Diving alone

[OceanLab]

I began doing solo dives in Lake Erie shortly after completing my junior certification in 1971. I was 11 years old at the time. Was this an intelligent thing to do? No. I learned using a set of twin 38 steels with a canvas harness and a Royal Aquamaster. My wetsuit was a set of heavy long underwear. The depth was around 30' in the little bay where I lived. I spent that first summer alone in my 13' Boston Whaler diving on a small tug that had sunk years before. It was laying on its side with barely 10' of water clearance from the surface. It was a life changing experience: while most of my friends were building tree forts or playing sandlot ball, I was starting my life underwater.


It has been 42 years since that summer in Ohio, spend exploring that little wreck. I still prefer to dive solo for various reasons. Yes, I know that DIR forbids this practice and will enumerate multiple reasons that this justifies a status of being a "stroke". Do I care? No. After that summer, I knew what I wanted to do with my life, and I did it. When DIR zealots begin their speech about solo diving, I just smile and nod my head. There is no doubt that DIR has greatly improved the methodology, equipment and philosophy of diving, BUT in the end, there are situations that some people choose to not follow the DIR approach. I am one of those people. I will likely continue to solo dive until I can no longer dive. I simply enjoy the solitude and feeling of being alone in the sea. I am pleased that SDI decided to offer a course for doing solo dives. I think every individual who is so inclined, should take the class once they have the required experience, even if they never plan on diving solo. Self reliance is an approach, not a violation.

 

[BDSC]

Another 5 year old thread brought back to life.

 

[AfterDark]

I began doing solo dives in Lake Erie shortly after completing my junior certification in 1971. I was 11 years old at the time. Was this an intelligent thing to do? No. I learned using a set of twin 38 steels with a canvas harness and a Royal Aquamaster. My wetsuit was a set of heavy long underwear. The depth was around 30' in the little bay where I lived. I spent that first summer alone in my 13' Boston Whaler diving on a small tug that had sunk years before. It was laying on its side with barely 10' of water clearance from the surface. It was a life changing experience: while most of my friends were building tree forts or playing sandlot ball, I was starting my life underwater.


It has been 42 years since that summer in Ohio, spend exploring that little wreck. I still prefer to dive solo for various reasons. Yes, I know that DIR forbids this practice and will enumerate multiple reasons that this justifies a status of being a "stroke". Do I care? No. After that summer, I knew what I wanted to do with my life, and I did it. When DIR zealots begin their speech about solo diving, I just smile and nod my head. There is no doubt that DIR has greatly improved the methodology, equipment and philosophy of diving, BUT in the end, there are situations that some people choose to not follow the DIR approach. I am one of those people. I will likely continue to solo dive until I can no longer dive. I simply enjoy the solitude and feeling of being alone in the sea. I am pleased that SDI decided to offer a course for doing solo dives. I think every individual who is so inclined, should take the class once they have the required experience, even if they never plan on diving solo. Self reliance is an approach, not a violation.

Except for the location and very young age sounds a lot like my start in diving 43 years ago. Does anybody but another DIR'er care what a DIR'er has to say? I don't know of anybody, or DIR'ers for that matter.

 

[Dive Bug Bit Me]

Another 5 year old thread brought back to life.

I wasn't here to comment 5 years ago, but find it refreshing to see how much the standard "will I die if I solo?" discussion has progressed from a how to don equipment discussion. At least we now discuss skills, equipment, planning and demeanour!

 

[AfterDark]

Another 5 year old thread brought back to life.

Can't tell that by this page!

 

[socaljohn]

I apologize for not reading every post to see if someone already posted this.. In this presentation about solo diving, Mark makes the point the depending on who you are diving with and how experienced or distracted they are, most divers have in effect been solo divers...

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ad...-closet-mark-powell-presents-lids-2012-a.html


Though for me, I am not ready for that yet, neither experience not gear-wise. And even if I was, the last thing that would prevent me from it, is not having someone to drag my poor dead a$$ back to shore so my wife could bury me in case i had a heart attack such.

 

[AfterDark]

I apologize for not reading every post to see if someone already posted this.. In this presentation about solo diving, Mark makes the point the depending on who you are diving with and how experienced or distracted they are, most divers have in effect been solo divers...

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ad...-closet-mark-powell-presents-lids-2012-a.html


Though for me, I am not ready for that yet, neither experience not gear-wise. And even if I was, the last thing that would prevent me from it, is not having someone to drag my poor dead a$$ back to shore so my wife could bury me in case i had a heart attack such.

My wife and I worked that part out. She's convinced I'd rather be buried at sea, which is true. So if I cop the big one I'm just getting what I want. Tell her to throw some flowers in the water once in awhile.

 

[corvettejoe]

maybe a little bit off-topic; but how do you log these solo dives?? just curious!

I have a few dives with "Captain Solo" in my log book LOL

 

[agilis]

Solo is frequently the safest way to dive. Not always, but more often than not. Most of my diving is solo, and I do so in part because it's simpler, a better experience, and carries fewer of the risks involved when there are other people involved, especially people whose diving ability and style you are not extremely familiar with.

 

[KEdiver]

I am new to diving. The thing I noticed when diving with a buddy is I am almost always alone anyway. By that I mean they are off looking at things and if I got in trouble where I really needed help fast I am sure they would either not be there or not know what to do. Too many people panic in a situation and they just make it worse. Medical "the big one" I am sure I would be finished if I was with anyone but a good friend who is a diver and paramedic who does not panic. The last dive I did I spent so much time keeping an eye on my buddy who I did not know before that day I couldn't enjoy the dive. So I want to learn to dive solo safely. I would never go into a situation where I might get tangled or hung up.