Solo certification

[DiveDocMD]

Can someone recommend a dive op on Bonaire that provides SDI Solo diver training? Thanks in advance.

 

[Mossman]

Can someone recommend a dive op on Bonaire that provides SDI Solo diver training? Thanks in advance.

Walt Starker did mine.

Rec Tek Scuba Bonaire - We do it silent. We do it deep. Techincal diving.

 

[KennyD]

I've got mine but no need for it on Bonaire. Nobody is going to say squat to you if you dive solo. I do it several times while there. The wife may lay out on the beach or hang out and take pictures or whatever. I tell her to come back in 90 min. and pick me up.

 

[Mossman]

I've got mine but no need for it on Bonaire. Nobody is going to say squat to you if you dive solo. I do it several times while there. The wife may lay out on the beach or hang out and take pictures or whatever. I tell her to come back in 90 min. and pick me up.

Sounds great. Do you rent her out? Mine would forget and I'd have to hitchhike or hijack a roaming donkey

But you are correct. I've done many a solo dive even at populated resorts and there's never anyone checking for a buddy or solo card. The card, so far, has just been a conversation piece, though I've heard it will actually allow me to dive solo at Wakatobi.

 

[helimvee]

Try Walt Stark. Very nice guy. He responds via email very quickly.

 

[shoredivr]

A third vote for Walt Stark....he's thorough.

The OP may want the card for the skill sets you learn in the course, not only for solo diving on Bonaire.

 

[jd950]

Please correct me if I am wrong, but from what I can tell, in most of the Caribbean, most dive ops either don't care whether you solo dive, or won't let you use their gear or facilities or whatever for solo diving, regardless of whether you have a solo cert from SDI.

Does this mesh with the experience of others?

 

[DiveDocMD]

Thanks for all the responses. I'm not looking for the certification for Bonaire diving. I've done a number of solo dives all around the Caribbean. I take pictures.....you know the old photographers mantra...."My camera is my buddy!"

Our local quarry won't allow solo diving without the certification card.

 

[idocsteve]

Please correct me if I am wrong, but from what I can tell, in most of the Caribbean, most dive ops either don't care whether you solo dive, or won't let you use their gear or facilities or whatever for solo diving, regardless of whether you have a solo cert from SDI.

Does this mesh with the experience of others?

Most dive Ops won't let you dive solo even with a produced SDI Solo certification until they have seen you dive; although there are notable exceptions.

That much said, I will call around until I find a Dive Op that does allow it. In that way I am furthering the cause of Solo diving by essentially boycotting those Ops that do not respect or honor the certification.

If I have no choice in dive Ops and I am paired up with one or more buddies, I will make it clear to them that I am a solo diver and I am not to be depended on and if we separate during the dive they're on their own, and they're welcome to pick someone else. Often it's more than one diver I'm teamed up with and they're ok with me doing my own thing once we hit the water.

 

[ianr33]

That much said, I will call around until I find a Dive Op that does allow it. In that way I am furthering the cause of Solo diving by essentially boycotting those Ops that do not respect or honor the certification.

Why should a PADI shop "honor" an SDI solo card?

Would you expect a GUE facility to honor a TDI Extended range card. (Air to 180 feet)