Solo diving?

[Kilili]

I am sorry, voodoodiveman, but I can't agree with the statement that "solo diving is the safest diving there is. Diving with a buddy you know well and who has skills on par with yours is not only safer, it is more fun and much less limited. I have a blog post, Keep your friends close and your buddies closer, that I commend to Rlockyer.
DivemasterDennis

I tend to agree and would enjoy having one such.

However,
1) Many of us travel solo, and would rather dive the same way, rather than being paired up with a stranger.
2) It's a rare diver that has the patience to truly be a buddy with a dedicated underwater photographer.

So, for me the only "buddy" I ever have is my camera. Do I feel bothered by this? No.

 

[TMHeimer]

It's kind of like the "What exposure suit should I wear for 60 degrees so I won't be cold"? A million opinions and everybody is different. My solo guidelines are:
1. Try not to go below 30' -- easy to do a CESA.
2. Be very wary of entrapment.
3. Best is to dive familiar sites, though not always possible.

 

[Rlockyer]

Thanks to all. I'm still a ways away from going solo diving, and i will take the solo course. Not because i believe that a certification card will make solo diving safer, but because i believe a person should have as much info as possible in order to make an important decision. Sure we all have to make quick decisions, that sometimes our lives depend upon, but the better prepared we are, the greater the chance of a favourabe outcome.

 

[Jax]

Allright, here's a question for all of you… how many of you solo dive. I've mostly dove on vacation as a single diver, that is my wife doesn't dive, so i usually end up getting paired up with another single diver. I dont know how many times i've looked around for my buddy only to find him heading in the opposite direction or allready far enough away that i may as well be solo diving.

One thing this has taught me is self reliance. I always have a "what if" plan in the back of my head. TDI actually offers a solo diving course, so what do you think? OW course teaches to always dive with a buddy, but lately i've been wondering why apony bottle and acalm head arent just as good.

Thanks to all. I'm still a ways away from going solo diving, and i will take the solo course. Not because i believe that a certification card will make solo diving safer, but because i believe a person should have as much info as possible in order to make an important decision. Sure we all have to make quick decisions, that sometimes our lives depend upon, but the better prepared we are, the greater the chance of a favourabe outcome.

Dude, LOVE your signature!!!


Take the SDI course. It's not as much about diving as it is about learning a mindset.

 

[Paladin]

It's kind of like the "What exposure suit should I wear for 60 degrees so I won't be cold"? A million opinions and everybody is different. My solo guidelines are:
1. Try not to go below 30' -- easy to do a CESA.
2. Be very wary of entrapment.
3. Best is to dive familiar sites, though not always possible.

I agree with TMHeimer. Over the last 45+ years, the majority of my dives have been solo and have followed these three guidelines. However, diving solo has caused me to develop some rather anti-social diving habits. That is, I tend to be one of those "same ocean" dive buddies you hear about. Until a couple of years ago, this wasn't really a problem because what dive buddies I did have were also solo divers and were adequately self-sufficient. But since my sons started diving, I've had to make some changes and be more attentive when they dive with me.

 

[Garth]

I agree with TMHeimer. Over the last 45+ years, the majority of my dives have been solo and have followed these three guidelines. However, diving solo has caused me to develop some rather anti-social diving habits. That is, I tend to be one of those "same ocean" dive buddies you hear about. Until a couple of years ago, this wasn't really a problem because what dive buddies I did have were also solo divers and were adequately self-sufficient. But since my sons started diving, I've had to make some changes and be more attentive when they dive with me.

This concerns me a bit for when my daughters start diving... Course I have like 12 years for that.

 

[Avonthediver]

 

[bl6394]

I'm a tech diver and a private (instrument rated) pilot. Thinking about solo'ing - I'll compare the two:

As a pilot - I can fly solo or carrying non-pilot passengers - in some pretty poor weather. I'm responsible for solving any problems that might arise. And problems generally have to be solved in a time sensitive manner - lots of task loading. However, I think flight training and FAA regulations tend to ensure that anyone flying in instrument conditions is rigorously trained and proficient. As long as a pilot stays current - flying solo is a reasonably safe endeavor.

As a diver - in comparison - the recreational training is pretty mediocre. (To be fair - private pilot training is about $6000 vs. $600 for a OW cert.) As a recreational diver - you may not have training (and practice) solving problems with entanglement, equipment failure, or self rescue. There are also few regulations and standards to guide you as a solo diver.

I'd start with the TDI Solo diving Class (or PADI's self reliant diver). TDI's Solo diving class covers some of the same equipment configuration recommendations that one gets in a tech class - but you might consider getting tech training, too. Bottom line - you'll want to develop skills sufficient to ensure you can solve the problems you're reasonably likely to encounter in the environments you'll be diving. I spend a lot of time doing drills - generally in cold water with poor visibility. So that when something goes wrong - its not terribly new or exciting. I think if you're properly trained - and "current" with your skills - solo diving can be a great option.

Bjorn

 

[agilis]

Wait, wait, wait, please don't tell me there is a certification for solo diving. Most of my diving is solo., and always has been. I live close to the ocean, and I can jump in tthe car and hit the water whenever the mood strikes me. Not being able to solo dive is like not being able to drive by yourself, or go hiking alone. The notion that solo diving is wrong is just plain stupid. I know what the convential wisdom is, and the great masses of c card owners who are afraid of the water and blow through a tank in 20 minutes do need someone to hold their hand. In fact, they should limit their diving to Wii, or watch a National Geographic special. In the final analysis, We are always solo divers.

 

[Hatul]

There's an old Chinese proverb: If you want to go fast you go alone, if you want to go far you go in a group. When solo diving it's good to stay well within your comfort zone.

Also one of the core principles when diving is to have a redundant air supply-- hence a dependable buddy, or pony bottle when solo diving.