Which course for Solo certification?

[RIHappyDiver]

Diving solo in the context of this thread isn’t abandoning your buddy because you’ve seen something. Apologies if I’ve miss read your post.

Sorry, I may not have been clear. For me it’s not about abandoning buddies because I’ve seen something, it would be about not diving with a buddy so that I can stop and spend time exploring and examining without inconveniencing someone else. However, this would be a deviation from a plan in @Jim Lapenta post above, which is what prompted the question.
Thanks for the response, though.
Erik

 

[ontdiver]

For me ... it would be about not diving with a buddy so that I can stop and spend time exploring and examining without inconveniencing someone else.

Correct...you plan your dive with the intention of diving solo, rather than it being a back up to a buddy who may not be moving at your pace.

 

[bradymsu]

After years of diving solo without a certification, I got my SDI Solo certification a month ago. I obtained it mainly to dive solo at Gilboa Quarry in Ohio and Blue Grotto in Florida. Blue Grotto also requires a solo appropriate gear setup. Even before the class, I had already been diving with either doubles or a 30cf pony for redundancy. I have had no previous experience with SDI before this class. The reason I went with SDI is because they don't hee-haw around the solo issue by calling it something like "self-reliant diver". From the very beginning of SDI's solo manual, they make it clear that the course is about diving alone, explaining the history of the emphasis on buddy diving, and how diving with a buddy one is unfamiliar with is often more dangerous than diving alone. I appreciated SDI's no bull approach.

 

[Marie13]

After years of diving solo without a certification, I got my SDI Solo certification a month ago. I obtained it mainly to dive solo at Gilboa Quarry in Ohio and Blue Grotto in Florida. Blue Grotto also requires a solo appropriate gear setup. Even before the class, I had already been diving with either doubles or a 30cf pony for redundancy. I have had no previous experience with SDI before this class. The reason I went with SDI is because they don't hee-haw around the solo issue by calling it something like "self-reliant diver". From the very beginning of SDI's solo manual, they make it clear that the course is about diving alone, explaining the history of the emphasis on buddy diving, and how diving with a buddy one is unfamiliar with is often more dangerous than diving alone. I appreciated SDI's no bull approach.

Like Mike at Gilboa doesn't also require solo appropriate gear? I did my solo class at Gilboa back in October. There's good reason Mike is referred to as "the Nazi" among Midwest divers who dive there frequently.

 

[Cdncoldwater]

Damn, that's hardcore. Holding you to your plan, given the time/air required to perform the skills, not just for yourself, but the rest of your class may vary considerably, sounds a bit much to ask... Did everyone know their SAC rate already? That was one of the things we did on the first 2 dives (calculate our SAC rate).

I guess if you already knew your SAC rate you could plan the dive excessively long (way more than you figure you'll need) then you could putz around until you hit your time and gas numbers, assuming you could coordinate the 2 on the fly, but that wouldn't really be diving your plan.

Yes we all knew our SAC rates (from our dive histories) however it seemed higher on the course lol. It was challenging but it made you think from the start. You dove solo with an instructor behind you so they watched your "plan" unfold; we were given a location to get to where we would do skills and they changed entry points etc and depth to make sure you had to plan each dive. I'm glad it was done this was as it really put it into a routine. We also had to analyze our gas prior to each dive.

 

[Wibble]

I’d argue that the SDI Solo Diver course isn’t actually a course, it’s a workshop where you bring all the skills required and receive minimal training in common sense. You’re assessed according to how you handle "challenges" during the dives.

I found mine was one of the most fun workshops I’ve ever done. The assessment was quite brutal— as it damn well should be — as there’s no backup except yourself when you dive solo.

Thus if you think you might do a solo course to learn how to dive solo, by definition you’re not ready. This is why the entry requirements are so much higher— min 100 dives compared with a DiveMaster's meagre 50.

I did my Solo mainly to get the ticket which would enable me to dive in some diving lakes. I’ve used it many times to sort out kit and skills, or even for a dive when nothing else is available. Most of my diving is solo when I dive off boats, whether or not I jump in with others, I’m always self sufficient.

