Issues with solo diving.

[Aquatrax]

("They might be there but in some places, they can't help you and therefore you need to be able to take care of yourself completely")

Very good mindset for any dive

[comet24]

In any overhead class the instructor is going continuously pound the idea of taking care of yourself no matter what happens into your head. You will do some buddy drills but in the end they will really push the idea of dealing with it yourself.

I asked a TDI instructor if there was anything I would learn from a Solo class and his response was you would get the card. He said basically with a deco/Advanced Nitrox cert. you've already done more then the Solo cert. requires. Only advantage I see, is doing it with a good instructor and learning something through default of diving with someone else with lots of experience. I like diving with very experienced divers because you can always learn something.

[in_cavediver]

Originally Posted by comet24

... Only advantage I see, is doing it with a good instructor and learning something through default of diving with someone else with lots of experience. I like diving with very experienced divers because you can always learn something.

But what if the local SDI instructor teaching this has less expierence than you?

I am with you - I like diving with expierenced divers and I tend to learn quite a bit from them. I just don't call some of my local rec instructors expierenced divers (I have seen them in the water with students)

[ianr33]

Originally Posted by in_cavediver

True, but in many overheads, the rules are pretty different. If you have one card, you can pretty much do whatever you like. (some exceptions made for DPV use and depth).

It just strikes me as stupid that I have done training for diving 'solo' in overheads (sidemount) but this doesn't carry over to rec diving. (My sidemount instructor phrased it like this - sidemount is solo diving with friends. They might be there but in some places, they can't help you and therefore you need to be able to take care of yourself completely)

Totally agree with you. If go to Florida I can solo pretty much any cave If I so choose. If I want to solo dive in the Flower Gardens though I would need to do the course and pay the money .

Makes no sense to me.

[CompuDude]

Originally Posted by ianr33

Totally agree with you. If go to Florida I can solo pretty much any cave If I so choose. If I want to solo dive in the Flower Gardens though I would need to do the course and pay the money .

Makes no sense to me.

Neither do ops that require AOW to go over 60', regardless of experience.

Personally, I'll pick up the card some day just so I have it in my wallet to silence the objections, should the occasion ever arise.

Just have to figure out a way to take the class without my wife finding out. LOL

[comet24]

Originally Posted by CompuDude

Neither do ops that require AOW to go over 60', regardless of experience.

Personally, I'll pick up the card some day just so I have it in my wallet to silence the objections, should the occasion ever arise.

Just have to figure out a way to take the class without my wife finding out. LOL

I see this as what I might do if the right opportunity presents itself. I just hate paying for something I essentially already have. In some of the local quarries you can dive by yourself with a solo cert. Sometime you want to get a dive in at the last minute but no buddy or your buddy bails at the last minute. I never had a real hassle on a boat yet but in the past have been paired with some scary people. If this would avoid that it would be worth it a hundred times over.

[WaScubaDude]

Originally Posted by in_cavediver

... snip .... (My sidemount instructor phrased it like this - sidemount is solo diving with friends. They might be there but in some places, they can't help you and therefore you need to be able to take care of yourself completely)

I think your great point could be expanded. I believe that most rec diving is "solo diving with friends" given the casual way many divers are buddied underwater. It takes very little distance or lack of attention before both divers are essentially "solo diving with a friend". I would recommend that every diver learn, train, think and equip accordingly.

It is a strange concept to me that many a diver gets freaked out when I tell them I solo dive, yet have no concept that they often are "solo diving" as well.

[in_cavediver]

Originally Posted by CompuDude

Neither do ops that require AOW to go over 60', regardless of experience.

Personally, I'll pick up the card some day just so I have it in my wallet to silence the objections, should the occasion ever arise.

Just have to figure out a way to take the class without my wife finding out. LOL

The point is I have a moral objection to paying for a card. Anymore, I pay for dive instruction. If it comes with a card - so be it but I really don't care that much. With my stack of cards and logbook - I ought to be able to do any dive I please. For the most part - I do. I tend to avoid those who give me grief.

Why should I pay an instructor - who may be less knowledgeable and skilled than I, simply so I can be 'blessed' with the ability to solo dive. There aren't a lot of choices in my parts for a SDI instructor. I think they ought to pay me since I likely can teach them a thing or two about how to dive - right.....[\rant off]

[comet24]

Originally Posted by in_cavediver

I think they ought to pay me since I likely can teach them a thing or two about how to dive - right.....[\rant off]

I like that idea. Should also work when I DM for a rec. class right.

[CompuDude]

Originally Posted by in_cavediver

The point is I have a moral objection to paying for a card. Anymore, I pay for dive instruction. If it comes with a card - so be it but I really don't care that much. With my stack of cards and logbook - I ought to be able to do any dive I please. For the most part - I do. I tend to avoid those who give me grief.

Why should I pay an instructor - who may be less knowledgeable and skilled than I, simply so I can be 'blessed' with the ability to solo dive. There aren't a lot of choices in my parts for a SDI instructor. I think they ought to pay me since I likely can teach them a thing or two about how to dive - right.....[\rant off]

That's the thing. At your level, you're not paying for the instruction, you're paying for the card. Just like you might pay for an air fill card, or perhaps a parking permit at your favorite dive destination so you don't need to feed the meter anymore. You're buying a "permission slip" that will make your life easier, not anything significant in terms of instruction. I did the same thing when I took a drysuit cert class after diving dry for over a year. Didn't learn anything new, but now I have a card that allows me to rent a drysuit when I need to. Haven't yet, but the idea is to be prepared should I unexpectedly need to.

Remember, this isn't a government regulation, it's a requirement of individual dive ops. If you want to vote with your wallet and go elsewhere... assuming you're in a location where going elsewhere is an option... go for it, and kudos. Else we toe the line, pay the BS fee for the card, and then go about our business.