I think you need to do a little research on the solo forum and how to join it before calling those in it AH's.
I've been a solo diver since the early 60's. No certification to do it, just decades of experience (but I could always learn something new).
I do not make recommendations re: solo diving to people. I have no basis to judge their skills and reactions unless I have been diving with them for a long time.
What I do say to people considering solo diving, is that they need experience that gives them a picture of how they react (1) to nitrogen narcosis if diving at depths and (2) to emergency situations when they occur at any depth.
As for the first, I've seen folks who are smitten with the "rapture of the deep" and just keep descending (dangerously) if in deep water. These are NOT good candidates for solo diving IMHO. I've dived with some, including one in Fiji who I would not accompany and called in the DM to bring him back.
As for the second, unless you have had personal experience with emergency situations (OOA, equipment failure, etc.) and know how you respond to it, I strongly recommend you do NOT solo dive. Of course experiencing an OOA situation may mean you aren't good at gas management and that is a red flag in my mind. If you respond calmly and rationally to problems, and recover, then you may be a good candidate under this criterion.
There are agencies which offer solo certifications. However most of this is a "recent" phenomenon. I've never taken any of the courses so I can't comment on how well they might prepare you.
Final advice... if you do decide to dive solo, always carry a fully redundant system unless your dive sites are very shallow (say 40-50' or less). Make sure you have appropriate cutting tools to free yourself from entanglement. Practice ditch and recovery, CESA's and other skills with some frequency.
I've been a solo diver since the early 60's. No certification to do it, just decades of experience (but I could always learn something new).
I do not make recommendations re: solo diving to people. I have no basis to judge their skills and reactions unless I have been diving with them for a long time.
What I do say to people considering solo diving, is that they need experience that gives them a picture of how they react (1) to nitrogen narcosis if diving at depths and (2) to emergency situations when they occur at any depth.
As for the first, I've seen folks who are smitten with the "rapture of the deep" and just keep descending (dangerously) if in deep water. These are NOT good candidates for solo diving IMHO. I've dived with some, including one in Fiji who I would not accompany and called in the DM to bring him back.
As for the second, unless you have had personal experience with emergency situations (OOA, equipment failure, etc.) and know how you respond to it, I strongly recommend you do NOT solo dive. Of course experiencing an OOA situation may mean you aren't good at gas management and that is a red flag in my mind. If you respond calmly and rationally to problems, and recover, then you may be a good candidate under this criterion.
There are agencies which offer solo certifications. However most of this is a "recent" phenomenon. I've never taken any of the courses so I can't comment on how well they might prepare you.
Final advice... if you do decide to dive solo, always carry a fully redundant system unless your dive sites are very shallow (say 40-50' or less). Make sure you have appropriate cutting tools to free yourself from entanglement. Practice ditch and recovery, CESA's and other skills with some frequency.
