The solo diving movement, a good idea?

[DiverHowie]

The worst thing about the buddy system is the belief that there's always somebody around to get you out of trouble. The best thing about the solo diving system is the message that there isn't.

 

[nimoh]

The worst thing about the buddy system is the belief that there's always somebody around to get you out of trouble. The best thing about the solo diving system is the message that there isn't.

the best thing about the buddy system is that there is always someone around to second guess your decisions and help prevent mistakes. The worst thing about the solo diving system is that there isn't.

 

[DiverHowie]

"For example, during a typical team ascent, diver 1 might be responsible for calling decompression stops, diver 2 might be responsible for controling the upline, and diver 3 might be responsible for maintaining team formation."

Given what you've said, and given everything that has to be monitored or done on any particular dive, it sounds that from your perspective, all dives should be executed by a co-ordinated team of no less than 100 divers.
I'd say that if you have to be relying on somebody else to do something properly you may have just delegated that responsibility to a fool.

 

[dfx]

I'd say that if you have to be relying on somebody else to do something properly you may have just delegated that responsibility to a fool.

There's a difference between relying on sombody for something, and having somebody around just in case. Last time I've checked, all divers were human, and we all know what humans are prone to.

 

[nimoh]

Given what you've said, and given everything that has to be monitored or done on any particular dive, it sounds that from your perspective, all dives should be executed by a co-ordinated team of no less than 100 divers.
I'd say that if you have to be relying on somebody else to do something properly you may have just delegated that responsibility to a fool.

not sure this was directed at me or not, but if it was, it's not at all what I said.

I am not sure how the word "someone" equates to "100 divers" and not sure how "help prevent mistakes" equates to "relying". My preference for diving in a team of 2 or 3 divers has nothing to do with anyone else's preference for diving solo. All of team diving, buddy diving and solo diving can be done safely.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

"For example, during a typical team ascent, diver 1 might be responsible for calling decompression stops, diver 2 might be responsible for controling the upline, and diver 3 might be responsible for maintaining team formation."

Given what you've said, and given everything that has to be monitored or done on any particular dive, it sounds that from your perspective, all dives should be executed by a co-ordinated team of no less than 100 divers.
I'd say that if you have to be relying on somebody else to do something properly you may have just delegated that responsibility to a fool.

... I take it you've never played team sports ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[oldschoolto]

Boy... This thread has gone to the dogs.... He said, she said.... Just read my sig line.... You'll know where I stand.....

I don't plan or look forward to bleeding to death from hemorrhoids sitting on the toilet .... I guess most do....

Jim....

 

[TSandM]

Talking about the roles that a team of three might take on ascent seems completely reasonable to me. Of course, all three divers are capable of all of the tasks; it's just that, at the beginning of the dive, you decide to split them up. If anything happens so that the original plan isn't a good one (someone isn't feeling well, or some piece of equipment is lost or not working) you just change the assignments.

To me, it is a distinct pleasure to end a great dive with a smooth, coordinated ascent with great teamwork. It's just plain FUN.

 

[DiverHowie]

not sure this was directed at me or not, but if it was, it's not at all what I said.

All of team diving, buddy diving and solo diving can be done safely.

I totally agree.

And the diver should have the right to choose the style of diving and the specific partners (or no partners) that make him/her comfortable in executing both a safe and an enjoyable dive. It's an important personal choice. For solo divers, this choice is sometime not offered, and the diver is forced into diving with an unknown partner or a partner who is not attuned to doing the same sort of dive. My greatest preference is actually buddy diving - WITH THE RIGHT BUDDY. I solo a lot however, mostly because of a number of horrific past experiences in being partnered with "the buddy from hell" whose actions resulted in near disasters or very unpleasant experiences.

 

[tracydr]

Why is it that some individuals insist on believing that any diver that dives solo does so because of a lack in the buddy system? Is it not possible that for some divers it is at times a preference, not a choice of last resort? That for these individuals, even the availability of a perfect buddy, possibly even GUE trained, they may still choose to dive solo? That solo diving may not always be the result of a lack of or a deficient buddy?

Maybe we have topic for another thread...

Might a diver choose to dive solo even if the perfect buddy is available?

I have no problem with people choosing to dive solo, its a choice and I'm fine with it. I've done it a few times and so has my husband.
I'm just saying that the reason insta-buddies have such atrocious buddy skills is that our training system does a terrible job at teaching buddy skills. My experience at diving with a couple of GUE trained divers made me realize how much better buddy skills can be, with proper training.
Buddy diving is a learned skill. Poor buddy diving, is probably because we haven't been taught. The majority of divers are very poor buddies. Just saying.
As a DM, and my husband as an instructor, we have to be self-reliant. We are basically diving solo, even with others in the water. At the same time, I want to learn how to teach proper buddy diving so that I can teach students to be good buddies. It's horribly frustrating to dive with buddies that have poor buddy skills, as most solo divers have concluded.