What is your motivation to solo dive?

[Litefoot]

I’m new, so I have all kinds of questions. So why solo diving? Don’t have to find a buddy? You like to explore alone without constantly looking over your shoulder for your buddy? You dive with other people, but like having a two independent air sources when things go haywire? Do most of you who are solo certified go truly solo?

 

[Marie13]

So I can work on skills for an hour or two without boring a buddy. Or if a buddy cancels last minute. And now that I’m CCR, buddying up with a single tank recreational diver just to have a buddy makes absolutely no sense.

I got solo when I was 350ish dives. I’m now at 450 and I’m also full cave.

My local quarry will let you dive solo if you have the solo cert. Just having a tech cert doesn’t get you anywhere.

I do dive with buddies frequently, but not every week. I like going out and mooching about at the quarry.

 

[1fspeed]

I dive for photos and video. So when that's the focus of my dive, I dive solo. I'd rather manage that risk than dive with someone and not be good buddy.

 

[Thrutch]

I find solo diving exceptionally peaceful. There's something really special about it (for me, anyway). I do around 95% of my diving solo these days. While it's also nice to share things with others, solo diving allows me to putter around doing whatever I want for however long I please. My dives are usually a leisurely 100 minutes or so of zen with some skills practice thrown in for good measure. And, yes, it's also nice not having to keep track of a buddy.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I’m new, so I have all kinds of questions. So why solo diving? Don’t have to find a buddy? You like to explore alone without constantly looking over your shoulder for your buddy? You dive with other people, but like having a two independent air sources when things go haywire? Do most of you who are solo certified go truly solo?

Most of my dives are solo, although I do have a number of occasional buddies I dive with. I first started solo diving because it became challenging to constantly coordinate my schedule with someone elses. I also had a number of less than pleasant experiences diving with buddies, both buddies known to me and instabuddies. I did not start diving solo until I had several hundred dives and was trained up through Divemaster and Adv Nitrox/Deco Procedures. I subsequently also added SDI Solo Diver.

I take the preparation for solo diving very seriously. Unless I'm diving very shallow (roughly 25' or less), I always have a redundant air source (pony or doubles). I also dive with a backup mask, two computers, two cutting devices, and two SMBs (for dives that require one).

Sometimes my "solo" dives are with a larger group but with no designated buddy. Other times I am truly solo, meaning there is no other diver around. To be honest, some of my most enjoyable, relaxing dives have been completely solo.

 

[Ministryofgiraffes]

So whomever is diving with me doesn’t have a miserable time hanging around whilst I spend 30 mins in one place on a macroshot

 

[tomfcrist]

I find solo diving exceptionally peaceful.

This

 

[Boarderguy]

1) I can dictate the pace of the dive without concern for my buddy's enjoyment as well.
2) If I get part way through a dive and don't feel it anymore I can go home without ruining the dive for my buddy
3) If I see something mid dive I can pursue it without concern or much thought about the "plan"
4) I can change my dive plan at any point in time based solely on my air. If I want to tool around at 30 ft after a deep dive I can or stay longer and run into deco.
5) No trying to sync my time to kit up with someone else. When I'm ready I splash.
6) I'm not trying to keep up with someone else.


My normal buddy and I normally splash together and follow a similar plan. We often get separated in our low vis water and continue the dive until it's time to surface (we have near the same SAC). That is how we do it and have zero concern for issues as we're fully redundant except his lack of a pony.

 

[Rob9876]

My teenage son is my most frequent dive buddy, and he is into underwater photography. I started thinking about a pony tank/getting into the solo mindset when I realized that if I had a problem while he was taking 5 minutes of video of an octopus I might be in trouble (I do carry a rattle also). I also realized that with any buddy, there can always be times when they are distracted.

Also, as he gets older (going to college soon) I will not always have my regular dive buddy. So, solo diving for me was the best answer.

 

[Degenerate]

Not done a solo class but have done a lot of solo diving.
I enjoy being able to do what I want during a dive without having to inconvenience someone else.