Collapse of the "Buddy System"

[Kharon]

Same here. If it weren't for (my perceived?) safety benefit I would always prefer solo.

My perceived "safety benifit" is that I ain't got someone along for the ride that might kill me. I have made sure that I am as prepaired to handle every contingency as is possible. If I can't handle it - I'm certainly prepaired to die. At least I will die immersed in something I love and without the external drama of some bozo "lending a hand".

---------- Post added October 24th, 2014 at 11:30 AM ----------

There are some benefits inherent in diving in a competent buddy team that is not available to you when solo diving. There just isn't getting around that. We can even take one stupid but real example... let's say you get a cramp on your leg during a dive. A pony bottle is of no help in relieving a leg cramp. Another example, you break your mask strap while in midwater. While a pony bottle help you maintain your proper depth as you put your backup mask on?

Pretty lame examples. I've gotten cramps while diving solo, BFD and a buddy wouldn't have helped.. Also, If you can't hold water column position while dealing with a mask problem, or any other problem, maybe you need a lot more practice. A C-card is nothing more than a learners permit. It allows you to go out and perfect the skills that you were introduced to.

---------- Post added October 24th, 2014 at 11:38 AM ----------

We are diving for fun right? Which is more fun - going alone, coming back alone or diving with group of friends? ... I think it's much more enjoyable and fun

For me it's a ton more fun having the total autonomity to go in whatever direction the dive takes me. I want to see and be emersed in the totality of the environment. I do not need nor want companionship underwater. It is far too constraining and distracting.

You think it's much more enjoyable - good for you. No one is trying to force you to dive solo. I'm offended by people who try to make me dive with a buddy - for me it's definitely NOT more enjoyable - and I don't need the help.

 

[Storker]

I'm offended by people who try to make me dive with a buddy

Wow. Pray tell, who's forcing you? Considering this is an internet discussion board, I fail to see how anyone here could be physically capable to make you do anything, whether you want it or not.

Frankly, I see a lot more "buddies are ****e and it's safer to dive alone than with that ****e buddy" than "y'all gotta buddy up, or else y'all gonna die" on this board.

Even if y'all ARE gonna die if you dive solo. Just like you're going to die if you use split fins

--
Sent from my Android phone
Typos are a feature, not a bug

 

[mrdre]

I'm offended by people who try to make me dive with a buddy

Mm.. and how exactly people are trying to make you dive with a buddy over Internet? I guess some people have some supernatural powers I'm not aware of. If you are offended by people posting their opinions on the public forums, I can only imagine how offended you feel if somebody you'd dive with wants to go left, while you want to go right. If you never want to dive with anybody else, then just don't. Do you think anybody cares?

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I'm offended by people who try to make me dive with a buddy

Hopefully you pose the question before booking a trip ... there are many, if not the majority of, dive ops that have strict "no solo" policies. Yes, it can be a bit of a pain, particularly if you didn't bring a dive buddy and have difficulties finding someone compatible to dive with. But if you choose a particular op for a dive trip, then it's incumbent on you to respect their rules. And it would truly suck to spend a whole dive vacation feeling offended by them.

Curious how you deal with that? On my recent Red Sea trip there were many dives I would've preferred to dive solo ... but the boat had a strict policy against it ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Adobo]

My perceived "safety benifit" is that I ain't got someone along for the ride that might kill me. I have made sure that I am as prepaired to handle every contingency as is possible. If I can't handle it - I'm certainly prepaired to die. At least I will die immersed in something I love and without the external drama of some bozo "lending a hand".

---------- Post added October 24th, 2014 at 11:30 AM ----------



Pretty lame examples. I've gotten cramps while diving solo, BFD and a buddy wouldn't have helped.. Also, If you can't hold water column position while dealing with a mask problem, or any other problem, maybe you need a lot more practice. A C-card is nothing more than a learners permit. It allows you to go out and perfect the skills that you were introduced to.

---------- Post added October 24th, 2014 at 11:38 AM ----------



For me it's a ton more fun having the total autonomity to go in whatever direction the dive takes me. I want to see and be emersed in the totality of the environment. I do not need nor want companionship underwater. It is far too constraining and distracting.

You think it's much more enjoyable - good for you. No one is trying to force you to dive solo. I'm offended by people who try to make me dive with a buddy - for me it's definitely NOT more enjoyable - and I don't need the help.

Don't get me wrong. Given the choice between a) diving with a crotchety old man with a bad attitude and anti-social tendencies and b) diving solo, I am diving solo.

 

[nolatom]

I'm offended by solo divers who won't buddy with me.

Don't they realize how wonderful I am?












(joke)

 

[TMHeimer]

Kharon, I think you have taken some unecessary heat here. You make some good points, though I too am wondering what situation you are in when some is trying to force you to buddy up. The only point I disagree with is on the cramping (there has been another recent thread on this where the DM cramped, etc.). If you're seriously cramping a timely tow (underwater or surface) from a buddy could come in real handy.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

If you want to dive solo on a boat then go to Socal.
They don't give damn, do whatever you want, The pool's open, have a nice dive.
And this is in California no less, go figure?

 

[drrich2]

As NWGratefulDiver posted:

Hopefully you pose the question before booking a trip ... there are many, if not the majority of, dive ops that have strict "no solo" policies.

While no one 'makes' anyone dive, with or without a buddy, from a de facto practical perspective (assuming you don't have a lot of discretionary income to charter your own trip, own your own boat in the target region, etc...), local dive op.s control access to many mainstream diving destinations, and a number of them have anti-solo diving policies.

You can say their boat, their rules, but if the discrimination were against another special interest group - women, blacks, a religious minority, etc..., I doubt support for the boat's right to discriminate would be quite as strong. Granted, you don't have a choice about whether to get an SDI certification to be black or a woman, but there's at least a tenuous analogy there.

This is frustrating to people who prefer solo diving, and seen as galling paternalism and a distinct lack of respect to the diving customer. And it's not always readily evident on an op.s website where they stand.

I believe that over time, more and more op.s will open up to solo diving, at least with solo cert.'d divers, and a number of us would preferentially patronize them, conferring a competitive advantage. But that will take time.

In the meantime, some of us are going to gripe about it at every opportunity! Solo divers...uh, UNITE!!!

Richard.

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

Solo divers...uh, UNITE!!!Richard.

Lol - in a twisted way I agree - and hey Scubaboard has a section devoted to Solo Diving.
But the numbers prevail at least right now - Solo Diving is mostly in the minority - when it comes to diving in the tropics / vacation getaways. So - as Bobby McFerrin said - Don't Worry Be Happy (with your buddy for now)... when and if it becomes mainstream then you can "Be Happy"...

In the mean time be nice to your InstaBuddy because you are also that persons InstaBuddy and they dont know who you are either - and believe me they are just as concerned about you as you are of them. And if not - at least you are are qualified to Solo - if they disappear - Don't Worry Be Happy.... Lol