As winter approaches we start dreaming of our next tropical dive adventure, but what happens when you are traveling solo?
When signing up as a solo diver you are usually placed with a group of strangers. On the dive you follow your dive guide and expect that the group of divers will act as a single buddy team. This expectation is usually wrong and can be dangerous.
Group dives can be chaotic as the whole group rushes in to see what the guide is pointing out. Bubbles and fins are everywhere kicking up the sand or a diver, scaring off the creature you were trying to see. If you get into trouble no one is paying attention to you or offering assistance. The guide is busy trying to manage everyone and find the next cool critter to show the group.
Our recommendation to you as a single diver is to find another single diver or buddy team and make a connection with them. Maybe you are all hoping to see the same species, or you are all photographers, have the same piece of dive gear or are all happy to just cruise the reef. Once a connection is made suggest diving as a buddy pair or small buddy team. Keeping an eye out on 1 or 2 buddies is easy and reassures you that someone has your back underwater as well.
Diving in large groups with a dive guide can be complicated but here are some guidelines that can make the dive run smoother and not upset other divers in the group.
1 – Don’t overtake the buddy team in front of you or the guide!
No one likes a queue jumper. There may be exceptions: In strong currents you may find yourself in the ‘fast’ lane. Perhaps the buddy team in front of you stops to watch something, playing with their cameras and taking forever. Most likely though it’s you, finning too fast.
So keep calm, swim slowly, and maintain your position. It’s easy, really.
2 – Respect the distance between buddy teams
On a crowded dive site, fins, silt, and bubbles tend to aggregate around the masks of the divers that follow. Good finning techniques will help, but unless you are diving a rebreather, you’ll find it difficult to stop making bubbles. Try not to go deeper than the buddy team behind you.
3 – Don’t monopolise any ‘special’ species
If each diver stops to watch something for 5 minutes no one will get to explore the site. Photographers I am talking to you! Be ready, take a couple of shots and move on to ket everyone in the group to have a look. Join the back of the queue if you didn’t get the shot you wanted. Even better, and yes, it cost extra, but consider a private guide if you have a particular shot in mind?
4 – Pay attention
Be ready and on time for the dive, even small delays entering the water can spoil the dive. Underwater keep yourself visible to the guide – they often won’t move on unless they have a full head count and please follow their directions.
5 – Watch your buddy
If you have been assigned a buddy, then act like one. “Where is your buddy?” is one of the top three questions asked by dive masters. The most common response is a wide-eyed facial expression, followed by a searching look from side to side. The buddy team system is fundamental to dive safety yours & theirs so please behave accordingly.
6 – Be calm & quiet
Moving quickly, flapping your arms and using shakers or horns will scare off marine life. Noisemakers do play an important role in attracting attention in an emergency so please use them responsibly. On this note consider turning off the audible alarms on your computers. Some will have a vibration warning systems which only notify you. Otherwise avoid diving to the limits and look at your computer more often.
7 – Surface where & when you are supposed to surface
Listen to and follow the dive briefing. If you are not following the guide plan your dive accordingly. No one will blame a diver encountering an issue underwater who then surfaces away from the exit point, or not at the planned time. However, steps toward a missing diver situation may already be in play when you surface which affects the entire crew and other customers so please follow the plan.
8 – Be kind
Everyone wants the trip to be a success and enjoyable for all. With a range different cultures, experiences, abilities and objectives in the group please be patient, respectful and kind to the other customers and to the crew.
If you can’t be helpful then at least don’t be that difficult or demanding diver in the group that bring everyone down.
So, if you are a solo traveller then we hope you have a great trip and meet a fantastic group of other divers
