All the time. You get to see so much more, concentrating on a couple of pilings under a small dock, or on one coral head. I've seen astonishing things just snorkeling over one patch of turtle grass in 3 or 4 feet of water, perfectly still, arms folded. Unbelievable things. Wonderful things.
When doing a group dive at a resort I try to lag far behind. Very far, so that I can only see the rest of the pack's bubbles breaking the surface in the distance. I know where their big circle will end, so I tend to wait near the end of their route, just drifting at a snail's pace. Sometimes the DMs try to buddy me up, and begin angrily moving the index fingers of each hand together. Usually they are distracted by some other diver's wild thrashings and leave me to my sad fate.
I let them know I'm a solo diver right from the start, and that there are no valid certifications for solo diving because no solo experience on the part of a would-be instructor is verifiable. To placate the more disturbed DMs I offer them a free lesson in solo diving and the art of not moving too much. I even offer to sign their log book.
When doing a group dive at a resort I try to lag far behind. Very far, so that I can only see the rest of the pack's bubbles breaking the surface in the distance. I know where their big circle will end, so I tend to wait near the end of their route, just drifting at a snail's pace. Sometimes the DMs try to buddy me up, and begin angrily moving the index fingers of each hand together. Usually they are distracted by some other diver's wild thrashings and leave me to my sad fate.
I let them know I'm a solo diver right from the start, and that there are no valid certifications for solo diving because no solo experience on the part of a would-be instructor is verifiable. To placate the more disturbed DMs I offer them a free lesson in solo diving and the art of not moving too much. I even offer to sign their log book.