My assessment dives were brutal and included multiple gas shutdowns, navigation test, core skills monitoring, mask removals and spare mask swaps, etc. The last dive had me blindfolded and I had to follow a course around a couple of containers in trim and touching the edge whilst "things happened". These included loosing a fin, having a load of rope dropped on me, several gas-gunning shutdowns — one whilst still entangled. Had to clear the rope, which seemed to come back later, and swim the whole course to the start. I was tapped twice on shoulder, the pre-arranged signal to do an ascent whilst still blindfolded and launch an SMB with the instruction to do a safety stop at 5 metres (the top of the container was 9m). That’s fun when you can’t see your computer for the depth! Had to use the SMB spool to measure the ascent, guessing the number of turns per metre. Then hold the stop for 3 mins, counting in my head,

A brilliant assessment which was about the most fun I’ve ever had in the water.

I learned some things, such as how to create a dive plan which my solo lake requires. Most of the kit and planning was just standard info any technical diver would know. I’ve used the ticket many times there, but never on a dive boat.

My real point is only you are responsible for yourself. Nobody else cares a jot what you do. Only you can tell if you’re ready for that beasting.

I was on a dive boat having a wonderful solo dive. When I ascended there were several lifeboats searching for a person who was solo diving but didn’t have the right skills and kit. They never recovered the body.

 

[dberry]

Yikes! That sounds like a brutal assessment. I've done black-out mask drills in a wreck class but getting to the right depth for the stop while blindfolded sounds wicked. It must feel really awesome to have succeeded. Is that level of rigor typical for the SDI for Solo course, or due to your particular instructor? What about the other agencies courses?

 

[bradymsu]

Is that level of rigor typical for the SDI for Solo course, or due to your particular instructor?

Wibble's description of his SDI Solo course in the UK was similar to my SDI Solo course in Michigan. I also had to do gas shutdowns, reg replacements multiple times (often with simulated OOA situations), navigation exercise, mask removal and replacement, cylinder removal and replacement, resolving entanglement, loss of a fin, SMB deployment, and a 500m surface swim. I did not have the blind ascent. My skills were done in 39°F water using dry gloves with thick winter insulation which added to the challenge. But of course we train for the type of diving we do. I believe that SDI/TDI gives its instructors a set of mandatory skills that students must complete and then allows the instructor to build on those to further challenge the student.

 

[Graeme Fraser]

I’d argue that the SDI Solo Diver course isn’t actually a course, it’s a workshop where you bring all the skills required and receive minimal training in common sense. You’re assessed according to how you handle "challenges" during the dives.

I found mine was one of the most fun workshops I’ve ever done. The assessment was quite brutal— as it damn well should be — as there’s no backup except yourself when you dive solo.

Thus if you think you might do a solo course to learn how to dive solo, by definition you’re not ready. This is why the entry requirements are so much higher— min 100 dives compared with a DiveMaster's meagre 50.

I did my Solo mainly to get the ticket which would enable me to dive in some diving lakes. I’ve used it many times to sort out kit and skills, or even for a dive when nothing else is available. Most of my diving is solo when I dive off boats, whether or not I jump in with others, I’m always self sufficient.

My assessment dives were brutal and included multiple gas shutdowns, navigation test, core skills monitoring, mask removals and spare mask swaps, etc. The last dive had me blindfolded and I had to follow a course around a couple of containers in trim and touching the edge whilst "things happened". These included loosing a fin, having a load of rope dropped on me, several gas-gunning shutdowns — one whilst still entangled. Had to clear the rope, which seemed to come back later, and swim the whole course to the start. I was tapped twice on shoulder, the pre-arranged signal to do an ascent whilst still blindfolded and launch an SMB with the instruction to do a safety stop at 5 metres (the top of the container was 9m). That’s fun when you can’t see your computer for the depth! Had to use the SMB spool to measure the ascent, guessing the number of turns per metre. Then hold the stop for 3 mins, counting in my head,

A brilliant assessment which was about the most fun I’ve ever had in the water.

I learned some things, such as how to create a dive plan which my solo lake requires. Most of the kit and planning was just standard info any technical diver would know. I’ve used the ticket many times there, but never on a dive boat.

My real point is only you are responsible for yourself. Nobody else cares a jot what you do. Only you can tell if you’re ready for that beasting.

I was on a dive boat having a wonderful solo dive. When I ascended there were several lifeboats searching for a person who was solo diving but didn’t have the right skills and kit. They never recovered the body.

Apart from Wraysbury, do you know of any other inland sites that accept a solo card? I know Vobster and NDAC don't, but not sure about Stoney, Capenwray or St Andrews.

 

[Wibble]

Buckland did, but now they've moved to St Andrews where the site owner insists on no solo diving.

Wraysbury is very good about it and are strict with the need for a plan and be notified of when you go in and when you come out.

The irony of doing a Solo Diver course in NDAC's not lost!