OK, 'fess up.... the Dark Side of Solo...

[Sasquatch]

What a great thread!

I'm one of these divers that enjoys buddy diving too. I just ENJOY diving. I'd dive in a mud puddle if there wasn't a better choice but one sunny day I was getting ready for a dive in Mukilteo, WA when my buddy called and said he had an emergency at work and couldn't make the dive. I let him know that it wasn't a problem and went diving anyway.

I'd made a pretty good circuit of most of the sights and as I was coming up the slope a large school of small fish surrounded me in a shaft of light coming through from the surface. They were brilliant and fearless so I held about a meter from the bottom and the fish circled around in the light. I just watched, mesmerized for minutes. When I looked down I saw skates and crab moving around on the bottom and then small flounder came by too, but what I originally thought was random movement soon appeared that they were all coming toward me. And they did. I was surrounded in that light beam and actually laughed out loud when I thought, "Well, maybe they think I'm food." I hung there for another ten minutes at 30'. It was truely magical and it never would have happened the same way if I hadn't been solo.

 

[Stoo]

It was truly magical and it never would have happened the same way if I hadn't been solo.

I am absolutely certain that diving alone gives you a better appreciation of your surroundings. Most "normal" divers will concentrate on staying with their buddy (as they should I guess) and that in itself is going to increase the odds of missing something way cool...

I'm heading out to dive the Forest City in an hour (155') in our baulmy 38F water... My buddy will be sitting in the boat sipping her Hot Chocolate laced with Bailey's as usual...

 

[jorgie]

Hey wait, who you calling old?

 

[shoredivr]

I'm heading out to dive the Forest City in an hour (155') in our baulmy 38F water... My buddy will be sitting in the boat sipping her Hot Chocolate laced with Bailey's as usual...

Mmmmmm, Forest City......... and Forest City with hot chocolate for after, even better!

 

[Stoo]

Mmmmmm, Forest City......... and Forest City with hot chocolate for after, even better!

Almost... the boys got blown out... Teak Bay stayed at the dock. We went out anyway, but just to the King. Shirky tended, I dove... 45 minutes of deliciousness.

 

[East West]

It was a dark night when trouble happened !​

I was bugging by myself on this old scrap of a wreck . It was lobster heaven and I was going wild . I had one big bug in my right hand and grabbed another with my left . I set my light on a piece of scrap to free up one hand and to bag the bugs when things went wrong . I was bagging the bug when I noticed the light was beginning to flood . Should I hurry and bag the other or go for the back up light ? Well I tried to do both by holding the bug under my arm and get the back up running . The back up did not turn on and the primary went dead . It was a dark night and lights out on the bottom of this old wreck . I thought the computer would glow but it was also a no . It was time to make a slow ascent as though my eyes were closed . As I went slowly up , dumped some air , then felt pressure in my ears and surely was going back down . I hope this was not going to be a crash landing inside the heap . I was still standing after the landing which was good luck . The second slow ascent went like a charm and was back on my boat with bugs for home . Wish I could dive some more , found some duct tape , fixed the primary and did two more .​

 

[Stoo]

There is no greater thrill than walking accross the bottom like a mark 5 diver, walking right up to the side of the wreck, extending one arm, leaning in, opening the bolt on your pee valve, and letting it fly.

LMAO... I was just re-reading a few of these posts... This one's worthy of a T-shirt. :mooner:

 

[Rhone Man]

I'm a selfish bugger - going solo means that I don't have to accommodate the needs of others in my dive plan. Works out well for me and for my putative dive buddies.

 

[lemondiver]

My first solo dive was by "accident" on the day I did my check out dives. 3 students were told to go together back to shore, viz was 2', cold, green water and silt everywhere. One student went back to the instructor, 1 student surfaced quickly by themself to wait for the instructor. I navigated back to shore and my love of solo diving was born!! I've had "bad" buddies, ones that weren't good with fins and kicked me in the face, unsafe buddies. It's more peaceful, nobody to worry about but yourself and it's great for photographers. And yes I did take the solo class.

 

[CaveMD]

I enjoy solo diving because to me it is much more relaxing. I can show up when I want, get in when I want, get out when I want.

I do enjoy diving with friends as well but if I get out of the hospital early and everyone else is still at work, I'm still going diving if they can get out there too thats great.