What solo cert do you have, has it ever been turned down?

[Darnold9999]

George’s and Andrea’s boat? This pre dates me by a few years.

No, Ocean Quest in Burnaby BC. Greg and Diedri run it.

 

[lowviz]

I tried getting a pic of a spider crab accepting my AOW card. Nope.

I really don't comprehend the necessity of carrying a solo card. Nothing I dive with has any use for it...

 

[Scuba Scott]

My instructor card is my solo card. Nobody has ever thought to question it. Maybe they should.
Have you ever considered why solo diving is such a hot topic? What is the purpose of a dive buddy? Why does not diving alone make diving safer? Does diving with a buddy eliminate the need to be self reliant or is your buddy just there to tell someone where to start looking for the body?

Now imagine an instructor going into open water with a student. Everything is cool, right? Nobody ever considers that a solo dive but how much help is that student going to be if the instructor has a problem?

I would argue that any time an instructor goes into open water with a student that the instructor is a solo diver. If you think it is perfectly fine for an instructor to go into the water with a student but irresponsible to go alone then I see a major flaw in your logic.

 

[MichaelMc]

I would argue that any time an instructor goes into open water with a student that the instructor is a solo diver. If you think it is perfectly fine for an instructor to go into the water with a student but irresponsible to go alone then I see a major flaw in your logic.

- Does the person going alone have a spare air tank nearby (aka student) that they are watching?
- Is the student comfortable with someone using their octo?
- Or likely to freak out? (Why are they past confined water?)
- How much help is that buddy going to be?
But yes, there is a similarity, particularly if we aren't sure the students passed CW very well.

 

[HandsomeJohn]

My instructor card is my solo card. Nobody has ever thought to question it. Maybe they should.

I agree about diving with students, definitely have dives with students that I feel solo (and might as well have been). I’ve also gone diving with certified friends as an instructor and some locations haven’t even bothered checking anyone’s cert after seeing mine (knowing they were with me). I imagine that many places wouldn’t stop me solo diving off just the instructor cert if there aren’t any local laws prohibiting solo dives.

 

[Musicgirl]

I have yet to get my solo cert. I'll probably get the SDI since I recently did my instructor crossover to SDI. I just gotta get around to it and find an instructor. But I have been at resorts by myself (or with buddies that don't want to dive as much or don't like night diving). The resorts usually have unlimited shore diving on the house reef. They've always offered to me to go solo since I'm an instructor. Even night dives.

 

[Divrtim]

Solo diving rule of thumb. If you have the experience, the skills and training to dive solo you are probably good to go. If you don’t know what those skills, training and experience are you don’t have them. Dive with a buddy

 

[agilis]

I'm self-certified as a solo diver. I have an index card attesting to my competence as a solo diver, signed by me. I have far more experience as a solo diver than most of the instructors out there, and I've offered to issue them an index card cert signed by me after I have a chance to evaluate their competence. I started solo diving back in the 1960s, and spent many years night diving solo for bugs, or daylight solo diving for Gulf Stream strays. When the mood strikes me I collect my equipment and head for the water. Why would I want to complicate matters by having to coordinate with another person and worry about how they are doing? I have redundant equipment appropriate to the kind of diving I'm doing, and I have decades of experience. Why would I need someone's 'permission' to solo dive? I keep abreast of what's happening technically and operationally.

 

[Divrtim]

Hi
Thanks for your question. I don't have a "Solo cert". Not sure any agency would assume that liability. I have over 800 solo dives. Some of them 150+ feet. I've come back the same number feet I went down on each of them. I sign a dive waiver that exonerates the outfitter.
INMO, If you are looking for a certification your not ready to solo dive. Having dove around the world, dive masters and very experienced divers "know" who has the experience and skills and who probably doesn't.
Even diving with buddy you are diving by yourself. I've found it helpful to be able to solve my own underwater issues myself. On that note, every dive problem is easier to solve on the surface than at depth.
My best to you for safe and happy diving
T

 

[TMHeimer]

Agree with the last two veteran posts. But, of course we all know (at least from reading on SB) that for some dive ops it wouldn't matter if you had 10,000 solo dives, you can't dive with them without the card. As well, if you are looking to take the course and get the card it doesn't necessarily mean you are not ready to solo dive. That may be the case with myself, as an instructor friend of mine is now qualified to teach it. I may take it with him next year or so and have been solo diving for over 10 years. Someone may just have a lot of money and be a card collector. It may be of interest as well to see exactly what it is in the course that one supposedly doesn't know yet (stuff other than to be redundant and not be stupid).