SDI Solo Diver
At one point or another, many divers have found themselves alone during a dive, whether it was intentional or not. SDI’s Solo Diving is the practice of self reliant scuba diving without a “dive buddy.”Solo diving, once considered technical diving and discouraged by most certification agencies, is now seen by many experienced divers and some certification agencies as an acceptable practice for those divers suitably trained and experienced. Rather than relying on the traditional buddy diving safety system, solo divers should be skilled in self-sufficiency and willing to take responsibility for their own safety while diving.
Being one of SDI’s most popular courses, the Solo Diver course stresses proper dive planning, personal limitations, and accident prevention, as well as the benefits, hazards, and proper procedures for diving solo. You will also learn the additional equipment that is required for solo diving including its proper usage and assembly. This is the perfect course for underwater photography and underwater video divers as well as those diving with their children or buddies that may not be very experienced in scuba diving.
Who this course is for:
- The certified SDI Advanced Diver (or equivalent) who is interested in learning how to dive independent of a dive buddy, or looking to strengthen your buddy team diving skills.
Course Duration:
Courses should not be treated as a race or something that can be skipped through quickly. Please remember training does not guarantee certification, we need to ensure you fully understand the training and will be a safe diver on certification. We follow a loved one clause that when certified we would be happy you could safely dive with one of our loved ones.
- The e-learning and academic portion of this course should be completed before starting in water training and exercises. The duration of this piece is dependant on your availability. During this time our instructors are on hand to assist with questions or any element you may struggle with.
- For many courses the swimming pool or confined water sessions give us time to practice and carry out skills in a controlled environment. We do not fix specific number of pool sessions as it is dependant on your comfort level with skills before moving to open water.
- The open water element is again determined more by time in water rather than number of dives. We prefer longer dives building experience rather than quick short 20 minute 'dips'.
Course prerequisites & forms:
- Minimum age 21
- Certified SDI Advanced Diver or equivalent
- Provide proof of 100 logged dives
Forms:
What you can expect to learn:
- Why solo dive?
- History of buddy diving
- Pros and cons of buddy diving and solo diving
- Legal liability assumed by buddy diving
- How to use the SDI Solo Diving waiver and release
- Who must solo dive?
- The solo diving mentality
- When not to solo dive
- Equipment for solo diving
- Planning and conducting a solo dive
- Navigation
- Management of solo diving emergencies
- Review the SDI Solo Diver Liability Release and Express Assumption of Risk Agreement Form
- 200 metres/600 feet surface swim in full scuba equipment, configured for local diving conditions; must be non-stop and performed in an open water environment
- Demonstrate adequate pre-dive planning
- Plan dive limits based on personal air consumption rate
- Plan exact dive
- Properly execute the planned dive within all predetermined limits
- Equipment configuration appropriate for solo diving
- Proper descent/ascent rates
- Proper safety stop procedures
- Monitoring of decompression status equipment; tables, computers, equipment, etc.
- Navigation skills – demonstrate proficiency of navigation with compass
- Demonstrate emergency change over to redundant air supply (not to exceed 30 metres/100 feet)
- Deploy surface marker buoy (SMB)
- Use of audible signaling device
What’s in it for you?
- The diving activities approximate those of training
- The areas of activities approximate those of training
- Environmental conditions approximate those of training
How to take this course?
- Availability to start every week.
- Get in touch with us by phone, whatsapp, facebook or e-mail
- You can also add to shopping cart and pay online using ideal, credit card or paypal.
Price & Value:
SDI Solo Diver - €240,00
*Fully inclusive of all e-learning, equipment required for the course, training and certification on successful completion.
We focus on and are proud of the skill level, knowledge, decision making, experience and readiness of divers to dive at levels which they have been trained. We want to invest in you, your safety and ability to dive, then come home with amazing stories.
Our courses are priced as such and we do not hide additional costs. We are are very flexible for training, especially in terms of dates or location as we know we all have busy lives and work commitments. However if for reasons outside of weather, illness or other such emergencies a course/training can not be completed in the standard training schedule we will charge for extra days at €150,00 per day.
