[charlesml3]

Gang,

This idea lit off a HUGE thread of flames when posted it on Scubaboard some time ago. Anyway, I do what I call a "hybrid solo" dive. Before we get into that, I'm not into the whole DIR thing. I'm much more of a dork diver than anything else. If I don't need it, I don't carry it.

I do pretty much all of my diving in warm, clear, tropical water. I dive with a group of friends and we've been diving together for some time now. Anyway, I take up my usual position at the back of the group. The DM actually likes me there because I pick up anyone that falls off from the group. I tend to move slowly and let things come to me. As a result, I often find myself alone and just don't get worked up about it.

I carry a pony with it's own reg just in case and I use my SMB on just about every dive. If conditions don't really lend themselves to this then I stick with the group. It just depends.

I don't head out with the intention of doing a solo dive. Then again, I don't really mind if it turns out that way. If there's another experienced diver on the boat we'll usually buddy up together. I had a couple of dives in Cozumel with this German dude. He didn't speak a bit of English but was one of the better dive buddies I've ever had.

-Charles