How many of you dive solo?

[HomoErectus]

I have no problem with Ginnie at all. I was just pointing out that the "no solo" rule is in fact a suggestion. Although, as was pointed out, it may help in future litigation.

Russell

well is has to be a suggestion since there is no State or Federal law that prohibits solo diving or OW diver from entering a cave.

[JDR]

Not me thankfully but a pair of friends of mine once played that "close to the exit and easy" game in the cavern at Orange Grove and found themselves quickly at 180' on air and violated both thier computers. :

I only have about a dozen dives in Lower Orange, but I find it hard to believe that they accidentally ended up at 180' in LO. It's a challenge to hit 180'. You have to go looking to find it (unless there's a nook and cranny that I haven't been able to find).

That brings up an interesting point. I'll start a new thread to avoid the Hi-jacking.

There are only 5 reasons that I can think of to cave dive alone:
1.Dive every day and can't find buddies to keep up with your frequency
2. Are a total @sshole and can't find any buddies
3. The hole only allows 1 diver at a time for safety reasons
4. It's easier to study on deco when nobody is there to put rocks in your manifold
5. You prefer the escapist feel of being alone and having the hole to yourself.

I'm guilty of all 5, mostly #2 . Anyone want to add reasons?

[Gary]

There are only 5 reasons that I can think of to cave dive alone:
Anyone want to add reasons?

6. You are competent and comfortable in the cave and don't need your hand held. Your equipment is set up to support it.
7. The dive you plan is beyond the necessary competence, training or equipment level of any of the divers availiable to buddy up that for that dive (AND #6 above)
8. The buddies that are available are @ssholes and you'd probably rather not dive than dive with them.
9. You dive a lot and thus have interests or plan activities that don't align with the activities or presence of a buddy (for example: mapping, photography, line repair, etc)
10. You feel like diving alone that day and can't think of a single reason why you shouldn't.
11. You are planning a dive of such risk and with so little safety margin that you could not posiably be of any help to a buddy or they to you (for example: Shek Exley's dives to 700'+) (of course a safer plan may be a wiser decision)

[BillGraham]

One of the best things about cave diving is coming out and saying "Wow, did you see that?" I think that a big part of the fun is sharing it with someone. I haven't done any solo cave diving (usually, we've got more than enough people to go around) but I see people doing it and there might be an occasion down the road where I want to go that route for some reason.

My friends taught me something useful about diving with less experienced cave divers. When I first finished my cave class, they made me lead nearly every dive for quite a while afterwards. When I questioned it, they explained that it always makes sense to give the reel to the least experienced person. That way, the dive goes at the beginner's pace and they can control what happens, and the more experienced diver can watch and correct issues before they become problems.

[Moonfuzzy]

When I questioned it, they explained that it always makes sense to give the reel to the least experienced person. That way, the dive goes at the beginner's pace and they can control what happens, and the more experienced diver can watch and correct issues before they become problems.

I have been diving with Gary on about 80% of my dives since cavern. He was full cave and would 'make' me lead. I always thought it was a great way to handle the differances in our skill - I went where I felt comfortable and stopped when I didn't. I probably did a lot more that way than we would have planned for on the surface. AND in leading you tend to learn the cave better - rather than trusing and following a 'more experianced' diver.

[tanto]

I used to dive solo a lot, because I had nobody to dive with, now I have many cave diving friends and very rarely dive solo.
One thing I noticed though is that we all progress at different speeds; I pull and glide at 80/100ft/min and drop a stage in 10/20 seconds, but there's people that don't pull and glide and take more than a minute to drop a stage, so it does happen to me to find myself waiting all the time, when diving with certain people. It's OK, but when I want to see something well into the cave, a dive that could take me 60' can last as much as 90', a time that would allow me to progress much forther, so even if I still enjoy the company, I'm not totally enjoying the dive as I would when diving with someone that has my pace.

[JDR]

I have been diving with Gary on about 80% of my dives since cavern. He was full cave and would 'make' me lead. I always thought it was a great way to handle the differances in our skill - I went where I felt comfortable and stopped when I didn't. I probably did a lot more that way than we would have planned for on the surface. AND in leading you tend to learn the cave better - rather than trusing and following a 'more experianced' diver.

This is one of the best posts that I've seen in a while. Great wording and a positive outlook. This is a great way to dive, mentor, and so many other things.

[HomoErectus]

Not me thankfully but a pair of friends of mine once played that "close to the exit and easy" game in the cavern at Orange Grove and found themselves quickly at 180' on air and violated both thier computers. :

I only have about a dozen dives in Lower Orange, but I find it hard to believe that they accidentally ended up at 180' in LO. It's a challenge to hit 180'. You have to go looking to find it (unless there's a nook and cranny that I haven't been able to find).

That brings up an interesting point. I'll start a new thread to avoid the Hi-jacking.

There are only 5 reasons that I can think of to cave dive alone:
1.Dive every day and can't find buddies to keep up with your frequency
2. Are a total @sshole and can't find any buddies
3. The hole only allows 1 diver at a time for safety reasons
4. It's easier to study on deco when nobody is there to put rocks in your manifold
5. You prefer the escapist feel of being alone and having the hole to yourself.

I'm guilty of all 5, mostly #2 . Anyone want to add reasons?

God know if I am an anushole.
regarding 5. "having a hole to yourself" that does sound great especialy if it is "restricted"

How about getting tired of baby-sitting,
You guys have no idea how many guys dive only solo after a couple of dives with me.

[DeWayne]

There are only 5 reasons that I can think of to cave dive alone:
Anyone want to add reasons?

6. You are competent and comfortable in the cave and don't need your hand held. Your equipment is set up to support it.
7. The dive you plan is beyond the necessary competence, training or equipment level of any of the divers availiable to buddy up that for that dive (AND #6 above)
8. The buddies that are available are @ssholes and you'd probably rather not dive than dive with them.
9. You dive a lot and thus have interests or plan activities that don't align with the activities or presence of a buddy (for example: mapping, photography, line repair, etc)
10. You feel like diving alone that day and can't think of a single reason why you shouldn't.
11. You are planning a dive of such risk and with so little safety margin that you could not posiably be of any help to a buddy or they to you (for example: Shek Exley's dives to 700'+) (of course a safer plan may be a wiser decision)

12. You have already proven to yourself that when the caca hits the fan you are likely to be right there in the midst of things attempting to keep your buddy from getting hit.

[Genesis]

13. You enjoy the solace of being underwater with just you, the water, and the environment.