged.

WWW™