Views on solo diving?

[The Duck]

Originally Posted by stevechesh

You solo this weekend Paul ?









yeah, me too

[purple vonny]

Originally Posted by Digger

If you're just buying you first cylinder then yes, go ahead and solo dive. Maximum depth 1m so you can stand up if you have a problem. Deeper than that and you are entering a load of risks you probably haven't considered.

To solo dive you need a completely different mindset to a typical single tank diver. You need to plan your gear, your dive, your surface support, your problem solving potential.
Digs.

That's me slapped on the wrist with my single 10 then.

[David M]

Originally Posted by nigelH

Well I'm an idiot and I solo dive so that proves it.

I must be another one as i only dive solo now

[steveharriss]

I like to dive with a buddy so I can share what I've seen underwater. That's the only reason... other than the fact a good buddy will save your life when it matters. Literally. Don't underestimate the system.

[DIVE BUDDHA]

i don mind either but preffer solo especily iof im useing the camera

[Chardy]

I've dived solo with just a single like Vonny several times. After I got bent it was the only way I wanted to dive when I went back into the water.In Mexico dived solo to 10m just using the pony, stupid, probably or enough self belief that making the surface from 10M was an acceptable risk.

Should you have all the redundancy etc as has previously mentioned - of course you should.

[dynarob]

I prefer solo, especially on fishing and scalloping dives - just had some underwater arguments over a Lobster and a couple of flatties on the Shambles this evening which I buddied with DivingMinxsy (I let her win). For wreck diving I prefer a buddy.

Personally I am much more relaxed when on a solo drift and my SAC goes right down, I hate having to keep an eye on a buddy. All my stressful dives have been with buddies who have bounced along the sea bed, spent the entire dive behind me and then done a yo-yo assent (not Minxsy - she is always a pleasant addition to a dive).

I have spent quite a lot of time going over various problem scenarios in my mind, the only two things which worry me are getting caught in netting but that is extremely unlikely on my chosen sites and getting ill underwater ie passing out or something serious like that. I tend to avoid going into deco when on my own.

There is a book on the subject by Robert Von Maier (I belive it is related to the SDI solo diving course) however I wouldn't waste your time - all it basically tells you is that you need to be fit, have the mindset and equipment (guess what - a twinset!!).

[TonyG]

I like to dive with a buddy, but I also like the freedom of diving alone. Having had equalisation trouble (recovering from a heavy cold) last time we were at Scapa (April), I dived most of the week alone. Not a problem if you are comfortable with your equipment, have the redundancy and use a bit of common sense. When standards allowed, and you were one on one with a student, to all intents and purposes, you were on your own.
Just My twopenceworth

[Mal Bridgeman]

As a Recreational Instructor I did loads of solo dives that did not "feel" like solo dives .... worst of both worlds

I did some solo dives or dives with a loose to non existent buddy coupling and did not enjoy the feeling.

I now only dive with buddies who care about having great buddy dives....I am much happier with that arrangement.
Mal

[Paul Oliver]

My dives are roughly 50/50 Solo/Buddy and i enjoy both most of the time, but i did not do my first solo dive till i was an experienced Dive Leader with quite a few years of diving behind me.

I tend to restrict wreck penetration to simple swim throughs when solo, but always have redundancy be it the twinset or a single and pony.

I have had far more (quantity) stressful dives with buddy's than solo.

I have had to sort out problems when solo but have always identified them early and dealt with them immediately.

I have had to rescue several buddies and find in bad conditions a buddy often adds a lot to the stress and hassle.

I tend to move around the wreck carefully and slowely whicher way i am diving and feel this approach works well with solo diving.