I am curious how you felt on your first solo dive. I will be doing mine this Saturday. I have my redundant back ups. I feel like I'm getting on the roller coaster for the first time. I am reasonably confident in my abilities. I am familiar with the area. I have been diving for many years and I think it's time. After all my dives lately have been same ocean same day. How did you all feel on your first solo?
How did you feel
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I did my first solo last weekend... to be honest I was a little disappointed 
It seemed a little boring. Maybe it's because I went to a much dived and shallow site since I wanted to play it safe. BUT, it was definitely quite relaxing. And was a good chance to fiddle around with my new BP/W.
The more challenging sites I don't want to dive solo... they are deep and require a long surface swim, no fun alone. Maybe I'm just not a solo diver at heart.
However I did like just sitting there and taking it all in, without being rushed. I traveled a good distance, and my SAC was I think the best ever beacuse of not chasing a buddy around. I also saw a HUGE moray eel... that was cool!
I hope you enjoy yours! Let us know how it goes.
It seemed a little boring. Maybe it's because I went to a much dived and shallow site since I wanted to play it safe. BUT, it was definitely quite relaxing. And was a good chance to fiddle around with my new BP/W.The more challenging sites I don't want to dive solo... they are deep and require a long surface swim, no fun alone. Maybe I'm just not a solo diver at heart.
However I did like just sitting there and taking it all in, without being rushed. I traveled a good distance, and my SAC was I think the best ever beacuse of not chasing a buddy around. I also saw a HUGE moray eel... that was cool!
I hope you enjoy yours! Let us know how it goes.
Mine wasn't really planned. Wife and I headed out for a day of diving. She had some equalization issues and couldn't dive. I went diving. So I didn't have several days to think about it. It just happened. However, it is something that I had been thinking about for a while before it happened.
Did the solo dive in a familiar shallow cove. Wife was shore support. It was a little lonely as I had done most of my previous dives with my wife and it was strange not having her there to share the experience with. I still feel that way sometimes, but I also enjoy the solitude. It's probably the most relaxing diving I now do because I don't have a buddy to keep track of. I just do my dive.
Did the solo dive in a familiar shallow cove. Wife was shore support. It was a little lonely as I had done most of my previous dives with my wife and it was strange not having her there to share the experience with. I still feel that way sometimes, but I also enjoy the solitude. It's probably the most relaxing diving I now do because I don't have a buddy to keep track of. I just do my dive.
To be honest, about all I felt on my first solo dive was calm. I'd done all the preparation. I had an item-by-item checklist (in *very* fine detail) of every step I take gearing up. I had all my gear and knew it implicitly. I'd even talked to a couple intelligent and experienced divers.
With every buddy with whom I'd been diving, I'd felt like a poor substitute for a divemaster. I enjoyed diving with them, of course, but I felt I had to keep track of depths, ascent rates, NDLs, and even air for both of us, lest they overlook something and cause an incident. (Perhaps I was just being my overly-analytical self, or perhaps they were indeed a bit inexperienced and borderline dangerous without supervision.)
Anyway, when I did my first solo, it was like a breath of fresh air. I no longer had to watch anyone just in case they started swimming straight up after a cool looking fish. I didn't have to monitor anyone's air supply, NDLs, or anything. All I had to do was monitor myself and enjoy the dive. (Frankly, it really felt as if I had far fewer liabilities diving solo than with the buddies.) Since then, I've done quite a few solo dives. My significant buddy is currently in Japan where she teaches English classes, so I've had plenty of solo opportunity.
A later development, however, was my apparent positive influence on my significant buddy's older sister. She upgraded to AOW, took nitrox, and even concurred with my devious plan to have both of us in the same Rescue class (which did indeed turn out to be *much* more effective with two smart and dedicated divers). Anyway, I've had the privilege of making quite a few dives with her, now, and I must say that diving with an equally competent buddy is quite enjoyable, too.
I'm sure I'm going to do more solo. Diving recently with some other buddies, I again found myself thinking how much better it would be without having to alter my dive to suit their air consumption and low boredom threshold. (I can entertain myself watching a rock, even if I don't have a camera along.)
Anyway, I suppose what I'm rambling is that if you're the kind of person who tends to be dive shepherd, always watching everyone's depth and air and all, doing a first solo dive isn't really a "big deal". It takes more preparation and attention, of course, but at the same time, it can be quite calm (until you blow a LP hose and have to switch to your redundancy while at the bottom of the dive site... then it's exciting for a few moments).
With every buddy with whom I'd been diving, I'd felt like a poor substitute for a divemaster. I enjoyed diving with them, of course, but I felt I had to keep track of depths, ascent rates, NDLs, and even air for both of us, lest they overlook something and cause an incident. (Perhaps I was just being my overly-analytical self, or perhaps they were indeed a bit inexperienced and borderline dangerous without supervision.)
