padi self reliant diver

[ajduplessis]

I would not limit myself to a specific agency like PADI. I would rather look for a cave instructor that solo dives. Solo cavers are individuals that take a long hard look at being self-reliant and plan accordingly. Then take a course/mentoring program from such an person.

What happens is theory is not always how things happen practically.

PS: I am not saying the agency training is bad, but there is a lot more to consider.

 

[Diver0001]

I am an advanced open water diver with over 100 dives. I dive solo at my local quarry and I have also been diving in Bonaire solo, without it being an issue. My question is, would the PADI course be of any real value to convincing dive operators in general to allow self relient diving?

Not sure why someone would want to dive solo on a trip/excursion. Personally I'm not wired that way.

I'm also not sure what value *any* of the solo courses have. It seems to me that if you need a course to learn how to dive solo that you probably aren't ready. Scuba courses teach skills, not experience. For solo diving, you mostly need experience.

I think it's just a money-grab.

R..

 

[maniago]

I'm also not sure what value *any* of the solo courses have. It seems to me that if you need a course to learn how to dive solo that you probably aren't ready. Scuba courses teach skills, not experience. For solo diving, you mostly need experience.

I think it's just a money-grab.

R..

You've got to be kidding me. If your left side screen didn't say "Moderator" I'd say you were a troll...

 

[danvolker]

Another thing I would add, is that by the time you are good enough to do Exploration grade dive adventures with a team....you are already an absolutely self-reliant diver, AND able to instantly recognize issues with others and assist if needed. In other words, with the advanced training and experience diving that goes with the advanced certs in Cave or Tech like GUE or UTD offers ( not that it is limited to them--they are just easier to paint a picture with), if you needed to be solo for some reason on a recreational dive, it would certainly be a non-event skill-wise. On the other hand...diving is a very social activity --- I really enjoy it a lot more with friends--which in diving we call buddies.
In Snow skiing it is similar, in that the thrill of blasting down a Downhill run at Beaver Creek is going to be more fun with your friends, than it would be if you are out skiing by yourself all day. Sharing the experience. So many of us plan a dive trip with WHO is going with us....and this WHO is actually a key part of the planning--making sure it happens as is planned. As with Skiing, if something happens and you end up skiing by yourself--oh well...you can still ski, but it is not as much fun....and would be a stupid waste of a vacation to plan a dream ski trip solo. Just my two cents.

 

[Diver0001]

You've got to be kidding me. If your left side screen didn't say "Moderator" I'd say you were a troll...

Well.... sometimes an opinion can come across as a troll, I guess. Being a moderator doesn't exclude me from having an opinion or from breaking with the herd.

I don't think solo diving is something most people should be taking lightly, least of all those who felt they were so lacking in knowledge about it that they needed to take a course to bridge the gap. If someone waved a solo card at me and said "I"m going alone because <some agency> spent an afternoon explaining the potential risks to me and showed me how to use a pony bottle" then I would worry about them. Everything else on the list of solo standards are things that sufficiently experienced divers will already know and practice.

And there is the rub. If you have enough experience to seriously consider solo diving then you probably don't need the cert. And likewise if one needed the cert then they probably lacked sufficient experience.

Call me cynical (I'm sure you will) but I think the solo cards potentially offer more of a sense of false security than anything of substantial value. I know my opinion is a bit black and white on this topic but frankly, that cert is of more value to operators who have to cover their legal buttocks than it is to divers.

R..

 

[maniago]

And there is the rub. If you have enough experience to seriously consider solo diving then you probably don't need the cert. And likewise if one needed the cert then they probably lacked sufficient experience.

Call me cynical (I'm sure you will) but I think the solo cards potentially offer more of a sense of false security than anything of substantial value. I know my opinion is a bit black and white on this topic but frankly, that cert is of more value to operators who have to cover their legal buttocks than it is to divers.

R..

