47 replies to this topic

[peterbj7]

I often dive solo, mainly on technical dives. Often with other people all solo diving around me, but sometimes totally alone in the water. Even 180' 3 hour rebreather dives. But I'm with Walter - if you're asking the question you're not ready for it yet. To dive solo safely you need appropriate training and mastery of everything necessary, plus you need all the appropriate equipment and an appropriate dive plan. And of course you need the right mental approach. I won't explain any more as it's pointless - unless you've been told by someone competent to know that it's safe for you to dive solo under specified circumstances then don't do it. Which isn't to say that you shouldn't try to become independent of your buddy - you should dive with a buddy in order to look after him/her, not so (s)he can bail you out if you get into difficulties.

[fbp]

my buddy and I dive solo... together....

I take pictures, he points to the Octos, wolfies that I never see, but we're both self sufficient. I just like hanging around someone too... but I don't have to worry about them...

So ww, what kind of Dry Suit did you get.... now for the cold water diving you were asking about...

[drbill]

I have dived solo since about 1970. However, I do not recommend it to others (especially on a board like this) since I have no knowledge of their skills level, reactions to incidents underwater, etc.

I do so out of necessity. Most divers I know here on Catalina are dive professionals who are busy with classes, intros, hunting, etc. As an underwater videographer, my diving needs match relatively few divers that I know. I have a group of "regular" dive buddies who I enjoy diving with since they adapt easily to my style (for example: sitting in one place for much of a dive to film a certain species or behavior) and enjoy being able to observe in greater depth.

About 80% of my diving is solo, 20% with a buddy. I dive with buddies when they are available , when I am in unfamiliar waters (travel, other soCal sites than Catalina) or when conditions require the added element of safety.

I do dive with a pony even on "shallow" dives now after an incident previously posted. I keep a cutting tool available (although fishing lines, a major threat for many, are rarely encountered where I do most of my diving and I've never had a real problem with kelp entanglement).

To dive solo requires not only the skills and the equipment, but the willingness to accept the additional risk that MAY be involved. I have posted elsewhere that my incident rate is MUCH lower when diving solo than when diving with a buddy. Almost all my incidents have occured when with a buddy, and usually related to their diving. I have had only one serious situation diving solo (OOA at 70 ft due apparently to a clogged tank valve which abruptly stopped air floe to both regs and my SPG without warning) and that chastened me. I hadn't put my pony bottle on because I had planned a "shallow" dive.

The decision to dive solo is a personal one. I don't feel anyone else should make such a recommendation. However, it can be done safely... sometimes more safely than with a buddy (sometimes not).

Dr. Bill

[drbill]

Should have added that my focus on searching for subject matter and videotaping does not permit me to be a good buddy to others. Therefore I greatly prefer to have responsibility only for my own diving and not a buddy who might depend on me when I am not being attentive. It is better for most buddies not to dive with me because of this.

Dr. B.

[fbp]

Should have added that my focus on searching for subject matter and videotaping does not permit me to be a good buddy to others. Therefore I greatly prefer to have responsibility only for my own diving and not a buddy who might depend on me when I am not being attentive. It is better for most buddies not to dive with me because of this.

Dr. B.

Ditto Dr B., just never thought of putting it that way... I get to "Focused?" on what I'm trying to do to keep a constant eye out for another, although I do catch up when I move to the next one.. but as Buz "De Bro" Poole (Rotan Dive buddy) will attest, I CAN get lost at times.. heheh... as in picking up with the wrong group.. Sigh... a lot of photos of people from another group... heheh...

but on the serious side, I don't make a good dive buddy with camera in hand, and that's just about all the time.... Prefer to dive with threesomes... I'm their backup if needed.. but I still prefer to dive with someone/group as compared to solo... it's just more fun and I like taking diver photos...
Oh well... my thoughts on it..

[WreckWench]

So ww, what kind of Dry Suit did you get.... now for the cold water diving you were asking about...

I got one from a company in your neck of the woods...High Tide Diving. It is a 5mm compressed neoprene and I LOVE it! In fact I'm taking it to Cozy with me this January as you know how chilled I get plus diving DRY is awesome! -ww

[WreckWench]

Should have added that my focus on searching for subject matter and videotaping does not permit me to be a good buddy to others. Therefore I greatly prefer to have responsibility only for my own diving and not a buddy who might depend on me when I am not being attentive. It is better for most buddies not to dive with me because of this.

Dr. B.

Ditto Dr B., just never thought of putting it that way... I get to "Focused?" on what I'm trying to do to keep a constant eye out for another, although I do catch up when I move to the next one.. but as Buz "De Bro" Poole (Rotan Dive buddy) will attest, I CAN get lost at times.. heheh... as in picking up with the wrong group.. Sigh... a lot of photos of people from another group... heheh...

but on the serious side, I don't make a good dive buddy with camera in hand, and that's just about all the time.... Prefer to dive with threesomes... I'm their backup if needed.. but I still prefer to dive with someone/group as compared to solo... it's just more fun and I like taking diver photos...
Oh well... my thoughts on it..

