Diving Solo: Part II: Undercurrent 01/2025

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In our November issue, we reported that a preponderance of Undercurrent members who responded to our email question about whether they dive alone said indeed they do. In this piece, we will discuss more about solo diving, but first, we report about those who don't.

Some Say "Do Not Dive Alone"

Some divers recognize they are not self-sufficient. Stuart Burns (Eastleigh, UK) readily admits, "I am a summer vacation diver, and while I am careful to refresh my skills before a dive holiday, I am not current and sufficiently skilled to handle all the potential problems that could arise. I relax and enjoy my diving more if I am in a small group."

For some divers, there is safety in numbers, especially when current is a factor. "As long as I knew that getting back to the boat was not an issue, that I could surface whenever and wherever I wanted and easily swim back to the boat, then I preferred to dive alone," says Jeff Devine (Frankford, DE). But today, he says, "On drift dives, where the vessel picks you up when and where you surface, I prefer to stay in a large group to enhance my odds of being spotted upon surfacing. In other cases, such as Key Largo wrecks, the risk of being swept off by a powerful current into nowhere is a distinct possibility, especially if one lacks the aptitude for reading the currents accurately."...

"Divers who aren't sufficiently trained should not independently decide to dive alone."

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