Which course for Solo certification?

[Cdncoldwater]

I did my solo in July, I got certified both PADI and SDI. We used the SDI manual and the content taught was the same although we did more than the "scheduled" dives. I got both in case I travel and plan to go solo, I'll bring the SDI card and the PADI focus is education in preparedness rather than encouraging solo diving. I was lucky to have a LDS that teaches for both organizations and was able to do so for the cost of the second card.

 

[Cdncoldwater]

The final dive of my PADI course was a planned solo dive. The goal was to plan a dive then dive the plan, shoot a DSMB and return to the dock and instructor (bubble watching) in the planned time and with the planned gas remaining.

Every dive on my course was done this way and people failed the course for not diving the plan, this included the skill dives as you were given a location but had to brief the plan, allowing time/gas for the skills.

 

[Rollin Bonz]

Every dive on my course was done this way and people failed the course for not diving the plan, this included the skill dives as you were given a location but had to brief the plan, allowing time/gas for the skills.

Damn, that's hardcore. Holding you to your plan, given the time/air required to perform the skills, not just for yourself, but the rest of your class may vary considerably, sounds a bit much to ask... Did everyone know their SAC rate already? That was one of the things we did on the first 2 dives (calculate our SAC rate).

I guess if you already knew your SAC rate you could plan the dive excessively long (way more than you figure you'll need) then you could putz around until you hit your time and gas numbers, assuming you could coordinate the 2 on the fly, but that wouldn't really be diving your plan.

 

[rx7diver]

I began solo diving in the mid 1990's. At one point I posted here on SB about my first solo dive (impromptu, in Ohio's Gilboa quarry) and my first sanctioned solo dive (Great Lakes wreck dive). I have been diving solo almost exclusively since the early 2000's (in large, freshwater lakes).

I never seriously considered pursuing a solo certification. A lot of these "certifications" seem to me to be unnecessary for a lot of divers. (Maybe not so much for instructors who generate income from teaching them.)

"Never", that is, until this weekend, when I was Googling about diving the TX Flower Gardens and diving Catalina Island. It seems that a Solo C-Card is required to dive solo there.

*sigh*

rx7diver

 

[scubadada]

I began solo diving in the mid 1990's. At one point I posted here on SB about my first solo dive (impromptu, in Ohio's Gilboa quarry) and my first sanctioned solo dive (Great Lakes wreck dive). I have been diving solo almost exclusively since the early 2000's (in large, freshwater lakes).

I never seriously considered pursuing a solo certification. A lot of these "certifications" seem to me to be unnecessary for a lot of divers. (Maybe not so much for instructors who generate income from teaching them.)

"Never", that is, until this weekend, when I was Googling about diving the TX Flower Gardens and diving Catalina Island. It seems that a Solo C-Card is required to dive solo there.

*sigh*

rx7diver

Probably, the main reason I got the SDI Solo certification, was to expand the list of operators who would allow me to solo. Before the cert, I solo dived with operators who knew me well. Since getting the cert, I have been able to solo dive with numerous, new operators. Now, I communicate with the operation ahead of time, to make sure it will go smoothly. Some operators will rent you a pony, some do not have that option. I have traveled with my 19 cu ft pony a few times, it has always worked out well. Of course, there are some operations that simply do not allow solo diving.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

