I'm a hybrid Solo diver

[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

[somewhereinla]

I don't know many experienced divers that don't go solo on a regular basis. I think it's a fairly common here in south cal. Try to go lobster hunting and stick with you buddy, would be very hard thing to do. Then again most divers around here dive every week and dive spots they know very well, solo diving is not something I would recomend for vacation divers, or in waters that are unfamiliar to you.

[skdvr]

I too se nothing wrong with doing what you are doing. If you are comfortable that is what matters most to me. If you are not completely comfortable with what you are doing then you have no buisness in the water alone (in my opinion) but it is still your call.

Phil

[Theepdinker]

It's easy to see why this would cause a stir on SB.
With the DIR crowd team concept & new divers being bombarded with
'never dive out of reach of a buddy'.
Then there are others who for whatever their reason
think you are wrong for even suggesting such a thing,
and plenty of people willing to post their opinion of your behavior.
(so many smilies & no train wreck)

My only comments to you,
so long as you dive with the necessary equipment, training & mindset have at it.


Theep

[CrzyJay456]

Originally Posted by somewhereinla

I don't know many experienced divers that don't go solo on a regular basis. I think it's a fairly common here in south cal. Try to go lobster hunting and stick with you buddy, would be very hard thing to do. Then again most divers around here dive every week and dive spots they know very well, solo diving is not something I would recomend for vacation divers, or in waters that are unfamiliar to you.

pretty much anyone looking for bugs ends up solo here in florida, unless you take a buddy to just specifically follow you underwater.

[scuba Widow]

I know that finflippers does both...even though I prefer he has a buddy.

[padi1029]

Doesn't anyone find it kind of ironic that PADI offers a "Search & Rescue" specality but don't you dare mention "Solo Diving". You can learn to search for and rescue another diver but cannot learn how to rescue yourself.

Like many of you said, most experienced divers end up for the most part diving solo anyway. Like Charlesml3 I too stay at the rear of the group, let things come to me and stay out of the way of the divers who feel the need to be at the front of the pack. Those to me are typically the people who are unsure of their skills and maybe not very comfortable in the water so they want to be up front near the dive navigator or dive leader. Perhaps if they were taught how to be self sufficient they would become more confident and sure of themselves.

[datamunk]

when you took your lcass you didnt get trained for buddy diving, you wer etrained to be self sufficient. sure buddy diving is nice, but i enjoy solo diving as well. i carry a 15cf safety bottle, as well as a lift bag w/ reel so i can always mark myself before i start up, and am always aware of my surrounding.

i dive often with a few experienced people but normally i go solo...

[Jipps]

Originally Posted by CrzyJay456

pretty much anyone looking for bugs ends up solo here in florida, unless you take a buddy to just specifically follow you underwater.

Yah, i end up by myself bugging alot, normally because my dive buddies run out of air before me, lol. We start off together, they normally bag the bugs we both catch, while i keep the stringer full of fish that i shoot. For some reason my friends dont want to hold the bloody fish, lol.

[DarinMartell]

The only question I have with what you describe is... If you are with a different group do you tell the DM that there is a chance that you won't be following the group the entire dive? They might like having an experienced diver be last but if you will not be there the whole dive they might want to make sure the second to last person is experienced also.

Not condeming the practice, I am way too new, just wondering