Solo Diving - Yes, No, Perhaps?

[DanG]

I have solo night dived before, a very peaceful feeling, really spooky if you block your torch beam out too.

I have an underwater air horn that I connect to my dry suit inflator hose, it works in and out of the water but I only use it for emergencies, not just to annoy my buddy ;o)

[jasondrake]

Only ever dive solo. If other people are in the water with me (rare) I add them to my mental list of possible hazards. Don't use surface cover, often dive in the middle of nowhere without telling anyone, at night and my kit configuration only involves redundancy as much as I see a need, or can be bothered. Basically my dive 'plan' when diving in full 'agency approved' conditions is exactly the same as when I'm solo, because I never get in the water unless I'm totally sure I'm going to get myself out again, and never assume the support of other people. So why change things when on your own?

[Phil_Beardsmore]

1st place - Good Buddy
2nd place - Solo
last place - diving with a liability in fins.

I'd always rather dive with a good buddy (preferably my wife as she's much better at spotting the fishes than me).  I've dived with some people where I'd certainly have been safer on my own.

IMHO too many divers are locked into a 'dependency' culture.  The world is full of PADI divers who blindly follow the guide and never take responsibility for their own actions.  BSAC seems to work on the principle that you must always dive with a more experienced diver for your first 10,000 dives and your life will be ruled by a man with a clipboard.

I would not be happy diving with anyone who wasn't happy to dive alone.  If they can't cope with the idea of diving without someone to look after them then I'm afraid I wouldn't have much faith in their ability to help anyone else.

Rant over

Phil

[Digger]

I have, and will in future. I like it, being on your own and having nothing to worry about. That said, most of my buddies are novices this time of year, or recently qualified divers. I don't think there is a place for solo diving for a lot of people. There are a lot of people you could say were qualified to do it, but often don't have the right attitude.

Why boats stop people solo diving I will never understand. If they know what's going on (like our agreed SMB up at a certain point) they know everything's ok. Where's the problem? More places to go to pick people up? Tosh.

[kinetic]

Well, I did start this...not knowing what to expect...I came out of the closet a few pages earlier and admitted to solo diving.

The responses have been...well...I suppose as expected...each to his own. Solo diving is a preferred option in certain circumstances....

I think we should remind everyone that solo diving is something you should be ready for mentally and kit wise and experience...anyway....lets draw a line under this one.

Thanks for all comments....lads...how do I end a topic thing.

Graham

[kinetic]

We can carry on...I'm not sure we're getting anything useful out of this anymore...well, a bit like the DIR forum talking about snorkels (bless em)...so yes, let's carry on if you wish...

kinetic

[Driftwood]

<font color='#0000FF'>Solo dived twice, though this could go up as I'm with Mr. Yates at Abbs tomorrow.....

First time was not by choice or for good reasons but I think instinct, training, fear, adrenalin and balls-out stupidity caused that....

Second was a conscious choice, very soon after number one (close enough to lock out my computer and put me on O2 &nbsp; ) but something I felt I had to do alone. Why? Who knows but I wanted five (turned out to be 25) minutes on my own underwater to shout, scream, cry, despair, relax and compose myself.

Would solo again (yes, have a pony) but hopefully never for the same reasons.....

[JohnD]

<font color='#F52887'>Just did two solo dives today, 12litre with Twin take-off valve and pony (with linecutter attached) Knife attached to wing. Reel, Red DSMB, yellow DSMB, backup red attached to Buddy reel, Main lantern torch, backup in pocket. AND Camera! I think that covers for most events, but you can never tell. I would only dive solo, if I knew the area well, it was 20m or less and it was daylight.

[Doug Parker]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (JohnDuncan @ Oct. 04 2003,22:01)]
Reel, Red DSMB, yellow DSMB, backup red attached to Buddy reel, Main lantern torch, backup in pocket.  I think that covers for most events, but you can never tell. I would only dive solo, if I knew the area well, it was 20m or less and it was daylight.

I'm exactly the same as you John except for the 20m part.

[John Gulliver]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (wetlettuce @ Sep. 28 2003,19:01)]I am more interested in the fact that over 70% of the divers voting so far have dived solo, against ALL agencies recommendation ................

Not true, WL. SDI have a solo diving course http://www.o2technicaldiving.com/main...._debate and Drew Richardson, PADI's Senior Vice-President, said a couple of years ago that solo diving was acceptable under certain special circumstances http://www.divernet.com/news/items/padi060601.htm
Two of my 1300 dives have been solo, one in the daytime, the other a night dive. I have back-up for all essential parts of my kit and would dive solo again if I had to. I far prefer diving with a buddy – having somebody to share the experience and discuss the dive with afterwards – but I really don't think I'm exposing myself to an unaceptable risk by doing the very occasional solo dive. Having said that, I was glad to have a competent buddy to help me the time I became entangled in a monofilament net at 20 m. I could have dealt with the problem myself but it was nice not to have to.