I believe divers should be independant and able to function if they find themselfe alone or must assist another. That is different than being alone intentionally. I don't see that many divers that should dive without supervision nevermind without a buddy.
How do you feel about solo diving?
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meaning doubles and/or an independant stage (so you have two complete regs), AND accept that if YOU screw up you're going to die (as opposed to your HARDWARE screwing up) then I can see it being ok, but its definitely higher risk than diving with a buddy.
There are a range of problems you can have that with a buddy are bad, but without one are fatal. Equipment failure can be managed, but if you need HUMAN assistance and don't have it...
With that said a lot of people effectively dive solo - spearfishing and photography are two things that people often do that make you a pretty poor buddy (you're gonna have trouble donating air while being dragged around by a big fish you just shot!)
I spearfish, and am actually considering going to a doubles setup for this reason - if my buddy is also spearing then I cannot reasonably count on them to be there if I have a hardware problem....
There are a range of problems you can have that with a buddy are bad, but without one are fatal. Equipment failure can be managed, but if you need HUMAN assistance and don't have it...
With that said a lot of people effectively dive solo - spearfishing and photography are two things that people often do that make you a pretty poor buddy (you're gonna have trouble donating air while being dragged around by a big fish you just shot!)
I spearfish, and am actually considering going to a doubles setup for this reason - if my buddy is also spearing then I cannot reasonably count on them to be there if I have a hardware problem....
caymaniac
Contributor
I dive solo when my buddy runs out of air and we are under the boat, or when the viz gets bad enough that you lose your buddy.
Now I'll have to quallify those statements, I make a rule to stay within eyesight of the boat and after 15 minutes (or less depends on the experience of the buddy) of searching for my buddy the dive plan is surface or meet me at the back of the boat.
Dive Safe,
Caymaniac
Now I'll have to quallify those statements, I make a rule to stay within eyesight of the boat and after 15 minutes (or less depends on the experience of the buddy) of searching for my buddy the dive plan is surface or meet me at the back of the boat.
Dive Safe,
Caymaniac
ScubaDawg2
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I don't see that many divers that should dive without supervision nevermind without a buddy.
Wow! Aint that the truth.
Alone = certain death eventually.
There are so many things that can go wrong. I am amazed at the people's ego's that think that "it will never happen to me".
Be safe, dive with a buddy. And for god's sake, do your pre-dive checks and discussion communications underwater as well as what do if an emergency arises.
(off my soapbox now)
--dawg
Wow! Aint that the truth.
Alone = certain death eventually.
There are so many things that can go wrong. I am amazed at the people's ego's that think that "it will never happen to me".
Be safe, dive with a buddy. And for god's sake, do your pre-dive checks and discussion communications underwater as well as what do if an emergency arises.
(off my soapbox now)
--dawg
But here is what I think:
Diving without a buddy is unwise.
In the first decade and a half of my diving I dove almost exclusively alone even though we usually went out together.
SOB... same ocean buddy.
We separated on purpose to go do our own thing and rarely saw one another UW.
In high current dives it was often one guy up running the boat and the other guy down.... sometimes deep... often long... and more than once the boat buddy spent the last half hour wondering what story he would tell the family of the missing diver.
The unthinkable never happened... but there were more than a few close calls.
Today I have far more training to solve problems that might occur UW, far more experience, and I am far better equipped with doubles and redundant regulators and yada yada yada... and smart enough not to dive solo anymore.
Diving without a buddy is unwise.
In the first decade and a half of my diving I dove almost exclusively alone even though we usually went out together.
SOB... same ocean buddy.
We separated on purpose to go do our own thing and rarely saw one another UW.
In high current dives it was often one guy up running the boat and the other guy down.... sometimes deep... often long... and more than once the boat buddy spent the last half hour wondering what story he would tell the family of the missing diver.
The unthinkable never happened... but there were more than a few close calls.
Today I have far more training to solve problems that might occur UW, far more experience, and I am far better equipped with doubles and redundant regulators and yada yada yada... and smart enough not to dive solo anymore.
The Chairman
Chairman of the Board
I dive solo all the time.
But it's never for pleasure. Sometimes I have to check out a site before I take a class to it, and there are no buddies to drag along. I have had to do recovery dives solo and I have seen my share of anchor duty.
But for enjoyment, I will always have a buddy. It's just no fun without one. Too much stress to enjoy myself.
But it's never for pleasure. Sometimes I have to check out a site before I take a class to it, and there are no buddies to drag along. I have had to do recovery dives solo and I have seen my share of anchor duty.
But for enjoyment, I will always have a buddy. It's just no fun without one. Too much stress to enjoy myself.
if I am diving for my own recreation (not teaching) and I don't have another buddy with an acceptable skill level I'd rather dive solo than have to babysit someone.
I don't usually dive solo deeper than about 50m(unless there is a specific reason and taking along a buddy increases risk ), although in clear water I will do a deeper excursion when planned ahead of time and have someone who is capable of monitoring me from above and is capable to lend a hand if necessary..
I understand the risk and take whatever safety precautions are available.. I gave up the anchor thing many years ago.... I'll leave it to those who don't mind it...
I don't usually dive solo deeper than about 50m(unless there is a specific reason and taking along a buddy increases risk ), although in clear water I will do a deeper excursion when planned ahead of time and have someone who is capable of monitoring me from above and is capable to lend a hand if necessary..
I understand the risk and take whatever safety precautions are available.. I gave up the anchor thing many years ago.... I'll leave it to those who don't mind it...
detroit diver
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I never intentionally dive solo.
My family is far more important than diving.
My family is far more important than diving.
deepblue
Guest
I don't recommend diving alone, however, one should be prepared to render self aid rather than depending on a buddy. There is a book out on this subject, but the authors name escapes me at the moment. The theme of the book is self-sufficiency underwater, which, I believe, every diver should strive for.
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