And good diver pics they are! I know...he got some good ones of me! -ww

p.s. the idea of a threesome is good!

[jextract]

Should have added that my focus on searching for subject matter and videotaping does not permit me to be a good buddy to others. Therefore I greatly prefer to have responsibility only for my own diving and not a buddy who might depend on me when I am not being attentive. It is better for most buddies not to dive with me because of this.

Dr. B.

I would respectfully disagree with you ... having dove with you I'd say you are an outstanding buddy!!

[oxtox]

Solo diving...

Is it for everyone, of course not. However, if you have sufficient skills, equipment, training, and confidence in your ability to operate unassisted at depth, it can be quite satisfying.

It's a situational awareness and risk management issue...I won't solo in every setting, it has to meet certain criteria before I consider it. And everything in life has risks, you simply decide what level are you willing to accept.

I've been on far too many dives with strangers as partners who were completely unaware of me while diving together. There is little value (to me) in that type of buddy diving...

[FreeFloat]

Solo diving...

Is it for everyone, of course not. However, if you have sufficient skills, equipment, training, and confidence in your ability to operate unassisted at depth, it can be quite satisfying.

It's a situational awareness and risk management issue...I won't solo in every setting, it has to meet certain criteria before I consider it. And everything in life has risks, you simply decide what level are you willing to accept.

I've been on far too many dives with strangers as partners who were completely unaware of me while diving together. There is little value (to me) in that type of buddy diving...

Boy, everything you say resonates in the back of my mind. That's about how I feel on the topic.

Mitigation of risk - and personal acceptable limits of risk. In other words what I may consider acceptable parameters for a dive within my comfort zone, might be well outside the bounds of "doable" for another diver..... and likewise still other divers may consider a particular dive "easy" that I would hardly dream of attempting.

[fbp]

I got one from a company in your neck of the woods...High Tide Diving.

Yes, coincidence, I just got one too.. High Tide.. they're very popular around here...
My DUI was out for a "Ring Job" and the Hi-Tide is working out well. Just takes a little to get used to the differences... To Cozumel?? heheh... going to be hot eh??
thanx..

[drbill]

Should have added that my focus on searching for subject matter and videotaping does not permit me to be a good buddy to others. Therefore I greatly prefer to have responsibility only for my own diving and not a buddy who might depend on me when I am not being attentive. It is better for most buddies not to dive with me because of this.

Dr. B.

I would respectfully disagree with you ... having dove with you I'd say you are an outstanding buddy!!

Appreciate the compliment Jamie. I can be attentive with buddies, but usually I am too focused. If I'm diving with someone whose skills are not yet well-honed, I do pay much more attention to them out of the responsibility I accepted in diving with them. Of course, I'm not referring to you with this, Jamie! Most of the time I know I'm not being as attentive as I would like my buddy to be towards me.

Very good conditions at the Point today. Vis as high as 80 ft in the morning(based on reports from people I believe) and at least 60 or more when I arrived after noon. Why, even I could see a buddy "a mile away" under those conditions.

Dr. Bill

Edited by drbill, 22 October 2004 - 08:41 PM.

[WreckWench]

I got one from a company in your neck of the woods...High Tide Diving.

Yes, coincidence, I just got one too.. High Tide.. they're very popular around here...
My DUI was out for a "Ring Job" and the Hi-Tide is working out well. Just takes a little to get used to the differences... To Cozumel?? heheh... going to be hot eh??
thanx..

Ha! I know where to go when I need a suit for cold! The owner is laughing at me cuz I'm wearing a suit in warm water that he designed for YOUR waters! Guess I'm going to have to bulk up the undies to keep warm. I love the suit so far...and I LOVE being DRY!

Yep...last year in Cozy I had to wear my 7mil even though the water was high 70's low 80's! SuperDave wore a shorty...then he is from Idaho. I got wimpy blood so yes...I'm going to go dry in Jan! -ww

[Diverbrian]

Hey, I was diving dry in water nearly as warm as you will be diving in Coz. So, I must be a wimp too!

My wetsuit gets used for pool sessions and tropics and that is all. I am flirting with using it in the warmer ocean with really thin undies one of these days as I firmly believe that you don't impress the cold by acting like you are not cold. Also, I hate that feeling of being poured out of a salt shaker. No salt to shake off if it never touched you to begin with.

Have a great weekend all! I am going to Gilboa Quarry in Ohio to do my annual tech skills practice/clown-around at 120 ft. weekend. I have to be safe as someone already told me that they would drag my body up and kill me if I wasn't .

[peterbj7]

I know people who dive dry in Belize, even though I may be using a skin on the same dive. And on a recent 44F UK dive when I was diving VERY dry I saw someone in a wetsuit! No accounting for tastes.