I have been thinking about taking the Kona Aggresor cruise. I wouldn't be traveling solo but wonder if I can dive solo? It's the weekend so I can't call.
Any help, Thanks
Any help, Thanks
Solo diving on Aggressor Fleet
- Thread starter ron_cooper
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Doubler
Contributor
All the Aggressor boats I've been on (Belize, Caymans, Kona) do not allow solo diving.
beautybelow
Contributor
Probably not, but you could buddy with one of the staff and do your own thing pretty much.
OP
Thanks, I will contact them on Monday. I will be asking more about the self suffiency details rather than the dive in the same area as other divers. If that makes any sense. I am planning on getting a camera and probably won't be paying close attention to other divers if I'm trying to get some good shots.
vladimir
The Voice of Reason
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I have about 40 solo dives off the Belize Aggressor. They'd probably rather not explicitly state that it's okay to solo. If they become comfortable with your ability as a diver they may tacitly allow it. The Palau Aggressor will not, for obvious reasons, but boats that do diving off the main boat while it is moored may.
divengolf
Contributor
If you have an SDI Solo cert and carry a redundant air supply, that might help. There's more to solo diving than being comfortable being alone down there.
But Beautybelow is correct. Just buddy up with a DM lead group, then do your thing. If the captain is OK with your skills, etc., they generally look the other way.
But Beautybelow is correct. Just buddy up with a DM lead group, then do your thing. If the captain is OK with your skills, etc., they generally look the other way.
drl
Contributor
The policy is to require diving with a buddy, but I've seen plenty of "same day, same ocean" buddies. When I did the Kona Aggressor a couple of years ago, there were two guys who basically dove solo. They claimed to be buddies and went in at the same time but probably never saw each other again until they returned to the boat, separately. They both had good skills (one was a videographer and carried redundant air in case of emergency) and nobody gave them a hard time that I saw. A different captain might be of a different mind though.
ScubaVideo
Contributor
I've solo dove on all three of those.
The policy is a buddy, but they make exceptions based on skill level and needs. I video tape, so I'm not a good buddy for multiple reasons. I've seen professional photographers on-board solo diving in re-breathers. They get to know you and your skill level within the first day, so it is not much of an issue that I can tell. I've soloed in much more difficult areas than the bath water dives of the 3 aggressors mentioned above.
I would not bother calling them, the official policy will be to buddy up. I would not alert corporate so that they send out reminders to make this a fresh issue in the minds of the crew.
I've even soloed on the Nektons and they were pretty anal about it.
ScubaVideo
Contributor
Oh, and I had a blast on the Kona. I booked it for two weeks in a row. I started on Kauai for 3 days of "warm up" diving then to the Big Island and a few more days of warm ups. The day boats (cattle boats) divided the groups by experience and in no way allowed solo diving. But the experienced group was small and we had a good time. The smaller boats were best as they had no problem with me solo diving.
Then onto the Kona for two weeks. On that boat, you need to like to eat fish because they catch it daily and serve it for dinner. I'm not that much of a fish guy, so that part kind of sucked. Once I expressed that well enough they served additional items. Next time I think I will be allergic to fish - but not shell fish
I finished my trip up doing the tourist thing with some of my fellow divers. It was such a blast I have to go back soon.
ewaiea
Contributor
I traveled by myself on the Kona Aggressor and roomed with one other guy in the quad cabin upstairs who also was by himself. We got along and had a nice time so we buddied up - but it was a loose buddy team. We were with the body of the group but not often right next to each other. I shot photo - he shot video but the dive staff was totally fine with it. Obviously the first day or two me and my buddy were a bit more careful as we got comfortable with each others skills but after a while it was fine.
The Kona Aggressor II was a great boat - I'd rather hit Turks and Caicos as well as Palau for my next Aggressor trips, but Kona was definitely a fun one.
As a Hawaii resident - if I had the chance to do two liveaboards in one year, I'd do my usual (to a place I'd never been - probably far away) and then do the Kona Aggressor II or perhaps Truth Aquatics in the Channel Islands in California later in the year.
The same was the case on the Star Dancer in PNG this year. I traveled solo and basically just stayed with the body of the group. I've found that if a diver shows up and right off the bat talks about diving solo - it usually raises a mental red flag with the dive operator and they automatically keep a closer eye on you.
My recommendation - just get in the water, pay attention to who you buddy up with which I would recommend is the divemaster, and it won't take long for them to realize your skills are okay. But one thing I do recommend - bring along a spare air bottle for yourself. I'm in this situation all the time when I dive locally here or on a liveaboard and the one thing that always happens is my buddy is not RIGHT next to me and if something were to happen with my valve, reg, o-ring, or whatever a spare air bottle might save my life. It'll most likely be my next dive purchase - to go along handily with my DAN card.
The Kona Aggressor II was a great boat - I'd rather hit Turks and Caicos as well as Palau for my next Aggressor trips, but Kona was definitely a fun one.
As a Hawaii resident - if I had the chance to do two liveaboards in one year, I'd do my usual (to a place I'd never been - probably far away) and then do the Kona Aggressor II or perhaps Truth Aquatics in the Channel Islands in California later in the year.
The same was the case on the Star Dancer in PNG this year. I traveled solo and basically just stayed with the body of the group. I've found that if a diver shows up and right off the bat talks about diving solo - it usually raises a mental red flag with the dive operator and they automatically keep a closer eye on you.
My recommendation - just get in the water, pay attention to who you buddy up with which I would recommend is the divemaster, and it won't take long for them to realize your skills are okay. But one thing I do recommend - bring along a spare air bottle for yourself. I'm in this situation all the time when I dive locally here or on a liveaboard and the one thing that always happens is my buddy is not RIGHT next to me and if something were to happen with my valve, reg, o-ring, or whatever a spare air bottle might save my life. It'll most likely be my next dive purchase - to go along handily with my DAN card.
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