Solo cert.

[porsche060]

Insta buddy with a guy with a 3 day cert. What fun!

[Jaymeany]

How often do you get a horrible insta buddy and what really makes someone a horrible insta buddy? I want to make sure that I never meet those specs because I don't have a dive buddy to travel with. I have a wife but no diving for her.

[texdiveguy]

Originally Posted by Jaymeany

How often do you get a horrible insta buddy and what really makes someone a horrible insta buddy? I want to make sure that I never meet those specs because I don't have a dive buddy to travel with. I have a wife but no diving for her.

I had what some call an 'insta buddy' once while in Coz.. He had done little diving and none of recent....but he was upfront with that--I really appreashated his honesty.....things went ok on our 2 dives....I kept a watch on him and lent assistance as required--no real biggie for me.

The best thing IMO is just to be honest about your diving experience/history and comfort levels with your matched up buddy. Only book on dives you feel are in your skill and comfort area.

[K-Valve]

Originally Posted by porsche060

Insta buddy with a guy with a 3 day cert. What fun!

That's one good reason. The trip that turned me to getting my Solo Diver card was a little different. The guy I was randomly paired up with was a complete jerk with over 10,000 dives. The first thing he did after we touched down was swim off without me when I wasn't looking. I wasn't worried about myself, but this old fart could've had a heart attack, become lost, etc. For all I know 9,999 of his dives were in the Dallas Aquarium cleaning the tanks.

The 3rd, and possibly the best, reason is that I get less of an earful from my girlfriend now that I have that "little piece of plastic."

Getting a Solo cert is inexpensive and quick. A few hours reading the book and answering the questions, a night or two of class, and a couple of certifying dives and you're good to go. Cost, with books, was around $250 for me.

[scubasamurai]

another money maker is true, who issues the solo certs?? or does it depend on the dive operator. in all honesty most of us dive solo anyways, once you get in there, you and your buddy part ways by a couple of feet, minus the cave or tech divers ot there.

[CompuDude]

Originally Posted by scubasamurai

another money maker is true, who issues the solo certs?? or does it depend on the dive operator. in all honesty most of us dive solo anyways, once you get in there, you and your buddy part ways by a couple of feet, minus the cave or tech divers ot there.

SDI is the only one I'm aware of, but it wouldn't surprise me if one or two smaller agencies issue them as well. PADI wouldn't touch it with a 10' pole, and I doubt NAUI would either.

[MEL-DC Diver]

Originally Posted by cummings66

You're right that you don't need the card, but some places you might go might require the card. I don't have the solo diving card, I'll probably get it if it's convenient, as in I don't have to drive 500 miles out of my way to do a course.

I got my AOW because I had a dive I wanted to do and they wouldn't let me without the card. Of course now I have other things I want to do that require rescue so I've done it. It's one of those things that many times you can learn the skills on your own, but sometimes there's a way to look at it that you missed. The rescue course will show that to be true many times over.

I believe the solo course might do the same. At any rate I have all the gear suggested and feel it's well worth having. I do solo dive sometimes, and to be honest I enjoy the peace of mind I get while doing it. I have no responsibilities to my buddy, I can do what I want for as long as I want and have to answer to nobody. Well, not quite true. I do tell my wife the dive plan and I stick to it so that she won't worry.

What kind of things are you encountering that requires rescue? Is it other courses or certain dive sites?

[K-Valve]

Originally Posted by scubasamurai

another money maker is true, who issues the solo certs?? or does it depend on the dive operator. in all honesty most of us dive solo anyways, once you get in there, you and your buddy part ways by a couple of feet, minus the cave or tech divers ot there.

SDI...sister certifying agency to TDI...offers the course. That's the only agency I know of...and who I got my cert through. PADI, SSI, NAUI? No way!

You may have to find an independent instructor to teach the class or you may be able to take it through a shop that caters more to the technical side of diving. Those shops who focus on the vacation divers won't touch it. Ask around. I bet someone knows a tech instructor who can certify you.

Something to keep in mind is that SDI requires 100+ logged dives. Most good tech instructors will ask around about you before taking you on as a student for this course or any tech courses they teach. Solo Diver is not a tech course, BTW.

I agree...every dive is a solo dive and every dive is a deco dive. Anytime you lose your buddy you're solo. Sometimes folks get careless and end up having a slight deco obligation on a dive. It's comforting to know what to do and it's all about being calm and level-headed. That's what training can help you acheive.

[RECDiver]

I got one last year, although I have been solo diving since 1981.

[Coaster]

Originally Posted by RECDiver

I got one last year, although I have been solo diving since 1981.

Were you able to take the training in Texas?