Anyway, when I did my first solo, it was like a breath of fresh air. I no longer had to watch anyone just in case they started swimming straight up after a cool looking fish. I didn't have to monitor anyone's air supply, NDLs, or anything. All I had to do was monitor myself and enjoy the dive. (Frankly, it really felt as if I had far fewer liabilities diving solo than with the buddies.) Since then, I've done quite a few solo dives. My significant buddy is currently in Japan where she teaches English classes, so I've had plenty of solo opportunity.
A later development, however, was my apparent positive influence on my significant buddy's older sister. She upgraded to AOW, took nitrox, and even concurred with my devious plan to have both of us in the same Rescue class (which did indeed turn out to be *much* more effective with two smart and dedicated divers). Anyway, I've had the privilege of making quite a few dives with her, now, and I must say that diving with an equally competent buddy is quite enjoyable, too.
I'm sure I'm going to do more solo. Diving recently with some other buddies, I again found myself thinking how much better it would be without having to alter my dive to suit their air consumption and low boredom threshold. (I can entertain myself watching a rock, even if I don't have a camera along.)
Anyway, I suppose what I'm rambling is that if you're the kind of person who tends to be dive shepherd, always watching everyone's depth and air and all, doing a first solo dive isn't really a "big deal". It takes more preparation and attention, of course, but at the same time, it can be quite calm (until you blow a LP hose and have to switch to your redundancy while at the bottom of the dive site... then it's exciting for a few moments).
captain
Contributor
Considering my first solo dive was also my first dive there was a little apprehension but that was probably more because it was my first dive rather than because it was a solo dive.
Freedom! Plain and simple. no one to watch out for. No one to change the plan mid dive. I will say that after your first if you are still apprehensive or have doubts about your abilities, choice of site, depth, etc. you may want to rethink the whole thing. While fun, it is not glamorous, brave, or cool. It just is. Many view it as dangerous, foolhardy and down right madness. And it is not about the gear, the site, the vis. It is about the mindset and the reason you have for doing it. If you feel you have to ask permission, get someone's approval, or advice you may not be ready.
WesTexDiver
Guest
After checking to make sure my air was on for about the 6th time I finally got into the water and went under. Felt like a little kid sneaking out the window in the middle of the night to meet up with my fish friends. The moment I went underwater I knew that all the preperation, time, energy, money, and miles driven, were well worth it.
Thanks for the feed back. Just to clarify I am not aprehensive or asking permission. I am excited about the new experience. I have been the guy watching out for others on the dives. I am looking forward to it just being me and not looking out for anyone. As it stands right now, on a 1 hour dive I see my buddy 10 minutes tops. I always am concerned for his safety and we get a visual and go shoot some more photos. It will be nice to do whatever I want.
Jim- Are you saying asking for advice is a sign of not being ready? or rather Advice in terms of going in blind and asking for pointers. If you stop seeking advice don't you in effect stop learning? This is not meant to start an argument. I just want to make sure I understand the point.
Jim- Are you saying asking for advice is a sign of not being ready? or rather Advice in terms of going in blind and asking for pointers. If you stop seeking advice don't you in effect stop learning? This is not meant to start an argument. I just want to make sure I understand the point.
I believe (as this topic has come up on occasion) that the concept to which he was alluding (at least in so far as I understood it) is that if a diver is unsure of doing a solo dive, they should not do it. Some people will be near that edge and ask about solo diving in order to attempt to find a sense of security (or permission) from their fellow divers.
That is a mistake, as taking an additional risk without being sure of your ability to handle it is usually a bad idea, and in solo diving, being unprepared can directly lead to the escalation of problems. (Not to say you couldn't have the same results buddy diving, especially with a bad buddy, but going into a dive as a solo dive means that you have no logical excuse for *not* taking things into account.)
Or, I may have misinterpreted.
That is a mistake, as taking an additional risk without being sure of your ability to handle it is usually a bad idea, and in solo diving, being unprepared can directly lead to the escalation of problems. (Not to say you couldn't have the same results buddy diving, especially with a bad buddy, but going into a dive as a solo dive means that you have no logical excuse for *not* taking things into account.)
Or, I may have misinterpreted.
divemaster_jim
Guest
I had a overwheliming sense of awareness and I loved it! I too checked and double checked everything, it was a shallow dive in a local lake in Michigan, spent over a hour just swimming along watching minnows lol haven't looked back since.....:14:
I too checked and double checked everything, it was a shallow dive in a local lake in Michigan, spent over a hour just swimming along watching minnows lol haven't looked back since.....:14:Similar threads
