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I have done it on several occasions. Never without a redundant air source and safety gear, ie. wreck reel, lights, pony bottle, etc... I also think the course is a great way to advance your skills even if you never intentionally dive solo. Ever find yourself more than a dozen feet away from your buddy? What about getting separated in poor vis or heavy current? And what about the "Buddy" you get hooked up with on the dive boat. Is he/she really qualified to save your a-- should something really go wrong? I make it my business to be prepared to help out anyone I`m diving with or near, but I will not stake my life that anyone else is willing to do the same. I think that diving each dive prepared to be a solo is a good idea, it may help you someday, and it can never hurt...
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I solo dive occasionally. I like the peace, I`m comfortable down there. I surfaced from a dive and was asked to recover something solo 105 feet down. Checked my air, checked my computer. Viz wasn`t good, but I was comfortable. But, I also skydive. Where`s your buddy skydiving? All you have is a reserve that you DON`T know will work. You take a chance every time, just like hopping in your car. You have to be comfortable with your equipment and abilities for self rescue. Bottom line, when it`s your time, it`s.......your time. I`m all for Solo Diving Certification. At least it will offer information for the solo diver to consider before they go it alone. All that aside, I don`t believe ANYONE has a right to tell us that we CAN`T dive solo. We DRIVE alone, we FLY alone, we SWIM alone. If that`s not enough, consider this. Should I meet my fate while solo diving, there`s 2 benefits. The first being there`s now a job opening for my old job, and my used gear will benefit a new diver that can`t afford new gear! Hey, just looking at the bright side! Live life the way you want and live it to the fullest.
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Yes, when I dive on the boats up here I usually go alone, or without planning on making a buddy on the boat. But if there`s another dive who`s planning on going solo and who probably shouldn`t be soloing yet (because they`re only AOW) I take them along with me, this happens all the time. If it`s some intense deep dive, like the Oregon or something deeper, I make sure I have a buddy. I`ve done the USS San Diego solo twice, usually it`s on an in-shore wreck though. Like all dives though I have a few reels, two lift bags, two strobes, and if it`s deeper than 60ft I have a pony slung, and any necessary stages I might need (but for those dives I have a buddy). I always set my alarms on my computers for at least 200lbs before I have to be on the ascent line back, and I keep my ears open for them.
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No...I believe in the unified team and buddy system. I believe that with a good buddy/team you won`t have to worry about getting seperated. Each member should be squared away to correctly position themselves and maintain contact. Getting seperated in poor viz is a problem of poor planning, but in case you do get seprated then you call the dive and meet at the surface. IMO the team will plan the dive together, splash together and ascend together.
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There is actually a solo course that you can take. It will help you understand all of the considerations including gas management, not just rock bottom limits or turn around times; I believe at a minimum you should use the rule of thirds. I have done it and if you think about it as an instructor not only are you often solo diving, with new students you have double the responsibility to ensure all is correct before you or one of your students end up in bubble trouble.
I will also say that there are places like Cooper River where you are black water diving and even if you have a buddy right next to you, you likely cannot see them . . . on a good day you may see their light. Rescue diving in some of the places here in the county is the same way as the vis is in some a few inches. While this is different from Cooper River, there at least you have a recreational objective, all require the same safety considerations, none to be taken lightly.
to find out more about Solo diving visit SDI, the agency that offers a solo course. http://www.tdisdi.com/index.php?did=44&site=1 Need an instructor, Contact www.BrunswickScuba.com
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I solo the Cooper River all the time. As you mentioned, vis can suck. Besides, you can rarely get belowe 45ft! Kinda hard to SAT with single tank dives so shallow, no problem just poppin` up when needed!!! I need some dedicated river buddies!!! I am currently investigating a possible new shipwreck,so far SDAMP can find nothing in their records on it !!!
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I have done it in the past in shallow water, but I don`t think I would do it in extreme conditions there are to many things that can go wrong. I would never dive without someone knowing I was down. I have been looking for someone that teaches solo diving just to have the knowledge.
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Yes I would in shallow water river dives not the ocean
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Who wants to dive the Cooper with me? I live here, 5 minutes from river.8 tanks and a boat, gotta luv it !!!
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Whats the season for diving to cooper?
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12 months a year !!! water temp. now low 50`s. I dive 7mil wet w/hooded vest Nov. thru Jan. Air temp. too cold right now.Prob. won`t go again till first of march unless I get heated pontoon boat. Normally 3 mil & skin is perfect in summer. Current tends to wash out warmed suit from time to time. Just depends on what part of river-depth,in or out of current, sunny,cloudy,windy,the usual factors.Vis can change day to day dive to dive.Never a dull moment here!!! You never know what you`ll find.Big megs,little megs,all kinds of fossils,old bottles,old clay pipes, scuba gear, you name it, I`ve found it !!! I think I just recently found a historical sight not yet discovered. It is being researched as we speak by S.C. State Museum. I believe it to be yet another old ferry landing and an old shipwreck not documented on the Cooper River Trail.So far, they only list 6 ferry landings. This one looks alot like the structure @ Strawberry.
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Cool about the find...keep me posted as to what it is. I think it would be great to dive a virgin wreck (or site) and be the first one to identify it. I hope to visit SC this Spring and will definatly have the Cooper on my list. All of my SC diving to date has been off od Myrtle Beach.
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look me up before you come to sc. no prob. being divebuddy!!!
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Very well said. I agree with you and I also would love some solo diving certification...bet it won`t happen though because they might be afraid of encouraging diving alone...who knows...thanks for you thoughts....
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