Scuba Diving – Is It Safe to Dive Alone?

For many scuba divers, the thought of diving solo doesn’t make sense at all. They view diving as a social activity, where the joy comes from sharing the experience with others. Dive accidents often occur when a diver strays from their buddy and encounters difficulties, turning a manageable situation into a potential disaster. On the other hand, some divers feel that the risks of diving with an unfamiliar buddy chosen randomly on a dive boat are greater than those of diving alone. Many divers, particularly underwater photographers or videographers, often end up diving solo in practice because they focus more on their work than on their buddy.

Solo Scuba Diving Can Be Safe

Solo divers equipped with the right gear.

I support solo diving and teach the course PADI to other divers. Photographers and videographers frequently dive solo, even when they technically have a buddy. Anyone who has partnered with them knows this well. The solo diver course emphasizes self-reliance, which not only improves solo diving skills but also makes one a better dive buddy. The prerequisite for the course is over 100 logged dives, and it is taught only at the discretion of the instructor. No beginner or open-water diver should ever attempt solo diving.

Nearly every dive professional has experienced solo diving, whether they acknowledge it or not. Personally, I prefer a loose buddy system, but I strongly advocate for solo diving training due to the valuable skills and confidence it provides. As an instructor, I recognize the importance of offering solo diving education to experienced divers who need or want it. In my view, every dive professional should go through a solo diving course.

Solo Scuba Diving Isn’t for Everyone

On the other hand, many divers wonder, “Why would anyone want to dive solo? Isn’t part of the fun sharing the experience with someone when you surface, or pointing things out during the dive?” It all comes down to preparation and the right equipment. If you choose to dive solo, you must ensure you have top-notch skills, such as those covered in the PADI Advanced Open Water course (e.g., mask flooding and replacement, regulator retrieval, underwater navigation, buoyancy control, and deep diving experience). You also need specific gear, like a backup mask, a pony bottle or an additional tank with enough air to reach the surface safely from the deepest part of your dive, and a surface marker buoy with signaling capabilities.

I have done solo dives myself, though I generally prefer to share the experience with others. As an underwater videographer, I see both perspectives: all divers should be trained to be self-sufficient and capable of reaching the surface independently, except in cases of medical emergencies. However, new divers should never dive alone—training them in self-reliance is essential.

All divers should be equipped with the skills to dive solo and reach the surface safely, except when health issues arise.

Conclusion

Scuba diving is traditionally a social, buddy-based activity. Diving with a partner makes sense for many reasons—it’s often more enjoyable and generally safer. Many cautionary tales exist about divers who went solo and faced unfortunate outcomes.

Nevertheless, solo scuba diving has its place and its supporters. There are situations where divers find themselves alone and need to be self-reliant. “Aren’t all instructors essentially diving solo during courses? After all, no Open Water PADI student is capable of assisting in an emergency.”

Solo scuba diving should not be undertaken lightly or without preparation. Divers considering it must undergo proper training and acquire additional equipment to handle emergencies since there will be no buddy nearby for help.