Am I evil?

[Kharon]

... I look at my pony bottle and think, hmmm I have a redundant supply if something happens... the thought crossed my mind, and even though I know it was naughty... I just quietly slipped into the water for my first solo dive.

Not naughty. Smart!

Now let me say that given the choice I'd much rather dive with my boyfriend than solo, but that particular solo dive was awesome.

That's why we dive solo.

On the way out I saw the kid with the padi silting and arm flailing specialty entering the water with another diver and was so grateful it was not me he was with.

That's why you were smart. With this kid you were diving solo with a very serious handicap.

I'm supposed to feel guilty about this... I broke the rules... I did something wrong.. but I don't regret it. at all. I loved that dive. I want to do it again. I don't feel bad for doing it, I feel bad for not feeling bad about it...

Guilty??? Rules??? Wrong??? Not in my book. You did everything right. No reason to feel bad for not feeling bad. One thing you might consider is to get the SDI Solo Diver Manual and study it. It has a lot of great information and some suggestions as to additional gear (beside the redundant, independant air), types of emergencies and how to prepair for them, etc. Welcome to the ranks of the free.

Also, here's a video presentation that will give you a much better perspective:
Solo Diving- Coming out of the Closet on Vimeo

NOTE: After reading subsequent posts (boulderjohn) re. the OP's "attitude" I retract the above.

 

[Searcaigh]

Welcome to the light side ... cannot say that solo is the dark side, it's not for me, my last six dives have all been solo.

 

[bosshog]

No flames, but... I have to say that from your previous posts, I have been working from the unconscious assumption that you were a guy. Not that having a boyfriend precludes that, and not that it's any of my business, but I have to say I am curious now if you care to tell us your gender.

Now I am curious....how did you catch that? Makes no difference, but I didn't see that coming at all.
Anyway...I think you better diving solo that taking the risk of an unknown buddy. Just prepare yourself for it and accept the risk. It's your choice in the end.

 

[maniago]

Not trying to be a hater, but I'm not sure why you posted really. If you know you screwed up by diving solo, then no need to post. If you know you didn't screw up, then no need to post. End of story.

But you seem more like the kid who stole licorice from the corner store and trying to assure yourself with other peoples comments. Not the best mentality for any activity.

 

[boulderjohn]

No flames, but... I have to say that from your previous posts, I have been working from the unconscious assumption that you were a guy. Not that having a boyfriend precludes that, and not that it's any of my business, but I have to say I am curious now if you care to tell us your gender.

Now I am curious....how did you catch that? Makes no difference, but I didn't see that coming at all.

I believe Kotik was referring to posts made in other threads. He has been quite argumentative and strongly opinionated in many of those.

Those of you who are giving him advice in reference to doing any kind of diving without proper training may want to go to his profile and read his other posts in other threads. It is a common theme. He has been especially adamant about being able to dive in caves without any formal training. After all, he has read some articles and seen dome videos, so he doesn't need anything else. His most recent threads have been asking about current diving conditions in caves, implying he is planning to go into them as soon as they clear up.

So, I don't know how or where he actually dives, but going beyond his training and proudly proclaiming his right and ability to do so seems to be a dominant character trait.

 

[kotik]

Now I am curious....how did you catch that? Makes no difference, but I didn't see that coming at all.

I suppose I unconsciously form some basic mental picture of SB users once I get some familiarity with their postings. I've associated some of the OP's posts with what I'd say are typical symptoms of an unfavorable testosterone/brain ratio.

I never consciously stopped to make the guy?/girl? call, I just assumed "guy" and then it became interesting to have my preconceptions brought to my own attention...

 

[maniago]

Maybe he's not for real anyway. Just a troll. And we've already wasted two pages on this.

 

[Hockeynut]

Maybe he's not for real anyway. Just a troll. And we've already wasted two pages on this.

If you change your settings to more posts per page, then you don't waste so many pages.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I believe Kotik was referring to posts made in other threads. He has been quite argumentative and strongly opinionated in many of those.

Those of you who are giving him advice in reference to doing any kind of diving without proper training may want to go to his profile and read his other posts in other threads. It is a common theme. He has been especially adamant about being able to dive in caves without any formal training. After all, he has read some articles and seen dome videos, so he doesn't need anything else. His most recent threads have been asking about current diving conditions in caves, implying he is planning to go into them as soon as they clear up.

So, I don't know how or where he actually dives, but going beyond his training and proudly proclaiming his right and ability to do so seems to be a dominant character trait.

It's been my experience that you can't talk people out of doing something they've decided to do. Don't encourage it ... but you ain't gonna do much to stop it either.

Darwin sorts it out, eventually ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Kharon]

So, I don't know how or where he actually dives, but going beyond his training and proudly proclaiming his right and ability to do so seems to be a dominant character trait.

Had I known this I would never have posted what I did.