The Pure Pleasure Of Diving Alone. [Poll]

[rabe]

Unfortunately, I cannot dive alone yet, but I'm very close to my solo certification, and I can't wait.
I'm really tired of bad insta buddy, including dive masters in training that run out of air after 20 minutes...

 

[Trailboss123]

I started diving solo some years ago because I just couldn't find enough people that wanted to or had the availability to dive as much as me. Once I started diving solo, I realized how much I enjoyed the freedom of it. Do what I want, as long as I want (or short as I want), responsible only for myself, my own safety, and my own experience. By nature or by experience level, when with others, I tend to take on the responsibility or duty of care. Even if it is only in my own mind and not something we have discussed and agreed upon. So much so, that I feel responsible for their "experience". Probably a reason I feel more relaxed when diving alone.

That being said, for the shared experience and camaraderie, I do value being with others and friends driving to and from dive sites, during surface intervals, at the bar or restaurant after diving or at breakfast before diving or on dive trips/vacations.

But, by and large, I am perfectly happy to be by myself under the water. Looking at my dive log and doing some math, 28.5% of all dives I have done, have been intentionally solo. 71.5% were buddied up with others.

 

[Roger Hobden]

As for using stats:
Adding a buddy doubles the odds of a fatal medical emergency during the dive. Them or me, either way that spoils my dive plan.

I must say I found that quite funny.

 

[gcarter]

I voted 'Other'.

I have yet to dive solo. I am relatively risk averse. I want to do a solo course, if for no other reason than peace of mind from the perspective of knowing exactly what risks need managing - in case I am missing something, although I don't think I am.

I would love to be 'under there' on my own. I could truly go Zen.

In time.

 

[Scuba-74]

Most of my local dives are hunts - either lobstering or spearfishing. These activities do not lend themselves well to the buddy system. I also often go diving in a spur of the moment, which makes arranging for a buddy a bit difficult.

When I'm not hunting and plan in advance, I don't mind diving with a buddy. When going deeper than 100ft I will always dive with a buddy.

 

[RyanT]

I spent most of my career diving solo. As others have mentioned, there was this certain zen that I found being alone in the ocean. Any mistake, was mine and mine alone and it was strangely comforting just being alone in the world. I came back to diving a few years ago with a new buddy. She completely changed my view of diving. Since we started diving together, I've made two solo dives without her and I found them to be really unsatisfying. I was actually surprised by this. When you find the right buddy, it really works and I can't imagine diving without her now.

 

[lowviz]

Any mistake, was mine and mine alone and it was strangely comforting just being alone in the world.

Exactly, perfectly stated.

When you find the right buddy, it really works and I can't imagine diving without her now.

I get that, too.

Diving is an extension of oneself. It doesn't have to be all one way or the other. Like someone else stated, I live a stressful life and escape underwater. Nothing can replace that feeling. At one with the critters below...

If your focus is another person, then sharing makes it just as good an experience.

 

[DivealotZA]

Solo, also because of photography, and the fact that 80% of our dives are shore dives.

to be honest, just having a buddy probably won't cut it in most scenarios where you do have a rapid onset of something critical like a heart attack, unless that buddy has something more advanced than an advanced certification...I specifically hate when people are paired up with others they don't know...because you are reliant on that person saving your life in an unfortunate situation...

My wife and I often dive together, but recently she got her own camera - our "buddy" dive lasted all of 3 minutes and then we got separated and just dived solo...before that it was great having her to spot nudi's etc. (I kinda miss her helping hand in that regard). We do however have a "If you're lost and don't know where you are" policy that you should come up and find the buddy - we don't dive solo on reefs/sites we don't know.

But I absolutely hate diving with anyone else or in a group, too many people clatter into you and disturb the water destroying many could-be photo opportunities. When we go on trips/boat dives we generally stick together, away from most of the group...

I love the fact that I can sit for 10 minutes and try get the perfect shot, without anyone swimming up and down waiting for me - which ends up just ruining both our dives....

also toppled with the fact that the wife is instructing 90% of the time, it just makes it easier to dive solo...

 

[Joebar]

I voted other
1 - Diving with a trusted buddy
2 - Diving solo
3 - Diving with an unknown buddy or more than one buddy

 

[Kharon]

My time underwater is too limited to share it by having to continually interact with, stay close to, and be responsible a "buddy". Am I selfish? You bet your bippy. Will I dive with others? Only if I can't dive solo.