Solo Diving in GC - the ice may be thawing

[tkaelin]

Was just checking out the Oceanfrontiers website for a possible long weekend getaway next month. Dove and stayed with Oceanfrontriers 4 times. Great op and great set up. On there website under Safety I came across the following:

Self Reliant:

Ocean Frontiers offers the use of Pony Bottles (Air) with regulator and gauge free of charge to divers who are certified as PADI Self Reliant or higher, such as a tech diving certification. Many experienced divers feel that if they are diving from the same boat, on the same day and in the same ocean, then they are buddies. We feel it is important for the more independent diver to equip themselves to be Self-Reliant. Traveling with a pony bottle is a pain, so we've removed the need. Just let us know prior to arrival and will saddle her up.

While it does not state plainly that solo diving is permitted on their boats, this policy is most welcome and suggests that on a boat dive more latitude will be given to a properly certified solo diver and the offer of a free pony rig is the first I have seen anywhere. In the past if I found myself solo on their boats, I just had a conversation with the DMs, picked the DM to buddy up and as soon as they observed my diving skills was given wide latitude on a given dive so long as I was in sight of the group.

This is a new policy. Kudos to Oceanfrontiers for taking a positive step and recognizing the growing number of skilled properly certified solos who would like a little more freedom than the rest on their boat dives. Offering a free pony rig is a generous and practical offering.

 

[mi000ke]

Not sure how much of a policy change this is, although this is the first time I've seen this explicitly stated in writing. I used to sling a pony during "group buddy" boat dives with a couple of the GC dive ops that I went with regularly and who were familiar my diving skills. I was given informal latitude to wander a bit , but not too far, from the group. I recall one DM mentioning to me "You're slinging a pony so I'm not worried about you." But I don't think the Caymans are ready to endorse true solo diving. It is good, though, to see a dive op recognize that some of us are more comfortable relying on a redundant gas supply rather than a instabuddy who takes off or a group that is not really a formal buddy arrangement.

 

[uncfnp]

Actually the pony bottle policy is not new although the wording may be different. They were offering pony bottles to “qualified” divers during our dives in 2016. As I recall, the supplied pony was, hmm, well used.

 

[drrich2]

Quite awhile back I e-mail them to find out about the solo issue generally. I recall they offered the Self-reliant course and solo diving from their boat, at least if you had the cert., equipment and skills (IIRC). But they didn't go for solo shore diving, as they operate at the east end of Grand Cayman and it doesn't have much in the way of good shore diving sites.

I'm quite happy to see this, along with solo shore diving in Cayman Brac, get some more attention, though. While I don't expect to see op.s endorsing it, I'd like to see op.s not take it upon themselves to act as 'scuba police' when certified divers show up wanting to rent a tank.

Shore diving could be an added draw for Grand Cayman. It's already known for having a lot to offer mixed diver/non-diver groups, and having some good shore diving sites. A number of divers take a non-diving significant other, or a few non-diving family members, with them on some trips, and want to do basic recreational solo diving rather than have to pair up with an instabuddy.

There is a market for that, but if someone asked about it right now, I'd suggest they take a look at Curacao.