Solo shore diving...

[uncfnp]

A Solo diver from day ONE.....

And somehow I just don't see you asking SB's opinion before you did!

---------- Post added March 31st, 2013 at 05:52 PM ----------

I appreciate everyone's time and advice. Only two months until I am in the water.

Whatever you decide, come back to this thread and post your decision and the the experience with your first solo dive or the reason you decided against.

 

[oldschoolto]

And somehow I just don't see you asking SB's opinion before you did!

No.... When I started diving there was no internet.... There were no home computers.... Watches had hands on them.... There were no dive computers and the octo was just starting to be common, As were SPG's... Steel 72's with J-valves were the norm... Most divers didn't even have a C-card... And no one asked for it when getting fills for a buck a bottle, if they even charged you... and we used the navy tables....

Those were the days my friend.......

I was 12 when I started diving... SOLO.... I was 15/16 before I ever had a buddy diver in the water with me.... And that only meant we were in the same body of water....

Jim....

 

[Basscat]

Content warning! This post is not intended to insult anybody or incite anybody to do anything that may kill them.
But...
I'm sure glad this board wasn't around when people were figuring out this diving stuff, they might have been too scared to try it. Yes, there are risks to any dive, especially solo. But it's up to the individual to decide if it is worth it to them. I have done many solo dives at Scuba Club, which has a similar dive area, and never felt any more unsafe than I have in the pool at my local dive shop. I could drown or embolism in the pool, and I could drown in my bathtub, but I trusted my training early on to save me in a fairly benign situation, as I trust my experience at this point to save me on more advanced dives. If the OP is comfortable after a guided dive to go on his own, I am sure he will be fine, if he's not, he probably won't do it on his own.
nashwl, trust your instincts, follow your training, and have a great trip! My first dive trip was to Cozumel, and I had to learn to hold my reg in my mouth with one hand because I was grinning so much at the wonders I had never imagined.... Diving has its dangers, but is such an awesome thing to do....

Oh, and watch, listen to, and talk to your Divemasters on boat dives. In my experience, most are very good divers, very kind, and very willing and able to help you be a better diver!

 

[mcfarland]

Seems like this is kinda the elephant in the room on here.

I am a novice diver. I remember my classes, telling me never dive alone. Yet, a lot of people seem to do this on Cozumel. I am staying at a place with unlimited shore diving. I have never shore dove, I hired the DM to give me a lesson on my first day, but that will hardly qualify me as an expert. If you stay close to the docks, stay shallow and use common sense, is this a big of a deal as some make it out to be? What are your experiences? I have fears of being chopped up by a prop (I know how stupid that sounds, then I read about the idiots who went under a cruise ship).

Flame, advise, insult, encourage. I want as much info as I can get.

Thanks.

Hi Nashwl. Not a bad question. It is always more safe to dive with a competent buddy. That being said, I cant say I have never dove solo before. You just have to make sure you have redundant systems for everything and understand that your life is at risk at all times. I believe SSI and PADI have a technical course called "solo diver". I think it requires 100+ previous dives.

I will be in Coz from the 3rd - 10th of April and would be happy to do some shore dives with you if you are interested. I am staying at the Fiesta Americana under Mcfarland if you want to get a hold of me.

Happy diving! Be safe!

 

[AaronRiot]

I'm a novice diver and enjoyed a solo dive or three at this location. One of which was at night and happened to be one of my favorite dives so far - I spent a good portion of it hanging out with an octopus and saw all sorts of critters.

I spent some time in the area first with an instructor taking a AOW class, and I also went for a long snorkel identifying landmarks. I felt very comfortable with the location and the depth and my skill level to perform there and based my decision on that.

Solo diving is just as fun as diving with a buddy to me.

To the OP - I suggest you do what you feel comfortable with after checking out the location.

 

[jd950]

From what I have seen on Coz, about 60% of the people dive solo. They are frequently diving off of a boat and accompanied by a guide and at least one friend who is also diving solo, but nonetheless....

The advantage of solo diving by yourself is that you aren't under any delusion about who is going to save you if the proverbial dung hits the proverbial fan.

Nonetheless, one should not solo dive alone at least until he or she has a reasonable amount of experience and understands the skills and additional equipment that should be present, and should start in a familiar location under good conditions. If a diver thinks "solo diving" is dumb or unduly dangerous, then that diver should not do it all. The same could be said about caves, rebreathers and other types of diving.

So, to the OP, no you probably don't want to do this by yourself just yet and maybe ever. Find another person to hang around with you on shore dives this trip and if you want to dive by yourself later, look into the issue a bit more and get a bit more experience, and maybe borrow one of Dandy Don's pony tanks .

 

[oldschoolto]

From what I have seen on Coz, about 60% of the people dive solo. They are frequently diving off of a boat and accompanied by a guide and at least one friend who is also diving solo, but nonetheless....

The advantage of solo diving by yourself is that you aren't under any delusion about who is going to save you if the proverbial dung hits the proverbial fan.

Nonetheless, one should not solo dive alone at least until he or she has a reasonable amount of experience and understands the skills and additional equipment that should be present, and should start in a familiar location under good conditions. If a diver thinks "solo diving" is dumb or unduly dangerous, then that diver should not do it all. The same could be said about caves, rebreathers and other types of diving.

So, to the OP, no you probably don't want to do this by yourself just yet and maybe ever. Find another person to hang around with you on shore dives this trip and if you want to dive by yourself later, look into the issue a bit more and get a bit more experience, and maybe borrow one of Dandy Don's pony tanks .

You think he needs a PONY BOTTLE ???? To dive in 15 feet of water... I guess I just don't get this new wave diver stuff... Some of you divers have been living the life of a mushroom ... You're in the dark and being feed bull****... I'm all for safety and planning for the unexpected.... But, listening to you "don't do it" people, He needs to have a dive master to take a bath....

Jim....

 

[ggunn]

You think he needs a PONY BOTTLE ???? To dive in 15 feet of water...

Can't you tell when someone is joking? And can't you just disagree with someone without all the attitude? There really is no need to be so abrasive. Some people are more conservative than you are when it comes to safety; so what?

 

[oldschoolto]

Can't you tell when someone is joking? And can't you just disagree with someone without all the attitude? There really is no need to be so abrasive. Some people are more conservative than you are when it comes to safety; so what?

It's not that I have a "ATTITUDE" ... I just can't believe what some people write.... It not based on anything other than nonsense.... We have diver's that have "NEVER" did any solo diving giving advice on how to do it... It would be like me trying to tell someone how to mix and dive tri-mix or a re-breather.. I would not even open my mouth... I would read and listen and learn....

Jim....

 

[alewar]

One thing to consider when diving solo is your medical insurance. My diving insurance won't cover anything if I'm diving alone or beyond my training.