Training for Solo diving?

[james croft]

I knew I was ready for solo diving when I finally realized I had been doing it for 20 years. Same ocean, same time buddies might as well be solo. I also used to dive solo in shallow rivers, etc. and rationalized I wasn't diving deep enough that I could not do a controlled ascent. Always felt I would get busted by by the scuba cops. I felt that I was doing something wrong but wasn't sure why. I enjoyed diving by myself.

I took the TDI course and got a couple of pointers but realized I was already up on what they taught. Anyhow I have a card I can show a dive operation so I guess I am now "legal". I suspect there are a lot more solo divers out there who don't realize they are solo diving.

 

[divemaster_jim]

Frankly I don't care what a persons experience is. If that person feels comfortable with his decision than that is fine with me. You learn to dive, period, how I don't care, After you know how dive, dive which ever way you feel comfortable. Maybe my opinion is biased on my experience of teaching myself to dive and doing my first dives solo so I know it can be done. Can everyone do it that way probably not, but I am not going to tell everyone they can't do it that way. And other than a card that may or may not be recognized I do not see any great benefit to solo training and I have read the solo training course outline. Other than stessing self reliance and redundancy and a spare air was considered redundancy, I didn't see much else that is not applicable to diving in general.

Wow,
Talk about moral responsibilities to your fellow divers,
To me the Bottom line is this: If you want to take a class, do it, if not then seek out other avenues in which to gather the experience AND skills to dive safely.
Comfort doesn't equate skill.