Solo diving

[Nemrod]

I prefer solo with some exceptions. N

 

[Stoy D Dabbs]

I would preferred to dive with a buddy, I look at solo diving as option when I have no buddy to go with.
I started solo after I got a book on, SOLO DIVING the art of underwater self-sufficiency, by Robert Von Maier.
There is a solo diving specialty course thew SDI.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I enjoy the solitude of solo diving and not having to look for my buddy. I feel guilty if I stop to take several pictures while my buddy waits. My limits for solo diving depend upon how I feel that day. I've been uncomfortable at twenty feet at a site I have more than 300 dives at, and I've also been completely fine shooting video of a sponge below 200 feet.

 

[flw]

I sometimes dive solo, simply because I enjoy the peace and serenity of having a wreck to myself, or perhaps I'm away and would prefer not to dive with an unknown diver.
That said there are additional risks which go hand in hand with diving alone, and whilst they can be minimised, they cannot be eliminated. If folk go diving solo because the buddy skills of the divers in the group they dive with are sufficiently poor to be of dubious use, then perhaps instead of sidestepping the issue by then ignoring any pairings, the better solution would be to train and concentrate on what constitutes a good dive buddy from the beginning.
No-one would argue that a diver on his/her first few dives are a good buddy to anyone, so the instructor is essentially solo if anything happens to them. Maybe the training should be slowed down and time and effort put into things like buddy positioning,monitoring and distances in addition to underwater and above water communications

 

[gcbryan]

I dive with a buddy most of the time, I sometimes solo dive when I don't have a dive buddy available or one that I want to dive with but I also enjoy solo diving just in it's own right. As others have said it's very relaxing.

I enjoy the social aspect of having a buddy to drive with to a dive site, have lunch, discuss the dive, and in most cases I enjoy sharing the dive itself with another person. The best scenario on occasion has been when I went to a great local dive site with a buddy and did one dive with them, they had equipment problems and canceled the second dive and I've done the second dive solo...the best of both worlds!

 

[Doc Harry]

You need yet another poll option:

"I routinely solo dive, but not within my limits."

Pushing one's own limits is what it's all about. Always a little deeper, a little darker, a little more complicated, a little more difficult... That's how the envelope is expanded.

 

[GAllen]

The times I have gone on a solo dive I have really enjoyed it. It is very relaxing and allows me to explore any area that I want to without worry. I look forward to advancing in my solo diving career and with that my photography.

 

[Sas]

A few people have voted no or in an emergency only but have not posted their reasons. I'd be interested to here from those people as well, personally...

 

[gypsyjim]

most of my diving is as part of a buddy system, often with a memeber of my family.
When taking photos tho, almost any diver using a camera is practically diving solo. It is a rare buddy who will spend the entire dive covering one small area with you, if they are not also seeking good photo subjects, and if they are, then they are not really being a buddy in the accepted definition of the term.

When I am part of a buddy team I will shoot an occasional picture, but if I am planning on shooting pictures it is best if I solo, or do the same ocean buddy thing with another camera focused diver, aware of them and their activities but not exactly attached.

 

[captain]

You need yet another poll option:

"I routinely solo dive, but not within my limits."

Pushing one's own limits is what it's all about. Always a little deeper, a little darker, a little more complicated, a little more difficult... That's how the envelope is expanded.

If you survived the dive you were within your limits.