Spiiina
Registered
It is nice to see that so many divers are open to solo diving. I did my first solo beach dive a couple days ago and stayed an average of 14ft with 18ft as the deepest. I know that I should be certified for solo diving, however I have dove and snorkeled this particular area enough that I am familiar with it and decided dive it rather than snorkel. It was a great dive, needless to say.
So a dive buddy of mine is quite upset about this and is fully against solo diving (I do appreciate his concerns). After I made the statement "I think diving solo is safer than snorkeling solo" it is now his goal to make me to look like an idiot. He insistently (and of course condescendingly) is telling me to ask the dive instructors what they think and report back to him(so he can give me the "told you so" bit or at least imply it). My goal by writing this is quite the opposite and more in attempt to validate my thought process and possibly make him more open-minded. I know that everyone will have their own opinions on the right way, but the thing that "grinds my gears" (trying to stay PG) the most is when someone isn't willing to hear you out.
So, of course, I'm not going to the dive shop because they obviously will say it's a bad idea 1)for legal reasons and 2)because they don't want you putting yourself in more harm than necessary (they want you as a customer, right =).
His arguments are that weights keep you on the bottom and you are breathing compressed air, which I understand can have serious risks associated with it.
Here's why I think diving alone is safer than snorkeling alone (please let me know if these are valid or if I'm way off base):
- You can stay closer to the bottom to avoid fighting the current
- You also avoid boat traffic staying closer to the bottom
- You are less likely to swim into a manowar tentacle (I saw them the day I went and I have been stung while snorkeling)
- You have a BCD which can double as a life preserver, God forbid you need it.
- You can still technically snorkel/swim on the surface with the gear and drop your weights if need be (hell, drop it all and snorkel)
So to sum it up, I don't trust boaters or manowars and prefer not to fight the current. As far as breathing compressed air, I make it a point to stay aware of my breathing and not push my boundaries... not to mention my computer starts yelling at me at 1500psi and again at 1000psi. In my mind they both have their risks and you have to decide which ones you are willing to take, my choice being a dive.
Thoughts? Am I crazy?
Thanks in advance for the input!
Spiiina
So a dive buddy of mine is quite upset about this and is fully against solo diving (I do appreciate his concerns). After I made the statement "I think diving solo is safer than snorkeling solo" it is now his goal to make me to look like an idiot. He insistently (and of course condescendingly) is telling me to ask the dive instructors what they think and report back to him(so he can give me the "told you so" bit or at least imply it). My goal by writing this is quite the opposite and more in attempt to validate my thought process and possibly make him more open-minded. I know that everyone will have their own opinions on the right way, but the thing that "grinds my gears" (trying to stay PG) the most is when someone isn't willing to hear you out.
So, of course, I'm not going to the dive shop because they obviously will say it's a bad idea 1)for legal reasons and 2)because they don't want you putting yourself in more harm than necessary (they want you as a customer, right =).
His arguments are that weights keep you on the bottom and you are breathing compressed air, which I understand can have serious risks associated with it.
Here's why I think diving alone is safer than snorkeling alone (please let me know if these are valid or if I'm way off base):
- You can stay closer to the bottom to avoid fighting the current
- You also avoid boat traffic staying closer to the bottom
- You are less likely to swim into a manowar tentacle (I saw them the day I went and I have been stung while snorkeling)
- You have a BCD which can double as a life preserver, God forbid you need it.
- You can still technically snorkel/swim on the surface with the gear and drop your weights if need be (hell, drop it all and snorkel)
So to sum it up, I don't trust boaters or manowars and prefer not to fight the current. As far as breathing compressed air, I make it a point to stay aware of my breathing and not push my boundaries... not to mention my computer starts yelling at me at 1500psi and again at 1000psi. In my mind they both have their risks and you have to decide which ones you are willing to take, my choice being a dive.
Thoughts? Am I crazy?
Thanks in advance for the input!
Spiiina
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