No I won't call you cynical, but what I will say is that everything we do in scuba (being a self regulated industry) could fall in your comments above - you don't need any scuba certs if you have enough experience diving.

But we get them anyway to "prove" to anyone that we do have a level of knowledge and have been evaluated by a third "disinterested" party as such.

I'm not tracking with why you think a solo cert is any different than the OW cert that got you into the sport in the first place. Not poking at you, just trying to understand your logic - call this a "beer" conversation.

 

[uncfnp]

Not sure why someone would want to dive solo on a trip/excursion. Personally I'm not wired that way.

Not really sure what you mean. If you can't understand why one would dive solo on a trip/excursion, then you are right, you are NOT wired for solo....at all. Dive trips are probably one of the most common reasons for solo. Have you never seen the frequent post on SB asking how to find buddies at dive locations, i.e. Bonaire? Nondiving spouses, single divers traveling? Not to mention trips that allow 3, 4 or more dives a day. Not all buddies will be in sync on all dives each day. The option to solo gives each diver the opportunity to dive when an instabuddy is not available or regular buddy wants to sit out a dive. An expensive dive trip is the last place you want to miss out on a dive just because you don't have an instabuddy or your regular buddy needs a break.

I'm also not sure what value *any* of the solo courses have. It seems to me that if you need a course to learn how to dive solo that you probably aren't ready. Scuba courses teach skills, not experience. For solo diving, you mostly need experience.

I think it's just a money-grab.

R..

There have already been many post refuting this statement on this thread alone...

 

[Wookie]

Not sure why someone would want to dive solo on a trip/excursion. Personally I'm not wired that way.

I'm also not sure what value *any* of the solo courses have. It seems to me that if you need a course to learn how to dive solo that you probably aren't ready. Scuba courses teach skills, not experience. For solo diving, you mostly need experience.

I think it's just a money-grab.

R..

I take great exception to this statement. Yes, I prefer to teach cave divers, deep wreck divers, and trimix divers a solo class. I charge them for the card, because they aren't likely to learn anything from me. Even if I did teach them, they aren't going to do it my way anyway, so there. I've known many cave divers, however, who can't shoot a DSMB to save their lives. I can teach that skill like there is no tomorrow. With the poor quality of dive education available today, I've seen folks who otherwise qualify for taking a solo class who can't do an alternate air source switch. I've argued with many a very experienced diver over whether to use an 'H' or 'Y' valve versus a pony or spare air, and when a spare air is appropriate as an alternate air source. An 'H' and 'Y' valve are allowed as redundant air sources by standards, BTW. I do not allow them in my class. I want folks to learn how to properly rig a pony, and to calculate the size pony they will need for their particular diving style, since they aren't likely to buy multiple ponies for different diving.

Do you know how to calculate the proper pony size for your diving? Maybe I could even teach you something.

 

[uncfnp]

...///...

And there is the rub. If you have enough experience to seriously consider solo diving then you probably don't need the cert. And likewise if one needed the cert then they probably lacked sufficient experience.

Call me cynical (I'm sure you will) but I think the solo cards potentially offer more of a sense of false security than anything of substantial value. I know my opinion is a bit black and white on this topic but frankly, that cert is of more value to operators who have to cover their legal buttocks than it is to divers.

R..

You are missing the point of the class. It is not to get the "cert" unless that card is specifically needed by a dive operator, it's for the mentoring. Solo diving is not just another form of recreational diving but more truly a step toward advanced diving and as such should be accompanied by advanced instruction for most individuals. Be it a formal course with the "card" or informally through a mentor is mostly irrelevant. But for most divers, a formal course will be the easiest way to find that mentor. And as with other advanced courses, the instructor is critical. Yes, experience is an absolute requirement, but EVERY diver still has more to learn.

 

[maniago]

Do you know how to calculate the proper pony size for your diving? Maybe I could even teach you something.

I use a 60gal shop compressor tank as my pony with my Steel 100s. Is that big enough? ...just messing with you - Friday coffee morning you know haha