Solo vs. Buddy perspective

[captain]

I tend to use the term solo in both situations, when I am the only person in the water and when I am in the water but not in an agreed on buddy situation. This comes from my spearfishing experiences where another diver I am with may enter and leave the water at different times and may never actually see each other during the dive, or be seperated by visibility, depth or distance. Maybe we need a description other than solo to describe both situations such as buddyless divers and alone or solo diver.

 

[all4scuba05]

I have no problem diving with someone who states that he will not share air. When I dive, I dive with the idea that I myself will carry the extra tank/air that will save my ass. Buddy or no buddy.

I will have a problem with someone who states that he will not cut me out of an entanglement.

 

[Tigerman]

I have no problem diving with someone who states that he will not share air. When I dive, I dive with the idea that I myself will carry the extra tank/air that will save my ass. Buddy or no buddy.

I will have a problem with someone who states that he will not cut me out of an entanglement.

If you cant be assed to share air with me if I should need it, why would i be dumb enough to assume you will cut me out of an entanglement if I should need that?
Nope, not a chance I'll take..

 

[all4scuba05]

Well, for example. Some divers insist on diving solo on the Doria dives. They feel that at that depth, they would rather not risk running into a panicked diver who could end up killing them. Not everyone dives with the same risks, concerns, or philosophies.

 

[all4scuba05]

why would i be dumb enough to assume ...

Why WOULD you be dumb enough to assume? I don't assume anything. If in talking with my instabuddy, he states that he doesn't believe in sharing his air with me, then it's up to me to ask if he believes in getting me out of other jams like cutting me out. I don't NEED instabuddies. That's forced upon me when I'm on vacation. I prefer they stay away from me. I won't need their air anyway.

 

[TomP]

I dive solo and consider myself pretty self-sufficient even when diving with a buddy. However, if someone comes right out and says they won't share air, then I'm not diving with that person. Anyone who makes that statement is a few hundred psi short of a full tank and other issues may arise during the dive that I don't want to be around for. There's something wrong with someone who feels that way.

Ditto

 

[all4scuba05]

So now I wonder. Do you guys decide not to dive with him because of his"attitude"? Or is it because you are depending on his air?

 

[TomP]

Interesting take on it, although I don't agree. Even if I came with them, if I'm at depth , and they aren't, I'm just as alone, carpool or not.

I dunno, seems like you're splitting hairs. The notion of a set of people going diving and none being in the water concurrently seems unlikely. Ironically, if that was the case i think it would fit Nemrod's definition of solo

 

[dave4868]

I dunno, seems like you're splitting hairs. The notion of a set of people going diving and none being in the water concurrently seems unlikely. Ironically, if that was the case i think it would fit Nemrod's definition of solo

Regarding what constitutes "solo" diving, I think several of the posts here have been misunderstood.

I think of it in functional terms. Unless I have a buddy in visual contact and able to provide critical assistance in a timely manner, I'm solo at that point.

Let's see if there are some examples we can agree on.

Three guys on a boat go in the water at the same time for solo scallop dives in different directions. No expectation of being able to provide buddy support at depth. Solo.

You and your buddy plan a low vis dive and agree to continue solo if separation occurs and, sure enough, separation occurs. Solo after separation.

I arrive in the solo dive club dive bus with 20 other divers for the annual "clean the lake solo dive" and all divers spread along the shoreline and take headings that keep them separated for their entire dives, except for one guy who can't navigate and bumps into another diver for 30". Both indicate "okay". Solo for all except for those two who were in contact for a few seconds.

Any disagreement on this functional view of solo diving?

Dave C

 

[Dive-aholic]

So now I wonder. Do you guys decide not to dive with him because of his"attitude"? Or is it because you are depending on his air?

Attitude