The SDI Solo Diver course takes an in-depth look at all of the following and more:

• 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

Some of the required skills you will have to demonstrate include all of the following and more:

• 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