What is your motivation to solo dive?

[Wibble]

Every dive is a solo dive whether or not you dive with others.

It’s about not doing anything that relies upon others; sorting your own problems out is far more effective than waiting for someone else to notice and help. Obviously this requires some experience and that resilient mindset and kit. And lots of practice.

Some people get a buzz out of diving with others, team diving even. Many others — see the preceding posts! — enjoy the freedom and serenity of diving alone.

Personally I quite like decompression alone as it’s rather zen-like and time to yourself meditating. Where else can you remain still for an hour with just the occasional passing jellyfish? (I once had a lobster pot line run between my legs at deco — frightened the bejesus out of me at first before the logical brain took control!)

 

[Celt]

Sometimes the least people who know where your diving, the better.

 

[John Bantin]

My wife and I were diving on the San Francisco Maru. We were deep in its holds when I pointed to my computer/s and signaled "Up." She signaled "Why?" Later we were on the deco bar of Odyssey when she pointed to her computer/s. When we finally got back on board, I said, "If you came up when I said, we wouldn't have to do 45 minutes of deco." That's why I prefer to dive solo.

 

[Gandalf-the-Diver]

When I started my diving training, I was just shy of my 59th birthday. I was a bit safety concious, and thought about redundancies. I used the gear list for PADI's Self Reliant, and SDI's Solo courses, to determine what gear I should buy, for my diving adventures. Before my OW even started, I had compiled all the gear from said kit lists. My 1st dive as a certified OW diver, I was slinging a 13cu pony, and I practised a switch over drill, while I flooded my mask.
I dove a lot, with my chosen LDS drop-in dives, but as a new diver, I sucked gas like a dragon. I would be down at depth with the group, and running out of air and someone, usually the DM for the dive, would "escort" me to the surface. In order for me to not shorten the dives of my buddies, a Solo cert was needed, so I could just surface by myself. Being solo certified, allowed me to surface by myself, while still diving within my certification. This was important for liability for my LDS. I did my AOW, 2 months after my OW. I started that course with 40 logged dives. I did the SDI Solo course, 11 months after I got my OW. I started that course, with 177 dives under my belt.
My only gear change I have undergone since I got my OW, was to upgrade my pony, from 13cu, to 30cu. I of course, have sellers regret for getting rid of the 13cu pony. This Sept will be the 3rd anniversary of me getting my OW, and I hope to be on my 400th dive fior my 3rd anniversary. So far, I have done numerous dives where I am just suracing by myself, or diving as a solo diver, but part of the "group" of divers. I have done around 30 dives totally solo, start to finish, and a handful of those dives, have been at night. My diving has all been coldwater, drysuit dives, in the Salish Sea, off Vancouver Island; where vis can be 1' in pudding like pea soup, to 100'+ in clear water. A lot of my buddies, dive self reliant, eliminating the need, to surface and look for your buddy, after a min of seperation.

 

[Vicko]

I don't like people and people don't like me?

 

[berndo]

Every dive is a solo dive whether or not you dive with others.

I dive solo too and his is definitely not true. Not in any way.

I know it's something people heard and like to repeat. But it really makes no sense whatsoever.

 

[Litefoot]

When I started my diving training, I was just shy of my 59th birthday. I was a bit safety concious, and thought about redundancies. I used the gear list for PADI's Self Reliant, and SDI's Solo courses, to determine what gear I should buy, for my diving adventures. Before my OW even started, I had compiled all the gear from said kit lists. My 1st dive as a certified OW diver, I was slinging a 13cu pony, and I practised a switch over drill, while I flooded my mask.
I dove a lot, with my chosen LDS drop-in dives, but as a new diver, I sucked gas like a dragon. I would be down at depth with the group, and running out of air and someone, usually the DM for the dive, would "escort" me to the surface. In order for me to not shorten the dives of my buddies, a Solo cert was needed, so I could just surface by myself. Being solo certified, allowed me to surface by myself, while still diving within my certification. This was important for liability for my LDS. I did my AOW, 2 months after my OW. I started that course with 40 logged dives. I did the SDI Solo course, 11 months after I got my OW. I started that course, with 177 dives under my belt.
My only gear change I have undergone since I got my OW, was to upgrade my pony, from 13cu, to 30cu. I of course, have sellers regret for getting rid of the 13cu pony. This Sept will be the 3rd anniversary of me getting my OW, and I hope to be on my 400th dive fior my 3rd anniversary. So far, I have done numerous dives where I am just suracing by myself, or diving as a solo diver, but part of the "group" of divers. I have done around 30 dives totally solo, start to finish, and a handful of those dives, have been at night. My diving has all been coldwater, drysuit dives, in the Salish Sea, off Vancouver Island; where vis can be 1' in pudding like pea soup, to 100'+ in clear water. A lot of my buddies, dive self reliant, eliminating the need, to surface and look for your buddy, after a min of seperation.

Hats off to you, my friend! What great progress you’ve made in a short time. Thanks for sharing.

 

[tomfcrist]

Okay fellow SB'ers. One of you had to fess up that you solo dive only because you hate people!

Some of us have PTSD. Solo diving can be therapy…no people, no noise, just wet rocks and fish.

 

[Wibble]

I dive solo too and his is definitely not true. Not in any way.

I know it's something people heard and like to repeat. But it really makes no sense whatsoever.

In your humble opinion

Now if you could please explain your reasoning to disagree with "every dive is a solo dive".

 

[Ben_3]

Diving solo allows me to dive without having to wait for anyone or stress about timing. Solo diving also allow to not worrying and keeping an eye out for a dive buddy and that can be relaxing. I like both solo and buddy diving.