A couple of spots I know of require the card to dive solo. Unless you're an instructor. Then they kinda look the other way. I took my SOLO class from the guy whose photos were used in some places in the SDI manual. Then I did several tech instructor level courses with the guy who wrote it.
One thing about SDI that needs to be noted is that the requirements for the class are the minimums. The instructor is expected to add to it. My Solo Diver class was 3 dives.
The one I teach is 4 plus a classroom (and a pool session if I don't know the person). It is different than some that are good classes but taught in different environments. I teach classes for diving in local quarries and the Great Lakes region.
Cold water, low vis, etc. So I have blacked out mask skill drills, line use, use of a mirror on surface and underwater, gas loss and switching to the redundant air supply, and planning. I did and teach DSMB deployment from depth without a mask. As well as the discussion the diver needs to have with their family about the fact that if something does go wrong, there may not be a recovery option.
One taught in the Caribbean may not need to go the blacked-out mask route because of the low chance of a silt out.
I still get looks every now and then from people who took the class from other instructors who did not talk about or require a mirror.
I am in the water for every dive. On the last two, I hang way back but observe the diver. I have no other way to judge if they are truly comfortable. I tell them to forget I am there. I need to see how their movements change and how they react to things. They plan the dive and I watch them execute the plan. Did they do it smoothly or were their movements jerky and did they appear undecided at any point? How often are they checking their gas to see if it matches up with the SAC rate calcs? It may not because of the anxiety that is causing increased gas usage.
How often are they checking the time and making their turns and course changes? Attentiveness check.
Are they deviating from the plan for some reason because they are distracted by a fish or feature they took longer to look at? Shows a lack of discipline.
I've also refused to teach the Solo class to some because they have in some way shown me they lack the discipline to adhere to the lesson.

 

[scubadada]

It is interesting to see the variation in courses for solo diving, quarry out and back, boat out and back, and drift diving. I have no judgement with regard to relative difficulty.

 

[RIHappyDiver]

Are they deviating from the plan for some reason because they are distracted by a fish or feature they took longer to look at? Shows a lack of discipline.

I found the whole of your post interesting as, to me, it says you go the extra in training, which is great! The section I quoted stood out, in particular, because this is the main reason I’m interested in diving Solo. There have been many times I wanted to check out a certain overhang or follow a flounder I found in the sand that my dive buddy of the day shows no interest in, or didn’t notice. Am I wrong in thinking that can be the purpose of Solo? This is not me questioning your training, it’s me questioning my expectations. I would greatly appreciate any input. Also, sorry if I’m high jacking the thread. Would be happy to take responses in PM.

Erik

 

[Edward3c]

I found the whole of your post interesting as, to me, it says you go the extra in training, which is great! The section I quoted stood out, in particular, because this is the main reason I’m interested in diving Solo. There have been many times I wanted to check out a certain overhang or follow a flounder I found in the sand that my dive buddy of the day shows no interest in, or didn’t notice. Am I wrong in thinking that can be the purpose of Solo? This is not me questioning your training, it’s me questioning my expectations. I would greatly appreciate any input. Also, sorry if I’m high jacking the thread. Would be happy to take responses in PM.

Erik

Diving solo in the context of this thread isn’t abandoning your buddy because you’ve seen something. Apologies if I’ve miss read your post.

 

[Blackcrusader]

Thanks for all the replies. I do know an instructor who teaches the SDI Course and I redid my rescue with him and my son did his OW with him. The diver center where he has been working won't allow him to teach the SDI solo course there but he may have his own shop by the time covid restrictions are lifted and we could be looking at 2022 realistically. There have been a few times where a solo diver has been on a boat and I was actually asked if I would like to accompany one on a dive on a couple of occasions by the divers themselves. So although not solo it was a good way to see their setup.

I'm not too concerned about dive centers not accepting the cert as I will probably rent tanks and go diving myself on some dives. I do enough dives where your instabuddy disappears when you are taking photos or video and you look around when finished to see them 40 meters away following a dive group and not staying with their dive buddy. Some people seem to think that in a group you must stick really close to the guide. Far enough away that if anything happened I am on my own. Yet with other photographers we can chat before a dive about what they want to get photos or video of and extra eyes are great and we know how to give enough distance to do our own thing but have situational awareness of what the other is doing and where they are we don't need to be within 2m of each other. My wife and I plan living in the Philippines within a few years where we are back and forth from Taiwan every couple of months.
I can leave my business in the hands of staff and while they are making money for me I can enjoy a nice lifestyle. So living there I can do some dives solo and at other times do 3 or 4 dives a day with a dive center or when friends come to visit we can just go diving on our own. If I get lucky maybe there will be that dive center that is a good operation but needs an investment partner who doesn't need to work at the dive center but can enjoy some dives there