Why Do You Dive Alone? Part Three: Undercurrent 03/2025

Why Do You Dive Alone? Part Three

the reasons are many

from the March, 2025 issue of Undercurrent

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When sports diving started nearly seven decades ago, there were no rules, and as it developed, some folks dived alone. However, as training agencies became established, so did the buddy rule. While solo diving and self-reliance training began three decades ago, for many divers today, the rule remains: don't dive alone.

Last autumn, we asked Undercurrent's readers if they would dive alone, and if they did, to tell us about it. We received scores of interesting comments -- about 90 percent were from divers who dived solo -- leading to articles in November and January. In this issue, part three of the series will continue looking at what our readers, mainly highly experienced divers, have to say about solo diving.

Buddy diving is emphasized by every training agency for open water certification. As we have pointed out earlier, many divers believe a buddy is there to help you should you get into trouble. But, as divers gain experience, they realize that it is rare for a buddy to help in serious situations. Selfreliance is the key to safe diving and self-rescue.

These days, many liveaboards allow divers who are solo certified; they may allow others who, after a dive or two, have demonstrated their skills. Or not say much about those who disappear from a group at the beginning and return at the end. After all, most liveaboard divers are quite experienced; just being on a liveaboard shows a serious commitment to the sport.

It's much tougher for land-based operators because most have newly certified divers, once-a-year divers, and a few well-experienced, and their customers turn over weekly, if not daily. But some do allow divers to go solo.

Patti Stewart, an instructor trainer at St. Croix Ultimate Bluewater Adventure, says," Our pier is spectacular and a whopping 47' if you don't extend past the end; the Cane Bay wall beckons. We see folks going out alone all the time. We teach buddy diving, to begin with, and then self-reliant after that. If you are going to dive alone, you should be redundant and have informed people where you are going to dive. On our dive boats, solo diving is okay if the folks have been diving with the company for a long time and know the sites."...

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