Solo... novice training?

[carjack97]

Still here. Didn't mean pull the pin and run away. I have read and appreciate the advice, stories, criticisms and invitations from you guys. Although my original post was pointed more at training in shallow water (looking at the OP, I didn't bother to point that out) it doesn't matter. The points you all have made are great ones and I will apply (WITH a buddy) what I have learned in this thread moving forward with my training.
Thanks again!

Rob

 

[Diveral]

Diveral, we aren't talking about you, but about this random engineer from Georgia (I think) who likes to announce every thirty seconds, "I'm an engineer"

It's all good, though...

It's OK and all in good fun. I thought you were talking about the SEAS club group out of Huntsville. about 70% of that crowd are Rocket scientists and engineers. If you ever come to any of our meetings or dive events you definitely get an engineer overload.

Well since you aren't cutting me you are back on the invitation list. Did you or Ken ever want to dive a German U-boat? We're taking a group to Cape Lookout in North Carolina to dive the U-352 in June. We've had two divers withdraw due to work schedule conflicts and have some spots available if you are interested. We're carpooling from Alabama. We've got Jeepbrew and two others from B'ham; Rocketman, myself, and about 3 more more from North Alabama; JimDivinhoosier and two others from Indiana, and 3 from Minnesota going.

AL

 

[bigken462]

Darn Ken you cut me, you cut me deep man!!! That's what you get when you dive with the Huntsville crowd. You can't swing a cat without hitting a dozen engineers. That's it, you are now off the U-boat divers list!!! Except for that last part I thought the rest of your advice was pretty good.

OK Carjack I count at least 4 divers that invited you to dive BW with them. So shoot us some PMs and lets go diving.

AL

You get rid of those cat's with long tails and you wont get hit as often!......Lol.

You know I [-]love[/-] ya! Whewww Ok, thought that said DiverGal In this case, no luvs from Bigken. Lol. But I will promise not to give ya a hard time about being an engineer.

Safe diving bud, it's all in fun.
Ken

 

[h90]

I'll start this by saying I feel a bit like a 16 year old asking for the car keys.
I am an AOW diver with <30 dives (Advanced...? Some of you have forgotten more about diving than I may ever know, and I love reading your posts). I firmly believe certifications beyond OW should be based on criteria other than check stroking.
ANYWAY... To the question.
I own all of my own gear and live less than a mile from a popular training quarry. What I am looking for is confidence under water (which I lack but really want). The problem I have is that when I do go to practice skills (alone) I am almost always met with disapproving looks by "pairs" of divers going down the hill to enter the water. I get the impression that I am being irresponsible in some way by diving without a buddy. Honestly, I feel irresponsible if I DONT do this (practice)... being so close and having the opportunity.
A goal of mine is a rescue certification, but know it is a waste until I have a solid grasp on skills and SEVERAL more dives logged. We are taught to ALWAYS dive with a buddy. Am I being irresponsible by not diving/ training with a buddy?

Thoughts from the TRULY advanced would be appreciated.

I also had the first solo dive at approx 20-30 dives....
keep it very shallow on the beginning.......