Hi all

What do you think of the hot topic of solo diving. Is it ok if done correctly and under the right conditions or is it a step to far.

Personally I think its a bad idea. It does not matter how well trained or experienced we are or how good our kit is things do go wrong and accidents can happen and if you are on your own you have no back up.

Shaun

Have you ever dived with a photographer? Then you have dived alone (or as close as you can get)
I have my own rules for soloing (is that a real word?)
Max depth 8m (CESARable)
Shore cover
A good plan (stuck to) on a familiar site.
No overhead or penetration
The ability (willpower) to turn around and abandon a dive should anything perturb me.

A the end of the day no one should dive if they are uncomfortable with the situation - learn and live!

I personally do not believe that is is ever safe enough to dive solo.

If you ever get into any problems then at least you have somebody who may be able to help.

Even at 5 metres, if you become entangled and can not get round to cutting free then you are in real trouble.
At least a buddy can help in these situations.

You can dive 100 times and 99% of dives will be fine.
That 1% could be your last.

The only diving i do solo is in the bath.

Paul.

In my view, as long as the individual is correctly trained and qualified as a solo diver, is suitably experienced, is reasonably fit and properly equipped, then I see no problem with solo diving at all. That is of course provided they are very familiar with the dive location, prepare a detailed dive plan and stick to it.

I know a couple of people that are qualified solo divers. With their level of experience, if there was a problem they would probably stand far more chance of overcoming that problem than if one of two buddied divers with less experience got into difficulties.

Dive accidents and fatalities regrettably do occur and usually involve divers of Buddy pairs. Often both are injured, or worse, because one of them had a problem. Solo divers who are experienced, trained to self rescue and are correctly equipped are probably more likely to overcome a dive problem more effectively than a less experienced buddy pair.

Well although i originally posted NO on this poll I have had second thoughts!(still not for me tho at this moment in time!)

Thanks Ian - you say it much more eloquently than I did.

(another) Paul

Paul....you explained yourself beautifully!

OK so ur diving with a buddy whose never where he’s supposed to be and thinks it clever to be just out of sight in the murk gues that ll be solo diving then.
Yes i’ll dive on me tod and most of the time it’s quite peaceful no no overhead environments. just open stuff.
yes I’ve been caught in line and cut my way out also been caught in a net and cut my way out but that time I had buddies who didn’t notice. so 1% of a chance I take more risks than that going to work.

Been solo in the past.. Would refrain in future.. When *hit hits the pan you wish someone was there.. Even with a pony bottle backup! Doesn’t last long as your breathing accelerates!! Comforting to know your buddy is there. Many is the time when you get seperated when at depth though especially in fast current. Take a pony at ALL times if you can.. One day you will be glad of it?

My point about buddied divers getting into difficulty and still ending up into a serious state was regrettably reinforced by the news article in General Diving News - ‘Diver Died of Heart Attack’.

It seems that this experienced diver only had a problem as a result of saving his buddy and then somehow still got left behind. And this is not the first time that an experienced diver has died as a result of helping his buddy.

That must have been one dreadful dive holiday as another member of the same dive group was reported to have died a day or two after this death in a separate incident, I believe whilst ascending using a rebreather.

Well guys I have certainly wished I was alone and felt alone with one or two buddies!  Specially ones who are fiddling with kit and looking at the seabed whilst in front of the most beautiful sparkly reef and with a 3 foot dog fish in front of us, very frustrating!  Then the others who have “moments” as soon as you reach 35m and a really great wreck with limited time!, but again with most buddies it is great and who would share youre babbling excitement when you reach the surface?:)

Hi All

Lots of very good points well made.

I think this is a topic that will always divide the diving community.

I agree that even when with a buddy it can still feel like you are on your own this is especially so when on holiday and buddied up with someone whose diving ability and experience you have no knowledge of and with who you may not even share a common language with which to find out the necessary information. This may well be a fellow diver who you only met minutes before. Things may seem ok on the surface and during a buddy check but once under the surface things can change rapidly. Buddies with cameras can be the worst (I’m guilty of this at times too)

It helps to have a regular buddy with whom you can can build up trust in and get to know how each other behaves and more importantly someone you can rely on. Although even so who knows how anybody will act in the event that a real emergency situation occurs.

I can understand why people solo dive as it does give more freedom and if done in accordance with a full and appropriate dive plan but think i would always prefer to have a buddy with me whoever they are. Even if they turn out to be potentially of no use should a situation occur you never know. You would just find yourself in the same position as if you were solo diving and had nobody there to help.

At least a buddy could go and get help if nothing else.

Shaun