Zieg
Contributor
Is that because she read Scubaboard?
How many of you think solo is OK to do and why?
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Is that because she read Scubaboard?
When I started diving I hit the water running and earned my OW Scuba Instructor cert in 6 months. This was in early 2006. Since then I moved to the Caribbean as an instructor and dive guide. I always considered myself as a self reliant diver while leading dives. I love diving and I love diving solo. I can bailout from deeper than 60 feet on a single breath. If need be I can exchange a breath or two into my bcd bladder.
Truthfully I feel I am safer diving alone than I am leading a group of new divers combined with experienced divers who feel they don't need to listen to my briefing nor follow me as I lead the dive.
Truthfully I feel I am safer diving alone than I am leading a group of new divers combined with experienced divers who feel they don't need to listen to my briefing nor follow me as I lead the dive.
SwallowReefer
New
After reading through all the posts, it's pretty clear this topic is a matter of personal preference. I'm AOW, with over 400 logged dives, and personally would NOT dive solo - with a couple obvious exceptions (<10m daylight shore dive, in prime conditions at a location I was extremely familiar with). The vast majority of "insta-buddies" I've been paired with during holidays are more experienced & proficient than me, so I've not had the plethora of "bad buddy" trips some posters have alluded to. My original NAUI "scuba diver" certification was almost 40 years ago; "never dive alone" is irrefutably ingrained in my scuba psyche. I respect the experience and anecdotes shared herein, but again: this comes down to personal choice.
R
redacted
Guest
The flaw in that rational is that many of those thing that can be a problem in a solo dive don't depend much on how deep you are or where the sun happens to be. But, if you are not comfortable with some conditions, you should not be doing them.
Aquavelvet
Contributor
You seem to be a lot luckier than I have been lately, though I haven't had horrible buddies, either. At best, most of my buddies are an extra pair of eyes to spot things. I like diving with other people in my home area, where I know who has comparable skill level. When on vacation, however, recreational buddy pairing always places me at a disadvantage.
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Mandy3206
Contributor
As a spearo diver, most of my dives are solo dives, thou we jump out of the boat as a team (2 hunters), we usually separate after a few minutes dive, both of us are very well seasoned divers and have all the necessary gear to rescue ourselves, extra air, Epirb, z-knife, sausage, small flair kit, etc.
I feel that short of loosing consciousness, I can deal with any situation that may arise and rescue myself, also we dive very conservatively and many times had called off the dive due to not appropriate conditions or just a hunch.
When I get to dive with other divers, normally they look to me as the leader due to my training and experience and usually end up not enjoying the dive due to the work keeping track of all the group, that's the main reason I try to dive most of the time with my fellow "buddy" hunter.
When I dive I do it to get away from the daily grind and relax myself in an activity that I enjoy very much, that's why I have rejected many times the invitation to become an instructor, as an instructor, I'll log many dives, but it would be another job and the fun and relaxation will go away.
I feel that short of loosing consciousness, I can deal with any situation that may arise and rescue myself, also we dive very conservatively and many times had called off the dive due to not appropriate conditions or just a hunch.
When I get to dive with other divers, normally they look to me as the leader due to my training and experience and usually end up not enjoying the dive due to the work keeping track of all the group, that's the main reason I try to dive most of the time with my fellow "buddy" hunter.
When I dive I do it to get away from the daily grind and relax myself in an activity that I enjoy very much, that's why I have rejected many times the invitation to become an instructor, as an instructor, I'll log many dives, but it would be another job and the fun and relaxation will go away.
ScubaDad1968
Registered
I've been diving since 2004 and nearly 20% of my dives are solo. I don't know too many divers in the Midwest and there are plenty of spring filled lakes with decent enough visiblity around me to dive after work or on the weekend.
In regards to being safe. Let's think about this. The "Buddy" system is to help if someone is in trouble and needs assistance. I would be curious to see data on How often someone was "saved" or avoided an accident because they had a buddy. Not I nor anyone I know can think of a situation like that. I'm not saying it never happen, but typically when two divers are diving together they are rarely in direct view of each other. And if one is new or newer (which is quite often) then the skilled diver is essentially diving alone. Not to mention I'm sure most divers would agree that if they are "leading' then the other is off to their right or left and unless the leader looks back every 10 seconds, they are both essentially alone also.
