How do you feel about solo diving?

[MikeFerrara]

Hi Jeffe,

Glad you like some of my posts. I certainly enjoyed your smoking post and so did my wife. It was a very entertaining analogy.

I believe that if someone wants to solo dive that's ok. It's their choice and that's as it should be. If I was going to solo dive it would be just because I wanted to. I didn't mean to be aggressive.

 

[Jeffe]

Ha !
Thanks !
I started to analogize Alcohol, but chose Smoking since it is en vogue to attack smokers, currently.
I just can't wait untill, my current substance of abuse is getting it's full share of attention, Caffeine.
I don't drink any more, but I sure inhale Coffee.
Keep everyone cogitatin' on their personal philosophys, as you know Diving is as much about self controll as is anything you will ever do.
I turned 60 last December and still burn three to four tanks on occasion.
I wonder if we need a forun about Diving for the elderly ?
Geeze, I never thought about that before.
Keep up the good work !:mean:

 

[Ari]

I didi dive solo in the past when I went with some others fishing. We got to the site together and than split. I am not sure that this is considered a solo dive.

I never faced any practical problem during such a dive but it is clear to me that it is more dangerous than a buddy dive, if anything does go wrong.

As for my other dives, it is always with at least one buddy.

I would also suggest to add an option in the poll "doing it from time to time".

Ari

 

[trewbs]

I think that solo diving is irresposible and v. dangerous if practised by an inexperienced diver, or even an experienced one in new surroundings.

But... if done by an experienced diver who knows the dive and who has redundancy (i.e. totally separate air source- pony, spare air etc.) An experienced diver will be better prepared to handle any problems.

It is still dangerous but may not be as dangerous as diving with an idiot as a buddy.

That said, I do not dive solo because I do not feel that my skills are up to that sort of level.

Trewbs.

 

[Wreck/Tec]

Well, all these comparisons and analogies, man....Look at the poll before the first thread, more do it than not. Be it all the time or part, it's happening, alot ! What can be done ? Tell those who do it about the perrils and hope they have the skills and common sense to survive the journey. Mentor the curious, and less experienced and help them with the skills required, and give them the benifit of your experiences. Bashing it won't change things, it never does. People just don't speak of it. Don't force the issue underground, leave it in the open, to be debated.....I grant you it's a serious topic and passions run high. Lighten up some.......You can't help anyone who thinks they are being yelled at.....Oh, yea, I do my share of solo diving as some of you know. However , I'm not an advocate. It works for me, I'm not everybody, and I don't want others deciding for me.
Wreck/Tec

 

[DiverBuoy]

I don't know trewbs from Adam. But Wreck/Tec if you were commenting on his post specifically by saying that he was bashing, you should re-read it. I recognize an opionion vs. bashing when I see it.

trewbs feels that solo is dangerous and irresponsible. That is his opinion. It is just as valid as yours. I think you misread his post - he was not bashing. If on the other hand you are referring to other posts in this thread, you might want to use the quote feature to let us know to whom you were directing your thoughts.

 

[Wreck/Tec]

Diverbuoy
You must chill ! I read a number of responses. Some were aggressive, some were moderate. The expression " bashing ", wasn't directed really at anyone. If the truth be known, perhaps a poor choice of words.........Those of you with raised eyebrows, I apologise. Personally, I worry about some, and their flirting with solo diving. This dosn't come from a holyier than thow thing, but from been there done that. While I solo dive, lets be honest, you have to be on top of things. Just diving in shallow water dosn't make it safe, or OK. Carrying more air won't get you untangled from monofilament line. We are by nature always pushing foreward. What seperates most of us from some, is the common sense to realize when to say enough or NO ! If you worry for me I appreciate your kindness. However, I'm well aware of the pit falls, I accept the risks, and prepare for the unexpected through continuous training, practice, quality gear, and diving under a variety of conditions. I have taken many new commers to the sport and supplied them with hours of diving enjoyment, as well as knowledge to solve some of their fundamental problems. I think I'd like to teach some day. I'm not ready to give up my dive time right now, but for the time being I'll help out how I can if needed by giving back to the sport.

