solo diving

[Sas]

There aren't any laws against solo diving (or anything much about diving related at all actually, you could stick on an AL80 and dive to 100m if you really wanted...). Some places like quarries and things won't allow it, I guess they are private property so they can make their own rules.

If you want to start solo diving there is an SDI Solo Divers course if you prefer to get certified before you do things or just wait until you get comfortable in the water, know how you react to stress and work out extra equipment requirements for redundancy and so on.

Solo diving is pretty awesome, I love it but it's not for everyone.

 

[1_T_Submariner]

If you are asking people on the internet that you have never met when it's ok to solo dive you are not ready.

Welcome to diving and the awesome underwater world. Go Dive with a partner and have fun!

I'm not against solo diving just make sure you get the training and take the proper precautions to reduce the risk of not coming back.

 

[gcbryan]

Even though it sounds like a put down and doesn't offer any practical information I would agree that "if you have to ask you're not ready" is ultimately the answer and one you should use as the standard for when you do decide to solo dive (and I do enjoy it).

If you think about it, to solo dive you should not have any questions and they should already be answered in your mind and to your satisfaction. If all the questions are answered and any additional gear bought and you have some qualms then you still aren't ready. When you are ready doing so shouldn't feel like a big deal to you.

So, in that sense, I think it's a very good "rule" to consider and to follow.

Regarding depth, that's a judgment call as well whether it's solo or diving with a buddy.

All/most rules in diving are suggestions. Ultimately you are completely responsible for yourself and your actions (and their consequences).

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I just ran into a guy that has been diving since 1978 (old school NAUI). As we were talking the subject of solo diving came up. He claimed he never ever solo dove and never ever would.
I've also run across people who decided to start solo diving for their own reasons with as little as 25 dives and woudn't have it any other way.

Just remember, you only get one chance down there. If you think you have all your skills together and can get yourself out of any situation and back to where the air is on your own with no help...well, you decide.

 

[stakanak]

Honestly, re read what Bob-Grateful diver said.
I am new and did a solo dive strictly adhering to this type of advise. I will not do it again without a backup pony, but I stayed under 40 feet and constantly thought about what I could do at any given moment if I lost air/free flow, lost buoyancy, got trapped in the kelp/fishing line, etc.
Padi states that you should never dive solo...
Good Diving!

 

[Crush]

An excerpt of the PM I sent to you:

This may not be helpful, but here is my advice:

If you emerge from your first solo dive and say "Holy fu$k, I survived!" you were not ready. If you emerge and say "Son of a b!+ch! - my training culminated in this and I love it" then you likely were ready.

I can't say how many dives you need before you begin to court the Dark Side.

 

[Amphiprion]

I felt that I could solo dive after my intro to tech class. Problem solving without being able to come to the surface is the key.

Can you plan your dive and dive your plan? Do you know the conditions of the dive. If you get stuck can you cut yourself out of your dive gear if necessary and make a controlled ascent? If your reg fails, do you have a back up reg (not an octo) and an isolater valve? If your gas fails do you have backup? If your computer fails, do you have another or tables and a depth gauge? Do you carry another mask in case yours is lost?

Can you handle the fact that if sh*t hit the fan, nobody is there to save your a**?

If you understand my questions and can do so confidently, not with bravado, then solo dive as you see fit.

 

[a22shady]

I would absolutly take extreme caution when solo Diving. I am sure lots of people dive solo and are safe but the more I read about accidents happen and people die'n it seems it always happens when there solo diving and these people had a lot of diving experince.

 

[Sas]

I would absolutly take extreme caution when solo Diving. I am sure lots of people dive solo and are safe but the more I read about accidents happen and people die'n it seems it always happens when there solo diving and these people had a lot of diving experince.

Do you solo dive yourself?

The accident analyses often do not distinguish between solo divers, or buddy separation. That is something to keep in mind when reading the accident reports.

 

[Deep-6]

I wouldn't take on Solo Diving until you are fully comfortable in the water, intimately know your gear and have accumulated ALOT of experience. In a controlled enviornment, practice your emergency procedures and then practice again and then practice somemore, change the scenario and then practice again. Someone above mentioned "muscle memory." I'm a big believer in muscle memory, you should be able to get your knife out quickly without thinking about it, same goes for switching to your back-up. Don't be in a rush, think in terms of years. I don't think anyone just starting out, should be in any rush to dive alone. For now, I'd enjoy diving with the company of others.