team diving skills

[DRE]

I don't think there should ever be a time and place for solo diving (maybe with the exception of some really tight and silty sidemount caves, but even there I'd still prefer working in a team).
I do believe, however, that people confuse solo diving with self sufficiency. For example, if I'm doing a cave dive and get separated from my dive partner in a major siltout and cannot locate him/her within my 1/3 gas supplies I will proceed to the exit by myself. At that point I am solo diving but out of necessity rather than choice. In any given situation, a diver should be able to handle a CF by himself, but this doesn't mean that solo diving should be OK'd. In most of these cases, having a properly trained and equipped partner will solve the situation a lot quicker and easier.
The key is to constantly maintain team integrity. This means that in lower vis/darker lakes (such as Wazee at depth) lights should always be used because they facilitate communication between team members. Checking the other members twice every minute just by glancing at them to check whther they're OK (this doesn't necessarily mean you constantly have to be exchanging OK signals) is one very good way to keep the team intact. During ascents, which should be really slow, it often helps to face eachother so you don't lose track. In case you're blowing bags or changing gasses, always establish neutral boyancy first, stay close and only proceed when all the other team members have completed their tasks.

Holding hands in extremely low vis is one way to stay in touch contact - better is to have one person hold on to the other's upper arm or thigh so the lead person has both hands free to feel theur way ahead, with the other person being able to communicate direction a little easier (push forward for go ahead, squeeze for hold, and pull backward for reverse). In these situations it (almost) should be mandatory (depending on depth, bottom conditions, possible boating traffic, etc.)