Your first solo dive...do you remember it?

[DiverGirl1972]

Got my SDI solo diver cert today and it was a great class. Do I prefer to dive with competent buddy? Yep! But sometimes it's just not possible. With that said, I met some great people today and am happy to say I believe I have lined up a few more future buddies

I really got a lot out of the class. It forced me to practice/ master some skills that I could muscle my way through, but never really felt 100% about. For example, I've never been a big fan of mask removal. Over the last 6 weeks, I searched out some good mentors and hit the quarry. Today, when the instructor pulled the mask from my head, it was nothing but a minor inconvenience. Same with shooting an SMB from depth and managing a slung pony bottle. The mere thought of losing my mask no longer gives me a feeling of anxiety. Also, while I was always conservative, my gas planning usually consisted of turning back at about 2/3 of a tank. Now, I have the tools to actually PLAN my dive.

Anyway, I'd like to take my solo card for a spin around our local quarry. Nothing crazy, just a nice, relaxing dive at fairly shallow depths, mono y mono. I must say, while Im excited, it will be a new experience to be completely on my own. Do you remember your first solo dive? If so, how did you feel about it? Diving is such a social sport for me and part of the fun can be a shared laugh underwater with your buddy over something you've seen or sharing a cool find. Did you feel as though something was "missing" in the beginning or was it completely freeing?

 

[chrpai]

Congrats.

I remember my first solo dive was well before my solo class...

The class was mostly an audit for me. Nothing was earth shattering new to me.

It depends. Sometimes I like to just be alone so I can do my thing and sometimes I miss a good buddy.

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

Welcome to the "dark side" DiverGirl1972.

Yes, I remember my first solo dive. It was in 1976. I was 18, and it was one of the best dives ever.

I prefer diving with a buddy, but often find solo to be peaceful, low stress, and "completely freeing".


Enjoy your new freedom!

Best wishes.

 

[pocky21]

I love diving with buddies, but 75% of my diving takes place in situations where:

a) Nobody's schedule works out
b) I'm the odd man out on the boat
c) I'm doing dives that most buddies don't want any part of (low viz, not enough pretty fish, skill drills, etc...)

Thus, in order for me to dive where/when I can/want to, solo diving is the only option. In addition to that, 9/10 times the people I dive with usually ask me to look after them or someone with them, and sometimes it's nice just to have a dive to yourself.

 

[chrpai]

Thus, in order for me to dive where/when I can/want to, solo diving is the only option. In addition to that, 9/10 times the people I dive with usually ask me to look after them or someone with them, and sometimes it's nice just to have a dive to yourself.

You owe me one.

 

[Kharon]

... but often find solo to be peaceful, low stress, and "completely freeing".

I almost exclusively dive solo for those reasons. I'm not what you would call a real social person and solo diving is about the only real solitude I find. Then and in my workshop when I'm turning bowls.

 

[gekodivebali]

Does the one in my mother's womb count?

 

[romad119]

Does the one in my mother's womb count?

Nope, that was surface supplied

 

[letonac]

Yes, I remember. It was one year ago, I could not find any buddy for diving at that time, so I decicided to go alone. It was really nice dive even I was not relax during it because I had never did it before.
On the other side I did not have enough expirience and knowladge for that tipe of diving, so maybe it was little bit stuppid thing at that time. Anyway, it was nice expirience.

 

[Dsix36]

I have always been very independent. On my first day of OW class then instructor started saying "never dive without a buddy" and my first thought was WTF.

Enough ancient history for now. My first solo dive was off my own boat and I could not find a buddy that fit my schedule on very short notice. I dropped anchor on a local wreck and descended to the bottom. When I got there I found that my anchor had been drug in the sand and the wreck was not visible. As I was getting a compass bearing and looking for signs of the wreck, I saw a dark figure and it seemed to be getting bigger. Out of the distance came a 8' bull shark. I was thrilled, this was my first solo dive and my first shark sighting. the shark swam in a straight line and passed within 4' of me and acted like I wasn't even there. It was one of my most memorable dives and I thank the OP for making me think of it again.