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

[Wibble]

I’ve been told of a charter op that due to insurance won’t let even full cave divers dive solo. Gotta have a solo cert to solo.

Jump in and descend together, then wave bye bye and maybe meet back a the shot, maybe not.

 

[PBcatfish]

I normally dive off my own boat, so I'm not likely to get turned down.

 

[Bigbella]

For whatever reason, I was never questioned, here or abroad . . .

 

[agilis]

I certified myself, typing out a certification statement on an index card. After all, I've been diving solo longer than most instructors have been alive. So far no one has accepted it, but I dive solo anyway off head boats by simply refusing to be paired with anyone and going off on my own. Too many rules. Fight the machine!

 

[plaamook]

Interestingly before I got properly into solo diving I ended up diving with Jupiter Dive Centre in Florida years back while visiting my fam there. I said I didn't have a buddy, I was on a single tank, and they told me as long as I had a computer it didn't really matter.
Like I could breath from my computer. Marvellous.

But I've got a SDI Solo card and I've only had it turned down by operators that just don't allow it.

 

[plaamook]

I just posted this elsewhere but it's relevant here...
For traveling it's pretty handy to get an independent twin set up if you can. You can easily switch from single to twin to whatever. You don't have a manifold so you need to manage your air differently, switch to your other reg at some point for longer dives, but it's really versatile.You can just twin up two rental cylinders quick and off you go.
I've set up my old AP Commando for this. You can just feed the cam bands and spacers as needed and they're just some light weight extras really. Love it.

 

[drrich2]

Interestingly before I got properly into solo diving I ended up diving with Jupiter Dive Centre in Florida years back while visiting my fam there. I said I didn't have a buddy, I was on a single tank, and they told me as long as I had a computer it didn't really matter.

In fairness, unless things have changed, JDC puts a guide in the water, there's generally a group of divers following the guide, and while you may not have a 'dedicated' dive buddy, I'm guessing you dove alone with the group and in the event of an out-of-air emergency could've approached another diver (when I dove in Jupiter, the viz. wasn't on par with Cozumel, and it is drift diving, so the group isn't necessarily strewn far and wide).

And it seems they left the decision of whether to dive up to you, as an adult diver, rather than paternalistically dictating to you, which is a refreshing change vs. some places elsewhere.

 

[scubadada]

JDC and several of the operators in West Palm only require that you ascend on your own SMB if you do not ascend with the guide. Nothing about solo or buddy.

 

[plaamook]

In fairness, unless things have changed, JDC puts a guide in the water, there's generally a group of divers following the guide, and while you may not have a 'dedicated' dive buddy, I'm guessing you dove alone with the group and in the event of an out-of-air emergency could've approached another diver (when I dove in Jupiter, the viz. wasn't on par with Cozumel, and it is drift diving, so the group isn't necessarily strewn far and wide).

And it seems they left the decision of whether to dive up to you, as an adult diver, rather than paternalistically dictating to you, which is a refreshing change vs. some places elsewhere.

Oh hey, don't get me wrong! I was over joyed not to be bothered really. And I did exactly as you described.
I just found it strange at the time. Not what I'd expected. And what's the computer got to do with it?
But If I ever get back there...well, I'll rock my indie twins as posted...

 

[Frontpointer1000]

Diving in Guam for two months. I brought my alum 30 as AAS but don’t have a solo cert card. MDA is a PADI shop with three boats, I’ve done six dives with them thus far. They always pair me up with a Buddy. Can’t escape it.

Axe Murderer Tours (real name!!!) is SSI - absolutely won’t let me dive without cert card. Won’t even put me on a boat if I don’t bring a Buddy. They don’t allow Insta buddies. So I’m getting my cert just so I can solo dive off these boats. (Funny thing, I already paid for six boat dives before I understood either of those rules). Whatever, it’s probably time for me to get that stupid piece of plastic anyway. And avoid these little headaches.

Both offer solo/self-reliant courses, but require the cert to dive solo.
All my shore dives have been solo and they don’t care about filling tanks for that. They don’t even question what I’m doing.

My three tech instructors (back in the mainland) all considered AN/DP enough for solo and said any respectable dive shop would as well but everyone is different.

Interestingly, these shops are very focused on liability mitigation. Which I fully understand, but what I found interesting is absolute beginner divers are on these cattle boats and as long as they have an OW certification and a Buddy, the operators don’t care what you’re doing (which I like-you be responsible). But they absolutely care that I am diving without a buddy, regardless of training, experience, etc. Me diving solo is a safer situation than half these other people being thrown in the water as it were.

In six boat dives this first week of diving I’ve witnessed two extremely concerning things.

One. New diver, uncontrolled ascent from 60 feet after 15 minutes down because of equipment dysfunction.

Two. 32% nitrox Diver planning a 127 foot dive. The MOD on that baby is 111 feet. Just saying. The dive op changed the dive at the last minute (we were on top of the dive) because of high seas.