For those who carry Solo-diver certification card?

[drrich2]

Wow, reading that release it seems that the dive boat can leave you after you get into the water and your survivors have no recourse.

It's not a license for someone to kill you. I think it goes to show the extent to which the diver chose to knowingly take on personal responsibility for the risks involved in doing the solo dive. I suspect it sends a prospective jury the message 'I knew what I was getting into, I knowingly chose to do it and I knowingly assumed personal responsibility for it.' How much that would mean in a court case after a death may not be certain, but it's a message the plaintiff might appreciate.

Richard.

 

[TMHeimer]

I was told I could dive solo once in SC despite no card (they knew I was almost a DM), due to my "assigned" buddy being too cold for dive #2. The places I've taken charters have taken me to sites I was unfamiliar with and deeper than my personal guideline of not much deeper then 30' solo. So, I have always appreciated having a buddy on those boats. I've never been asked for a Solo card shore diving in NS because more often than not there's no one else there and no one cares what you do in NS anyway.
At State & other parks in CT where authorities knew I was diving solo I haven't yet been required to have a solo card or buddy.
I would perhaps consider taking the course but I don't think the shop here offers it and traveling to do it is not something I'd do.

 

[Just Anthony]

Doesn't work around here. None of the operators will allow you to solo dive, even if you have the solo dive cert.

They tell me it's because of their insurance policy, which does not allow it.

The Divemaster or whomever is in charge "buddies you up" on the boat on the way out with another solo diver if you show up without a dive buddy.

 

[Linke Seitentasche]

I got my Solo card for insurance reasons only.

Insurance companies will try everything to refuse payment.

Death is not the only outcome of solo diving, you can still get plain old DCI.
Or sprain your ankle.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

In the Puget Sound the overall impression I get is that the dive captain just has to know and trust you. I haven’t gone solo on every charter, just a couple and they didn’t mind at all.

 

[TrimixToo]

Doesn't work around here. None of the operators will allow you to solo dive, even if you have the solo dive cert.

They tell me it's because of their insurance policy, which does not allow it.

The Divemaster or whomever is in charge "buddies you up" on the boat on the way out with another solo diver if you show up without a dive buddy.

Things are (or used to be, not too long ago) different if you're tech.

More generally, only Dutch Springs requires a solo card anywhere near me (and they're not that close).

 

[73diver]

...operators will allow you to solo dive, even if you have the solo dive cert...because of their insurance policy.

Haugh (no dive plan) and Gilboa (Dive plan if deep) quarries accept Solo cert. All boats I’ve been on don’t allow solo (in the waiver) due to insurance. I’ve solo dived at Bonaire quite a bit with the knowledge of the tank rental facility; but the operator didn’t wish to see my card. I have found that most public sites (parks, beaches) have ordinances against solo diving if scuba diving is allowed at all.

 

[drbill]

Locally I used to dive solo 95% of the time, no one has ever asked and I don't have a solo cert. When I travel I generally dive with a buddy although some ops have let me dive solo without a cert. When I got cancer I always dive with a buddy though.

 

[Rollin Bonz]

At the office of Rainbow Reef on Key Largo. At the RR office they (March 2018) did not guarantee you'll dive solo, they l, if you have the card, leave that up to the boat captain & how he judges you under the conditions at hand. Worked for me the few times my wife was taking a rest. Not entirely sure if I needed to bring the card onto the boat, I was not asked for it on the boat, maybe the office put a "solo" remark on the roster... I did not ask. But I did get inteviewed a little by the Captain...

My experience was the same at RR (Sept 2018), athough the shop the trip was organized through was a bit more concerned and ask that I "don't do any deep dives" solo.
My local quarry allows solo diving only with a cert, so I use it there regularly when none of my regular dive buddies can make it. I took the class with them, so "showing" the card each time isn't required.
Also been on some dive boats that, after my 4th or 5th trip with them, even though I've never presented a solo cert, no longer seem to care if I have a buddy or not.
Another local quarry will not allow any solo diving. I spoke to the owner about it. He said his insurance wouldn't allow it. I assume he could get a (how much?) more expensive policy that might, but it's understandably not worth it to him.

 

[Stoo]

The Explorer charter boat required one to dive solo, plus a 19 Ft³ redundant air source.

They were the reason I acquired one.. err, took the course. Mrs Stoo and I were going on the T&C Explorer and neither of us figured her 94 pound butt would be up to doing 5 dives a day. So I took my shiny new card down, rented a pony from them and of course she did all the dives.

Otherwise, it's not of much use since we dive out of our own boat most of the time. I'd done perhaps 2000 solo or near-solo dives up to that point, so it was something of a formality, but it's probably not a bad course to actually take if you're contemplating diving alone. There's more to it than just not having a buddy.