Solo Diving!!!

[oldschoolto]

I have been doing solo wreck penetrations my whole life, Started diving at 12 years old solo... First time in a wreck was like 14 or so.. Never laid a line ether.. And I'm not alone in thinking that this is a very safe way to dive.. It's not for everyone... John Chatterton has many, many solo wreck penetrations in well over 200' on AIR... Back in the day, This was normal diving..

I have way more Solo dives then with a buddy, In fact... Till my wife started diving 4 / 5 years ago I was 99% of the time solo... I feel safe on my own, Very good at risk management...

Jim....

 

[JohnnyC]

OP, something that's always served me well, if you don't want to work, don't let them know you've got a pro ticket. I've got a DM cert and I'm a full cave and technical diver, the card I use the most is AOW. Anything beyond that only comes out when it's required for access.

 

[hossam]

greetings

my advice to backup everything you have except the exposure suit and fins and go side mount with two tanks

Regards

Hossam

 

[lermontov]

why not tell them your a beginner then you'll be buddied with someone who's experienced - tell your buddy before you enter

 

[Kharon]

Your problem isn't that you're diving with other people. Your problem is that you're diving with the WRONG people. Surround yourself with buddies who share your diving style, preferences and interests and all the problems you mention will disappear.

Eh - not so much for me. I dive for the solitude and freedom. I don't want the added task of keeping track of other divers - ever. I'm selfish. My time underwater is limited (and expensive). I don't want to give up even a second of my attention to take care of "buddy" tasks.

I like to dive solo some of the time too but it would never occur to me to do it because it don't like diving with my regular buddies. My regular buddies are the core of my diving circle and I couldn't even imagine how boring diving would become if I had to do it alone all the time.

Boring???????? Perhaps I'm anti-social, but I don't need other people to find myself in awe of the underwater world.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

OP, something that's always served me well, if you don't want to work, don't let them know you've got a pro ticket. I've got a DM cert and I'm a full cave and technical diver, the card I use the most is AOW. Anything beyond that only comes out when it's required for access.

Why not just tell them the truth ... and be honest if you don't want to be paired up with a beginner. Unless they're paying you, you're just another customer. It's reasonable to expect ... or if necessary, demand ... that they treat you like one.

I once had a DM on a boat suggest that since I was an instructor they'd like to pair me up with a beginner. I was in Hawaii, on vacation, on a boat I'd just paid $135 to be on. I told him I'd be happy to, as long as they were willing to comp me the boat trip and pay my usual fee for a supervised dive. They declined my gracious offer ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[uncfnp]

And I personally would not start vintage and solo together. Get comfortable with each before you put them together.

 

[Neilwood]

Why not just tell them the truth ... and be honest if you don't want to be paired up with a beginner. Unless they're paying you, you're just another customer. It's reasonable to expect ... or if necessary, demand ... that they treat you like one.

I once had a DM on a boat suggest that since I was an instructor they'd like to pair me up with a beginner. I was in Hawaii, on vacation, on a boat I'd just paid $135 to be on. I told him I'd be happy to, as long as they were willing to comp me the boat trip and pay my usual fee for a supervised dive. They declined my gracious offer ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Quite right IMHO - if you are expected to be a tutor, be paid as one. I suspect if you had just been paired with the beginner you might not have had the same problem as having it forced on you with the comment re instructor.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I mentor beginners regularly, for free ... at home. When I'm paying thou$and$ of dollars to be in some other part of the world for a vacation, I expect to be provided the services I'm paying for ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[jodylynn007]

GO SOLO, without a doubt!!! (although be entirely familiar with your vintage equipment or hold off on that option for the time being) It was the most rewarding and wonderful decision I made in my dive training (PADI self-reliant) in the past - it has opened up new worlds and opportunities and I LOVE not having to rely on others to be be available to dive anytime and every time when I want to dive.

The best part is that I get to CHOOSE my dive buddies rather than having them chosen for me. If I choose to dive with you, it's because I WANT to (similar style/experience), not because I HAVE to. I love every dive buddy I spend time with underwater, or I have a great day diving by myself and whatever ocean critters I spend my time with that day, just me and my camera.