Solo diving

[helimvee]

SDI has a cert for it, so I would consider that "encouraging" it. I think it's a good cert for ALL divers to earn as it makes you think and plan for self sufficiency.

I disagree that offering a course encourages a certain type of behaviour or activity. There are all kinds of courses that teach all kinds of things. Just because they teach a skill does not mean that they encourage a certain behaviour.

I agree that the skills taught in the course are useful for all divers.

I think that there is too much focus on the title of the SDI - Solo Diver course, instead of what the course teaches. More specifically, what the instructor should teach.

I have read several reviews of the SDI Solo Diver course and not one of them was the same. One review suggested that to pass the course the individual had to complete a certain number of "solo dives". Now that, is just plain silly. How can an instructor make a determination of a diver's skills if they do not even see them diving.

To the OP: I did say that the topic of solo diving can generate heated debate...

 

[Trace Malinowski]

PDIC has a solo course you can take at the tech level.

 

[atedeschi]

Depending on your current certification level you could take an AOW course, Wreck Course or Intro to Tech. Completing any of these or all of these courses should give you more confidence and comfort in diving alone.

My courses are structured towards Northeast Wreck Diving and the rec courses have a tech flare thrown in. I discuss and require a redundant gas source because free ascents are no sense up here. Also it is a lot easier to get separated in low vis situations up here compared to diving in South FL etc. The courses also go in to redundant gear and shooting lift bags. A buddy is nice to have but does give you a false sense because unless you are within 10' it’s going to be hard to get to your buddy if you’re OOG.

 

[The Chairman]

Just because they teach a skill does not mean that they encourage a certain behaviour.

Yeah, I took a scuba class to go skeet shooting!

Saying it doesn't "encourage" solo diving is double speak. I would say that it facilitate's (encourages) solo diving as much as a photography class facilitates photography, or that a cave diving class facilitates cave diving.

 

[helimvee]

Yeah, I took a scuba class to go skeet shooting!

Saying it doesn't "encourage" solo diving is double speak. I would say that it facilitate's (encourages) solo diving as much as a photography class facilitates photography, or that a cave diving class facilitates cave diving.

I think that you are missing the point. Perhaps all the "" have clouded your view.

 

[The Chairman]

I think that you are missing the point.

Oh, I got the point alright. Did you?

I am trying to stop drinking, so I took a bar tender's class.

I am cutting back on eating, so I am taking a cake baking course.

We may have to agree to disagree here, but I still find the concept that a solo course does not encourage solo diving utterly silly.

​

 

[fire_diver]

I disagree that offering a course encourages a certain type of behaviour or activity. There are all kinds of courses that teach all kinds of things. Just because they teach a skill does not mean that they encourage a certain behaviour.

I agree that the skills taught in the course are useful for all divers.

I think that there is too much focus on the title of the SDI - Solo Diver course, instead of what the course teaches. More specifically, what the instructor should teach.

I have read several reviews of the SDI Solo Diver course and not one of them was the same. One review suggested that to pass the course the individual had to complete a certain number of "solo dives". Now that, is just plain silly. How can an instructor make a determination of a diver's skills if they do not even see them diving.

To the OP: I did say that the topic of solo diving can generate heated debate...

So I should take diving courses for information ONLY, and never execute those dives? I took nitrox to be able to dive with higher oxygen gas blends. I took advanced notrox to be able to use up to 100% oxygen while diving. I took decompression procedures to be able to safely plan and execute dives beyond NDL limits.

For you to say that a course is not to encourage that particular type of diving is ludicrous.

I am not debating the value of the course (where the fights come from), just your assumption that courses are to be taught and never executed.

 

[helimvee]

Oh, I got the point alright. Did you?

I am trying to stop drinking, so I took a bar tender's class.

I am cutting back on eating, so I am taking a cake baking course.

We may have to agree to disagree here, but I still find the concept that a solo course does not encourage solo diving utterly silly.

Someone posts a legitimate question on a serious topic. There are some good responses and you have to jump in with comments like this.

That is really very sad.

What are you going to do next, delete the thread or just certain posts?

Why not try reading and understanding instead of going off on some mini rant and using those silly smiles as if they strengthen your view.

 

[The Chairman]

Someone posts a legitimate question on a serious topic.

To which I posted a more than legitimate response.

SDI has a cert for it, so I would consider that "encouraging" it. I think it's a good cert for ALL divers to earn as it makes you think and plan for self sufficiency.

There are some good responses and you have to jump in with comments like this.

I definitely disagreed with parts of some of them. I thought they were silly. When you challenged WHY I thought they were silly, so I demonstrated just that. Sorry if you don't appreciate my humor.

That is really very sad.

Welcome to ScubaBoard. We ENCOURAGE a wide variety of viewpoints. Your's, mine and whoever else wants to chime in. Lookie, I am not the only one who thinks this:

For you to say that a course is not to encourage that particular type of diving is ludicrous.

What are you going to do next, delete the thread or just certain posts?

Why would I do that? That might be your approach to any disagreement, but I choose a more hands off approach.

Why not try reading and understanding instead of going off on some mini rant and using those silly smiles as if they strengthen your view.

I did read, completely understood and still disagreed with you. I think you're wrong about whether SDI encourages solo diving by having a course named just that. Perhaps you could accept disagreement a bit more gracefully. :kiss2:

 

[helimvee]

So I should take diving courses for information ONLY, and never execute those dives? I took nitrox to be able to dive with higher oxygen gas blends. I took advanced notrox to be able to use up to 100% oxygen while diving. I took decompression procedures to be able to safely plan and execute dives beyond NDL limits.

For you to say that a course is not to encourage that particular type of diving is ludicrous.

I am not debating the value of the course (where the fights come from), just your assumption that courses are to be taught and never executed.

I did not say, or make the assumption, that Solo Diver courses (or any courses) are to be taught and never executed.

The point I am making, and I suspect that you agree with, is that the course (specifically the instructor) teaches you certain skills - more accurately, the instructor confirms that you can complete certain tasks. It also teaches you to dive in a certain way or with a certain mindset. It does not encourage you to go and do "solo dives".

People solo dive all the time and have been doing it since long before there was such a course.

To follow your logic on why you took certain courses, I took the SDI Solo Diver course to be a better diver and a better dive buddy. Outside of technical courses, there really is no course that offers what it does. (yes, I know that some instructors add skills when they teach OW and AOW, but that is not what I am talking about.)

I do wonder whether we would be having this debate if the name of the course was "Self-Sufficient Diver". That is really what the course teaches and encourages.