Single Diver Procedure

I'm newly certified and I was considering checking out Gilboa this weekend, but I can't seem to find a partner to go with. How does one handle this issue? I'd like to get in the water and work on bouyancy and ear clearing which would be very boring for a partner. Would it be permissable to stay in 10 feet or so and dive alone or should I just go to a pool for this?? Is it also OK just to show up and see if you can find a buddy? Any input would be appreciated. Thanx, Jeff

G-lock ...

I am sending you a msg because you have raised one of the two subjects that cause the biggest fights on this board....the one you are refering to....solo diving.

Actually,,, you say just to stay in two foot water and work on your skills. That can be done in a pool just as well. Some people thing pool work is silly. Not so. Sometimes my job prevents me from diving for long periods and i hit the pool as often as i can to keep my skills up to par....or to try something new i have read about or heard about. In open water is not the place to try new things if it can be tried in a pool first.

Showing up and finding a buddie...... A number of divers have no problem diving with someone they dont know. Others just wont do it. Dont feel bad if you ask a group can you dive with them and they say NO....it isnt anything personal ....they have just had bad experiences.

Some places will not even let you in if you can not prove you have a buddy waiting....or on the way to the site.

As far as solo diving.....While i have done it....and will probably do it again.....I am a paranoid nut when it comes to redundancy and self saving. I always...no matter what the depth or buddy or no buddy...i always dive with a pony bottle. I have had a number of giggles on the boat about my bottle....and many thanks when it helped someone else in a situation.

Get a lot more experience diving before venturing out on your own by yourself. Be able to take all your gear off and put it back on with no problems or panic. If you get a pony bottle...practice using it.... if you solo....get a spare mask...(frameless) and keep in your bcd pocket. There is no way you can see your gauges and surface safely....at least i cant...with out a mask or goggles.

Let me know how it turned out.

one last item....dont waste your money on the book...solo diver...
it is worthless

I solo dive quite a bit, but, for somone so new to the sport to dive alone is not a smart idea. Heck, after practicing for a while at 5' you might get bored and wander down to that 140' killer sump I've heard so much about........

solodiving is not a smart idea, period, regardless of your level of experience. If you pass out for whatever reason or get stuck on whatever, all the redundancy in the world isnt going to help you.

I agree with what you folks have put forth, but I don't truly see a difference between working in 10 ft of water in a lake, quarry or pool. As for solo diving, I realy have no interest, I was just considering using the quarry as the pool to play with bouyancy in the very shallow part. After that I would see if I could find a buddy at the quarry to actually dive with. The other part of this is my LDS doesn't have a pool and I don't have access to one nearby as the YMCA doesn't let scuba in the pool. I was mostly curious of the ettiquette(sp) of asking! Thanx for all the repies, tho. Jeff