I think there are solo diver classes out there, because I once went to a quarry in another state and they wouldn't let me dive without a buddy unless I had a solo-diver card.
One last thought; Diving alone has most definitely made me a better diver. It forced me to double check things, to have redundancy gear and heck it only takes one time to jump in the water without your inflator hose connected or tank air on and you will N E V E R do that again!
In regards to being safe. Let's think about this. The "Buddy" system is to help if someone is in trouble and needs assistance. I would be curious to see data on How often someone was "saved" or avoided an accident because they had a buddy. Not I nor anyone I know can think of a situation like that. I'm not saying it never happen, but typically when two divers are diving together they are rarely in direct view of each other. And if one is new or newer (which is quite often) then the skilled diver is essentially diving alone. Not to mention I'm sure most divers would agree that if they are "leading' then the other is off to their right or left and unless the leader looks back every 10 seconds, they are both essentially alone also.
I think there are solo diver classes out there, because I once went to a quarry in another state and they wouldn't let me dive without a buddy unless I had a solo-diver card.
One last thought; Diving alone has most definitely made me a better diver. It forced me to double check things, to have redundancy gear and heck it only takes one time to jump in the water without your inflator hose connected or tank air on and you will N E V E R do that again!
Your 1500 rule..... Is that for all dives or solo dives. Your statement has a distinct ring of setting limits for your self. I would say tht most solo divers do that and that,, that practice is a common denominator amongst us. Realizing ones limitatins, WOW what a concept, where do we learn this???? Certainly not in OW class.
I solo dive all the time and have no issues with it. But I have had proper training, have the knowledge, the extra gear, etc to do it.
I don't advocate it to anybody nor do I make a big deal out of it. If a buddy is free I'll dive with them, if not, ill dive by myself.
I do a lot of guiding on dive boats, and I am usually the first one down, alone for a while, and I am usually the last one up, again, alone for a while. I do not rely on ANY of the divers I am with as a buddy, as I am their buddy in case they have an emergency. I have to look out for myself. I may be with a group of people all within a few kicks distance, but I'm still diving solo.
I also cave dive solo. I carry extra gear, shorten my dive plans, and do easy dives and just enjoy and relax. It can be fun. I prefer cave diving with a buddy, as it's social for me, but I also enjoy the quiet and solitude sometimes by myself. Because of how my cave buddies and I all dive, and how well we know each other, we often say "We're just a couple solo divers diving together". Would my cave buddies be there for me and would I be there for them? Sure... but we all prefer that each person can fend for themselves in an emergency. The added strength of us being able to do so makes us more confident in the event of a situation and more comfortable diving together.
I don't advocate it to anybody nor do I make a big deal out of it. If a buddy is free I'll dive with them, if not, ill dive by myself.
I do a lot of guiding on dive boats, and I am usually the first one down, alone for a while, and I am usually the last one up, again, alone for a while. I do not rely on ANY of the divers I am with as a buddy, as I am their buddy in case they have an emergency. I have to look out for myself. I may be with a group of people all within a few kicks distance, but I'm still diving solo.
I also cave dive solo. I carry extra gear, shorten my dive plans, and do easy dives and just enjoy and relax. It can be fun. I prefer cave diving with a buddy, as it's social for me, but I also enjoy the quiet and solitude sometimes by myself. Because of how my cave buddies and I all dive, and how well we know each other, we often say "We're just a couple solo divers diving together". Would my cave buddies be there for me and would I be there for them? Sure... but we all prefer that each person can fend for themselves in an emergency. The added strength of us being able to do so makes us more confident in the event of a situation and more comfortable diving together.
TONY CHANEY
Contributor
And that it itself is a problem. The only problem with solo diving is that the dive starts with a buddy and ends up solo. No prep whatsoever was planed for solo. As for my group, we treat every dive as if we were doing it alone and we never do a dive they we would not alone. Even in tech diving there are times that a buddy cannot assist you...that happened with John Bennett as well as others.
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