Why I should Not be Solo Diving?

[grazie42]

I missed this thread in January (was diving in mexico at the time....solo most of the time)

I have to say that the more I dive the more black/white I am about solo/buddy diving.
I´m either solo (preferably alone) or with someone who is firmly commited to being a good buddy.

For me "attitude" is far more important than "skill" in this context. I´ll "buddydive" with someone who is still working on their skills but not someone who´s working on their attitude. I sometimes solo-dive with others (when I decide that I don´t trust the buddy to be able/willing to help me), when I do that I still honour my buddy obligation to the full but adjust the risks of the dive to a level where I´m comfortable going solo.

The more I dive the less I´m willing to put up with buddies who I don´t believe will be able to meet their obligations and so I choose to go solo or dive with a capable buddy. When I don´t have one of my trusted buddies available, I´ll go solo.

 

[ShallowDiverDave]

Why would you want to dive solo? Its very scary having billions of eyeballs looking at you. Very uneasy feeling!

That's funny, this is the feeling I have when I dive with random people. Sorry, I should have made that sentence in the past tense. People see the world differently, and it's no different with diving, what you might consider scary, I might find enjoyable and peaceful, and visa versa.

 

[Vayu]

I've dove with a couple people who solo dive and sometimes it just seems their situational awareness is not up to par with someone who is used to paying attention to their buddy. In 40' of water this probably won't mess up the dive too much (Although people have died in much shallower water). In an overhead environment, a solo diver takes increasing risks. If you have a solo mentality but are trying to buddy dive I'm not gonna go with you into that dark hole. I'm sure some divers can do both very well but I havn't met one. A good buddy is such a good bailout in case SOMETHING goes wrong that I find it hard to understand why people would want to solo dive. I know you all have your reasons but they don't quite cut it for me. I'm not trying to disrespect anyone here but I seriously regret that new divers read this board and find out how prevalent solo diving actually is. When it comes to diving if you can't do it with a friend why do it at all?

Just my 2 cents you are entitled to your own.

 

[Cacia]

I've dove with a couple people who solo dive and sometimes it just seems their situational awareness is not up to par with someone who is used to paying attention to their buddy.

I think you are right. (we are situation aware, it just might not include the other diver)

I find myself less able to be attentive enough to someone who really needs a good buddy since I have been in my own selfish photog mode for so long now.

I mostly dive with other people who have the solo mentality...even if we are together, it's a mindset and an understanding that if we can help if we happen to see it go wrong, then that is a plus. But you have a great point here that it is somewhat of an issue to think one can easily switch back and forth. Some people CAN, the ADD type divers probably cannot easily, as our minds drift a bit more and require a tighter rein if we are to be relied on.

I concede your point.

 

[Vayu]

Catherine,

Thanks for validating that. Maybe some people can switch with ease... I don't hold solo diving against you but its just not for me. I have been tempted before but must remain true to that personal standard. I'm alot more careful about diving as a recreation than alot of people due to some of my experiences in the past and conversations with people who have had a bad time of it. To be fair though some buddies are just not good to be in the water with. An example would be a husband/wife pair where the husband is an experienced tech diver and the wife is a new diver but the husband wants to put her on trimix so she can be a buddy to him on advanced dives. Alternately, buddies with no respect for the environment or for their own equipment are not nice to be around. In my case if I can't find a buddy I'll just swim at a local pool or stay home wishing I was diving

 

[tonka97]

Vayu queried " When it comes to diving if you can't do it with a friend why do it at all?"


Because I enjoy it.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Very interesting quote. I'm sort of at the stage you were at. I was super confident from dive 0-100. Now, I think I'm either getting old, or more likely, learning how little I really do know. I'm much more careful and actually less confident (but in a good way) then I was 100 dives ago. I look back at what I did then and I scare myself!!

Sounds pretty normal ... when I was a new diver I did things I would never consider doing now ... mostly things that involved excessive depth, lack of planning, and inadequate gas reserves ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Skeeter1097]

If I die alone of with a buddy in the water, I am dead. Yes a buddy can save you and yes a high % don't get saved. Just brought back by the dive buddy. I see my self and others that solo. Dive defiantly, take butter care of there gear and just more safety minded. Not all but most. Wash them they know wrought they wont.
I can't say it is wrong or right. I say if you dive solo be safer.
I am not a solo diver, but I have goon it along a time or two.

 

[Eidolon]

There are lots of things I don't miss about being a resort instructor (leading 4-6 flailing, floundering DSD's is probably number one). Resort DM's are both always diving solo and everyone's buddy at the same time (not officially but they will almost always come to you/signal/flail in your general direction if they're having a problem). It's like herding jellyfish.

 

[Tigerman]

Having reviewed this resurrected thread, it still amaze me how people assume that a low number of dives (or a low number of dives on a outdated profile) means that the diver have no clue..
What do I seriously know about the research and even training that someone might have put into their solo/not solo decision in 20, 40 or 200 dives?
How about it would be ME that have no clue about it..

Sure, there are skills that needs to be worked on but why do we assume its safer for someone to work on those skills with another diver to begin with? Yeah, your buddy SHOULD be a good buddy, but what guarantee do you have of that happening?

Yeah, Im well aware of the increased risks I take jumping into the water alone vs jumping in with a Grand Master Über Diver and Im totally prepared to take that risk and blame nobody but myself for it. And no, I dont care if you think I have too few dives or that Im not prepared..
Ive been close enough to being killed by everyday activities and incidents that I cant really control to realize that some day my numbers up. The only thing thats certain is that from the day youre born, the days you have to swim with the fishies are decreasing..