Have you experienced a negative reaction to your pursuit of solo diving?

[Stoo]

We should all be so lucky!!!!!!!

It's taken me a while to perfect my "cranky demeanour" but it works like a charm. Kick the dog a few times, break a couple of dishes... Works like a charm...

 

[100days-a-year]

Yeah,I get noise from knowitalls but my wife loves me and enjoys our dives together.I just dive 10x more than she does.

 

[DCBC]

From your own personal experience, have you experienced a negative reaction when the subject of solo diving comes up?

I suppose that diving solo isn't any different than diving on deep air, decompression diving, or diving overhead environments. The risk factor generally increases with some exceptions.

Diving solo is a personal choice and as such, should be respected. I can understand it being looked down upon by charter operators, but other than that it's no one's business other than yours.

Personally, I prefer diving with others because I enjoy sharing the experience. Sometimes however, another diver isn't available that has the experience to make the dive, or I'm diving deep air where past 150' or so, there are not many people that I know that I feel comfortable with to do penetrations. At these times, I dive solo, but wish that others could share the experience. You might call me a "reluctant solo diver."

As a working diver in the past, I have usually worked alone, but I don't feel it solo because I have a standby diver and am in voice communications. Still it's a solitary time and I can see how some divers relish this.

People often fear what they don't understand. Solo diving goes against the grain. It seems that gone are the days of high adventure and I suspect that the divers I've mentioned are the type of explorers that are few in number in our Society.

I'd rather die doing what I want, than in an old age home. Relating a saying of ancient Rome regarding the Gladiator: "Die well." Although I'm in no way in a hurry; that's fine with me.

 

[NAM001]

I suppose that diving solo isn't any different than diving on deep air, decompression diving, or diving overhead environments. The risk factor generally increases with some exceptions.

Diving solo is a personal choice and as such, should be respected. I can understand it being looked down upon by charter operators, but other than that it's no one's business other than yours.

Personally, I prefer diving with others because I enjoy sharing the experience. Sometimes however, another diver isn't available that has the experience to make the dive, or I'm diving deep air where past 150' or so, there are not many people that I know that I feel comfortable with to do penetrations. At these times, I dive solo, but wish that others could share the experience. You might call me a "reluctant solo diver."

As a working diver in the past, I have usually worked alone, but I don't feel it solo because I have a standby diver and am in voice communications. Still it's a solitary time and I can see how some divers relish this.

People often fear what they don't understand. Solo diving goes against the grain. It seems that gone are the days of high adventure and I suspect that the divers I've mentioned are the type of explorers that are few in number in our Society.

I'd rather die doing what I want, than in an old age home. Relating a saying of ancient Rome regarding the Gladiator: "Die well." Although I'm in no way in a hurry; that's fine with me.

Great post. IT is hared to think that any rational group could disagree. I read the other day about deaths in cave diving and the statistics. Exceeding ones training and capability were the roots for the majority of deaths. So much opinion seams to
be based from not recognizing ones devoloped skills and experience by the nanny's in charge. From the day you are introduced to a mask and fins in the pool, to the day you die you are never credited for any ability beyond the pool intro. Rather insulting to me. You cant protect the stupid from them selves. Most I think would agree with that. What the opposition to solo tends to do is refuse the ability or right of the non stupid to protect them selves from the stupid. I dont propose that at times I am not a stupid diver, however I do accept the concequense of MY actions. We all become victoms of the nanny's. By this i mean that:

The stupid put them selves at risk.
When diving with the stupid. you put your self at risk. (thats stupid)
When the stupid see others do non stupid higher skilled things
they try to do them also whether they are trained to do them or not. now the non stupid unknowingly put the stupid at risk by exposure.

you cant regulate human nature. There will always be the one who tries to parachute off the roof with a bed sheet. Unless you are diving with those you know and trust, you dont know who you are with. then you have to work the odds.... boat , vacationers , spring break, nope no stupid here.

That may be very well a good reason to oppose solo. To protect those who get in
over thier heads. (Buddy's Job) and that will be an endless point of discussion. However it in noway should denounce ones desire to gain and use the skills and equipment to operate independantly. After all, who packing doubles or a pony needs a buddy for an out of air. Dont tell me about the 1 in a million.

In that instance the reason for the buddy is gone. I have taken flack form some for saying that "I dive solo with others".
Mostly by those ( I am guessing at this) who think that solo is being physically alone in the water. Those who understand that it is not being alone as much as it is using the set of skills, qualifications and equipment to operate independant with out the
-----NEED----- for a buddy to bail you out when your mask fogs. Yes it does go against the nanny grain. I dive solo to enjoy things that nanny's cant.
Some times i dive solo with no one around.

BTW I like diving with anyone I just dont like to rely on them.

 

[pdelannoy]

I've solo dived since I was certified. I do it because I want to dive and train regularly and don't want to rely on a buddy. I believe that the days of high adventure don't have to be gone. I don't have the experience of DCBC but I climbed for 38 years and spent countless days over the years doing that "work" alone. I think the discipline of solo diving holds me to a higher standard than diving with a buddy. Everything has to be thought out-the dive is more like a mission than random swimming. I like it and prefer it except when my daughter is around then I like to buddy with her.

PD

 

[Doc Harry]

...You might call me a "reluctant solo diver."...

Awesome. That's me, too.

 

[Paladin]

Hey, Doc,

When you gonna hit Summersville?

 

[kanonfodr]

I haven't gotten any really negative reactions yet. I was solo diving today and ran across a few other divers I knew on my surface interval. They offered to let me join them but I politely declined, I was on a mission today and I'm proud that I accomplished said mission and came back safely. I would not have trusted many buddies to do this with, and the ones I do trust would probably not have approved. So for that dive a buddy was a liability to me.

As I was coming back in from the second dive I came across some newly minted OW divers (you can tell, don't lie to yourself or me): one on his knees in the sand, another standing on the sand next to him, and the third just then making his descent. Figuring on an upcoming humorous situation I decided to practice some trim & bouyancy. The girl in the group kept looking at me then looking around for my buddy. When they decided to go on about their way I just kept them in view and I saw the girl turn around and look at me a few times before I turned and went on my way. Does that count as a negative reaction?

Peace,
Greg

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Sounds more to me like a positive one. She was checking you out dude! Go for it.

 

[kanonfodr]

Sounds more to me like a positive one. She was checking you out dude! Go for it.

Not my type, a little too wide across the beam. And she wears a poodle jacket and split fins, it would never work .

Peace,
Greg