Like many matters in the water sport of scuba diving, there is always debate on the best way to do a certain thing. One of the on-going debates and discussions held in many after-dive get togethers is the concept of scuba diving solo. Or diving without a designated scuba buddy.
Like any of these types of discussion, there are always two sides of the argument; with each side having some legitimate reasons to support their case.
Safety Advantages of Scuba Diving With a Buddy
Safety is the number one reasons touted for diving with a buddy when underwater on scuba. Take the following list of safety reasons for having a buddy along on a scuba dive:
- loss of air supply through equipment failure,
- simply running out of air,
- getting tangled in old fishing line or stuck in a coral,
- problems with equipment like a buckle coming undone at depth,
- forgetting to turn the tank valve fully on (this happens!),
- getting a bump on the head when exploring a cave, or a leg cramp.
These are all things that could happen underwater where a buddy could come to the rescue. And with a buddy to assist, the above problems could be addressed quickly and easily with minimal interruption to the length and enjoyment of the dive.
Every Diver Should Look After Themselves
The above safety items where a scuba buddy would come in handy can all be countered by the group that wants to dive alone. The simple argument, is the solo scuba diver should be well aware of the possible risks and problems they may encounter underwater and take precautions to prevent those happening.
Take for example running out of air. A solo diver will be much more conscious of their air consumption and not get into a position where they will need to buddy-breathe.
Even the potential problem with scuba equipment failure can be addressed by ensuring their scuba equipment is well maintained and in good working order before ducking underwater.
Similarly with getting caught, tangled, cramping or hitting the head in a small cave. These are all preventable for a solo scuba diver to avoid.
Scuba Diving is More Enjoyable With a Scuba Buddy
Apart from safety, the other argument for scuba diving with a buddy is that enjoyment of the dive can be increased. especially with two sets of eyes looking out for interesting things.
And the discussions after the dive can all lead to increased enjoyment. It is possible to have incredibly unique diving experiences and be able to share those with the buddy many years after the dive.
Having a buddy along helps back up those stories that are held in dive clubs and in live-aboard scuba boats around the world. But who would believe a solo scuba diver who saw the elusive mermaid frolicking with a pod of dolphins without a credible scuba buddy to back up the story!
Scuba Diving Can be Enjoyable Without a Scuba Buddy
The other side of the argument that a buddy is needed to share in the underwater experience is the joy of diving alone. That is, not being tied to the problems and issues that comes from pairing with another human being.
While there are scuba diving experiences shared between buddy pairs there would also be a large number of complete disasters in buddy diving.
The main problem comes about if the buddy pairs aren’t compatible. Just some of the incompatibility problems are:
- one diver of the pair having high air consumption,
- one diver wanting to cover more of the sea floor than the other,
- an inexperienced and anxious scuba diver needing to be “nursed” through a dive,
- communication problems,
- one diver feeling the cold resulting in the dive being cut short.
What is Best, a Buddy Pair or Solo Scuba Diving?
It is difficult to clearly state what is the best way to dive: in a buddy pair or solo scuba diving. As with most things in scuba diving, it depends on the situation and the type of diving being undertaken.
For a solo scuba dive on a sunken wreck in decompression times and depths, it would make good sense to have a buddy along. While for a shallow dive at the local shore dive location to simply test out some new scuba equipment, it might be acceptable to scuba dive solo.
And maybe a dive holiday to an exotic location like Australia’s Great Barrier Reef might be the perfect time to have a buddy along. Not just for enjoying the underwater experience, but to share memories together on the surface and in the apres-dive activities.
As in all activities undertaken when beneath the waves on scuba gear, safety should always be the number one priority. Having a buddy along can be just one more element in making a scuba dive safer.
Bruce Iliff - Hello from an Australian freelancer! I’ve been scratching articles together in Australia in a range of subjects for a number of ...
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