page_title: Solo diving
hierarchical_section_title: Solo diving
caption_attribution_description: English: Peter Southwood 2
context_page_description: Solo diving is the practice of underwater diving without a "dive buddy", particularly with reference to scuba diving, but the term is also applied to freediving. Surface supplied diving and atmospheric suit diving are single diver underwater activities but are accompanied by an on-surface support team dedicated to the safety of the diver, and not considered solo diving in its truest sense.
  Solo diving has been in existence for millennia as evidenced by artifacts dating back to the ancient people of Mesopotamia when humans dove for food and collected pearl oysters. It wasn't until the 1950s, with the development of formalised recreational dive training, that recreational solo diving was considered dangerous, particularly for beginners. In an effort to mitigate associated risks, some scuba certification agencies incorporated the practice of buddy diving into their dive training programmes. Some divers, typically those with advanced underwater skills, prefer solo diving over buddy diving and assume responsibility for their own safety. Professionally, solo diving has always been an option as it applies to operational requirements and risk assessment.
context_section_description: Solo diving is the practice of underwater diving without a "dive buddy", particularly with reference to scuba diving, but the term is also applied to freediving. Surface supplied diving and atmospheric suit diving are single diver underwater activities but are accompanied by an on-surface support team dedicated to the safety of the diver, and not considered solo diving in its truest sense.
  Solo diving has been in existence for millennia as evidenced by artifacts dating back to the ancient people of Mesopotamia when humans dove for food and collected pearl oysters. It wasn't until the 1950s, with the development of formalised recreational dive training, that recreational solo diving was considered dangerous, particularly for beginners. In an effort to mitigate associated risks, some scuba certification agencies incorporated the practice of buddy diving into their dive training programmes. Some divers, typically those with advanced underwater skills, prefer solo diving over buddy diving and assume responsibility for their own safety. Professionally, solo diving has always been an option as it applies to operational requirements and risk assessment. It customarily involves voice or line communications from diver to surface, usually with a diver at the surface on standby ready to assist on short notice. Recreational divers seldom have such options available.
  The recreational solo diver uses enhanced procedures, skills and equipment to mitigate the risks associated with not having another diver immediately available to assist if something goes wrong. The skills and procedures may be learned through effective methods with appropriate competence, including formal training programmes with associated assessment and certification. Recreational solo diving, once discouraged by most training agencies, has been accepted since the late 1990s by some training agencies that will qualify experienced divers skilled in self-sufficiency and redundant backup equipment.
caption: Solo diver surveying a dive site. The bailout cylinder can be seen slung at the diver's left side
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