Solo diving certification

[MXGratefulDiver]

... none of the above ...

I have no solo certifications, have been allowed to dive solo off some boats and not allowed to dive solo off of others. In none of the latter cases was it because I lacked the card ... in all cases it was because the boat had a strict "no solo" policy ... in which case the correct response is to honor their policy (their boat, their rules) or find a different boat ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[tajkd]

Sorry, my 1st try at a poll, seems to be working for me now. My apologies. It was a challenge by RJP

Damn that RJP - he's always challenging me too.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Until I got my SDI Solo card I found that one of my instructor cards was usually enough wherever I went. I don't even carry the solo card in my wallet unless I think I might need it. Then I pull out my Solo Instructor card.

 

[sheeper]

Some issues with the poll. Not enough options.
I have the SDI sole cert. MOST of my dives have been effectively solo. However, several times a year... with ops I am not a "regular" on....i've not been allowed to solo dive. The reason most often given is "we don't acknowledge that cert".

 

[Nemrod]

The poll really is not complete. I solo dive most of the time from my own boat or my kayak or from shore. Occasionally I have been able to dive solo from a charter operation. And have done so all my 45 years of diving.

I plan to dive with less restriction from charter ops and believe that the solo card, that I got last summer, will be more useful as at least some ops hopefully will honor it. To be clear, I did not get a card to lean how to solo dive, I had been doing that for 45 years. I got the card to facilitate diving from commercial operations that have in the past had a no solo policy. I feel that such policies should change now that there are two widely recognized diving organizations providing a recreational SCUBA solo certification.

Over the years I have been refused solo, no nitrox, no diving without a snorkel, no back inflate (what are called a wing today) , times change, this will change too, I hope.

N

 

[Jax]

Where is the one that says,

"I dive with regular buddies that are "Same Ocean buddies" so we don't mess with any of that."

 

[TMHeimer]

I don't fit any category. I have no card and solo shore dive almost exclusively, so no one to permit or deny me. When on a charter (maybe once, twice a year, Gulf of Mexico), I take whatever instabuddy. Several times I have either been allowed or encouraged to dive solo as they knew I was a DM (cases where the boat DM was busy with newbies and I was a third wheel, etc.). But, I really don't like diving solo much below 30' if at all possible.

 

[RJP]

Damn that RJP - he's always challenging me too.

Yeah, well... there's that.

 

[drbill]

I have dived solo since my first descent on SCUBA back in 1962. Locally I have never been denied the opportunity to dive solo but on numerous trips to foreign destinations I have either been required to stay with a buddy or the group. I understand the reasons for that given potential dive operator liability. A number of dive ops in foreign destinations have allowed me to dive semi-solo (as "in sight of the group").

 

[Nemrod]

Makes for awful photos and videos when you cannot get away from the thrashing and chaos. N