 

[Jeffe]

Wreck/tec,
Great post, I see that you can manage your response to hysterical commentary as well as you think your way thru. your solo pre dive planning stage.
Obviously those that can't plan a simple "civil" response, posted on a buletin board, to someone many miles away, without getting so emotionaly envolved, would clearly have difficulty with the emotional aspects of a solo dive.
After all the largest part of diving is about thoughtful self control.
Geeze !
I've done it now.
Ive kicked into a yellowjacket nest and there's no place to run.
These forums provide a great place to workout those skills and obviously some of those small personal fears.
Having these discussions allow us to "get a grip" and enter further into the realm of the unknown.
Thanks, everyone for your paitence with this arkie redneck.

 

[Snapper_Bangkok]

I have participated in this topic in wet pixel and http://www.damnam.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=48

I am of the view that for a new diver or less than about 200 dives, that a buddy most definately is beneficial. On the other hand, for mosre expereinced divers, having a buddy, who you probably met 5 minutes ago, is more of a liability than diving alone.


Case 1

Went down on the Hardeep for a fun dive inbetween a training dive, and in our group an instructor tooka tourist down for his first wreck dive. Well, it was not well timed, and we all know just how bad 'extreme' currents can get on the Hardeep. On the bottom, instrutor signals he has an issue, and asks me to stay with the tourist to at least give him his moneys worth on the wreck. I look at the tourist, and his eyes are as large as golf balls from panic. Never the less ( yes , bad decision, we all make them ) I decided to accept, mainly because this was his last dive before returning. Now here is my point. a) I spent all my dive trying to get him hold on to the line as he was being constantly blown away by the current. b) The guy was breathing like a steam train and basically on the edge of loosing it c) if I did get in trouble, would he have the capacity to help me ?

Case 2

Another case, a guy who was in my group ( again, just met on the boat ) paniced on the surface, spat the dummy ( regulator ) started gulping water ( putting air in your BC helps stay on the surface ! ) . Ended up having to resolve the issue my self (with a NX-80 housed Nikon in the other hand) as the incompetent dive master could only meakly say ' calm down '.

Point is, for me there has been very little benefits / upside, and on the contrary, I am placing myself at risk by being around these people as sooner or later they will complicate my dive, and potentially bring me down in thier panic.

I know it is a selfish view, but survival is not something to be treated lightly, and minimising risks is the best road to staying alive in this sport.

Another point is I enjoy photography. Having dived with friends, we always seem to loose each other in 5 mins due to visability problems / being focused on a certain subject. ( try to think of your buddy when you have a whale shark / manta in front of you )

Thirdly, complacency kills. If you are relying on your buddy to get you out of a sticky situation, you liable to be a statistic one day

Would be interested to see what your views are on how having a buddy will help. ( ok, point taken, with a good buddy, and maybe being stung by a stone fish, there might be some up sides )

FYI, I dive with fully redundant second tank ( 20 cft) with seperate regulator, so blowing an O-ring is not an issue

If you are new to diving definately use a buddy. If you have a super buddy who follows you like a puppy dog, sure, dive with a buddy if it's " Hi, I am greg, can I dive with you ?" you most likely safer alone if you have enough dives under your belt ( in my case, I only started solo after about 600+ dives....... ( yes..... some will say "what, only 600 ! )

Finally, for those of you who have expereienced the serenity of solo diving, and the peace / tranquility which goes with it, having to ever 2 mins check on the existance of you buddy breaks the bubble. ( have to ahve been there to know the feeling )

 

[MikeFerrara]

IMO, bad buddies don't make an argument for solo diving but rather an argument for better entry level training.

How's that for irony, lousy training resulting in divers who don't know how to apply the buddy system being used to justify solo diving.