Is It Ever Ok....

[RikRaeder]

Tempting sometimes, isn't it?

Lots of stories like this here;
A Night Dive Turns Deadly | Scuba Diving Magazine

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

to dive alone?

Yes ... I do it often. There are some prerequisites, however, if you want to do it safely.

This article will give you some clues about what you want to consider before attempting solo diving.

You may also want to spend some time reading through some threads in the solo forum.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Scott L]

For NDL diving is open ocean without wreck penetration fishing line and fishing net entanglement would be my principal concern provided I brought along a bail out cylinder. Thoughts?

 

[Lee Taylor]

Here is the deal with diving alone. If you have trouble, with equipment or without equipment, you are going to the surface.

 

[spectrum]

to dive alone?

Yes, some divers enjoy solo diving.

There is plenty that can go wrong so I would rule it out for a novice.

If you are new to diving as your profile suggests I'd consider buddy diving and learning until you can see that it may not be a wise thing to do. When you have leaned enough to mitigate those recognized risks you may be prepared.

Pete

 

[SteveTW]

I never intentionally tried to dive solo but I did just that at a quarry. My dive buddy kept surfacing because he was having trouble with his new dry suit. I knew he would be OK and so I toured a few underwater attractions and then joined him at the dock.

 

[Scott L]

Personally I have a great set of dive buddies and I am a social person who enjoys friendly faces around me but 95% of our dives are for spearfishing and lobstering often on scooters which makes me a solo diver a lot of the time. Once again my only scare was becoming entangled in thick monfilament leader attached to a reef last year which changed forever my reserve gas minimum requirements as well as the number of cutting tools on hand as well as some kind of lanyard attaching said cutting tools to my finger or wrist once unsheathed. Lastly, with a pony or bail out bottle most all diving with wetsuits will be fairly negatively weighted especially in the beginning of the dive. Custom wetsuits made of G-231 Rubatex compresses much less than typical cheap foreign made neoprene thereby minimizing the weighting issue remaining more bouyant even at depth in the event of a BCD failure.

NWGratefulDiver's article made an excellent point addressing the discussion of weighting should the need arise to doff your BCD in the event of entanglment. If on the bottom it's not too complcated but otherwise you better work out the details before hand how not to be come seperated from your entire rig due to countering bouyancy between you and your kit. Scott

 

[tregrrr]

the red and blue light helmet would only be applicable here in North America.... but in France you can be pulled over whilst diving so that the gendarmes can check that you have the appropriate license to dive the dive you are on. This thread here is about a french language clip showing the authorities stopping and ID'ing divers ON A DIVE....

 

[drdaddy]

to dive alone?

I do. I almost drowned one time because of it. You just can't get cocky or careless. You must learn from the mistakes of others (training), or you will drown. I was fortunate to (hopefully) learn from my mistakes. As a result, I dive solo less frequently. I find that I am a lot more cautious when buddy diving, because I am looking after my buddy.

I also realized: My children and grandchildren (and my wife) still need me. And my elderly parents also still need me. I don't live for myself, or my own thrills.

As I have said before. As a psychologist, I see three kinds of patients. The first learns from the mistakes of others. The second learns from their own mistakes. The third never learns. In the case of scuba - the third dies.

 

[soamelt]

Yes it is.