64 replies to this topic

[PerroneFord]

And it's one of many reasons why I dive solo most of the time and rely on my redundancy (which, admittedly, would be of no use should I have a heart attack or other serious problem).

Dr. Bill,

I wanted to ask, how often do you check your buddy bottle during the dive? In doubles, my common configuration means I am going to hand off my primary to an OOA diver, and I'll be using the regulator hung around my neck. I breath that backup reg on the surface, and I breathe it at least twice during the underwater portion of the dive. Generally after initial descent (the wreck on a wreck dive, or the cave entrance on a cave dive) and again, just after agreeing to turn the dive (after reaching thirds in the cave). In this way, I assure myself that should the worst happen, I am going to have a fully functional regulator. I see some divers prepare to dive with a bailout bottle, or with stages, and they never breathe them. This always struck me as odd.

[Scott]

For me it completely depends on the situation and the experience of my "Buddy" or student, as the case may be. New or fairly inexperienced divers are never more than a kick away. More experienced divers and in good conditions allow the grace of a few extra feet (up to about 10.)

I don't do any more commercial spearfishing so gone are the completely idiotic days of single diving at 170 feet with 200lbs of bleeding fish on a stringer. I can't believe I fell into the arrogance that the other divers displayed. It was all bravado, and no brains...definately not safe.

No matter what, though, in the pre-dive I always discuss our plan with my buddy and we both go into the water with the same expectations. Including being able to expect your buddy to follow the plan.

I will admit, though, that in some shallow water, unlimited viz dives (like in the Keys on nice days) I often go back to the anchor line when my buddy is low on air and watch them ascend and get on the boat before continuing my dive because I'm pretty good on lair consumption. It hurts to leave the water in perfect conditions when I still have 1000 lbs in my tank and I'm in 25 feet of water. This is one of the main reasons in liking to dive with women...they practically don't use any air! The other main reasons are...well...obvious!

Mahalo,
Scott

::sigh:: My dream buddy! (Almost. )

Before I was certified, I had it drilled into my head that one's dive buddy should be no further than an arm length's away. But once I was certified and did dives off of FL's east coast, my guide/babysitter didn't want me that close -- especially since I kept getting tangled up in her line. Regardless, I just wasn't comfortable being further away. Sure, she could easily reach me with a fin kick or two, but as a new diver, I worried about attracting her attention in case something went wrong.

[BubbleBoy]

I wonder if those who are content to seperate by 20, 30, or more feet, have ever exhaled, taken the reg out of their mouth, and swam to a buddy who was not expecting them and tried to get an air share done.

Even 10 feet can be a tough gap to close in a current with empty lungs. But, unfortunately, much wider gaps are fairly common practice when recreational diving in easy, high vis, no overhead conditions. I saw this a lot on our recent trip to Belize. I admit I was as big an offender as anyone else in the group. It's one of the reasons I carry a 6 cu ft. spare air in these situations. I know people make fun of these devices, because they won't even get you through a controlled ascent from more than 80ft. But. it will give me time to get to my buddy, or get their attention in an OOA or emergency. The other thing I do is try to dive in groups of 3 or 4 divers. That increases the odds that someone will spot another in trouble in time.

[Brinybay]

My preference is the 8-10ft range, give or take a couple of feet, with visibility conditions of 15-20ft (average for Puget Sound) and mild to no current. I despise buddies that stay so close I'm constantly bitch-slapping them with my fins. On the other end of the spectrum, I also dislike buddies who just want to go like a scared dog fish and cover territory w/o stopping (which is also why I dislike drift diving). Because of the limited visibility in these waters, you need to get up close and personal to observe much of the marine life, a lot of which are small, slow, and/or hiding in a crevice (e.g. wolf eels, gpo's, and nudibranchs) but fascinating to watch. 99.44% of the time, when I'm urgently trying to get my buddies attention, it isn't because of an emergency, it's because I spotted something cool and want to show it to them, so they need to be close enough for me to get their attention.

Edited by Brinybay, 29 April 2007 - 09:05 PM.

[Brinybay]

... I really tend to stick to my dive buddies up here.

Oo, la-la!

[tdtexas]

Depends on what she looks like!

[Brinybay]

Depends on what she looks like!

Why does that matter? They all look alike clad in black neoprene!

[jeff]

Now that I do have a dive buddy, it depends on the dive. Are we diving a new site, spearfishing, or in no viz water.

I am a follower and always have my buddy closeby, to the detriment of my own intrests. Many of the buddies in the past have never done the stay together thing and I end up following to "be" the buddy.

[TonyL]

I had to think about this for a while.

I prefer to be close to my buddy. I also like to be next to and slightly behind (unless they are using Force Fins) so that I can watch my buddy easily. My light has a bright, narrow beam that can be used to signal and can't be missed. Not all buddies have lights like that so I figure that if there is a problem, I can signal them with my light but they may not be able to get my attention with theirs.

Some buddies like to swim about ten feet straight above their buddy. It baffles me that someone would want to swim where they can't peek into crevices to look at the creatures but, more importantly, I hate having to do a barrel roll to make eye contact.

I think we all gravitate toward divers with similar styles and find excuses not to partner up with ones who are different.

[dustbowl diver]

Depends on what she looks like!

Why does that matter? They all look alike clad in black neoprene!

Apparently, the girls in the PNW aren't clad in a bikini before crawling into that drysuit!

[PerroneFord]

Neither are the cave divers. I think I need a new hobby.

[dustbowl diver]

Neither are the cave divers. I think I need a new hobby.

Not a new hobby, just a change in venues my friend!!

[Capn Jack]

Some buddies like to swim about ten feet straight above their buddy. It baffles me that someone would want to swim where they can't peek into crevices to look at the creatures but, more importantly, I hate having to do a barrel roll to make eye contact.

Busted.

I try to brief and stay with the brief. When swimming with clients, students or strangers, I tend to stay in the "12 O'Clock High" position. First, it is easier for me to keep my buddy always in sight, second, if they get in trouble, new divers tend to ascend, and I'm positioned to stop them, last, and not least, it gives me a slight edge on air - which I need cuz I suck.

It usually works well, since it relieves my buddy of the task of tracking me, and I just have to be ready to take care of myself (not the best idea, but comes with the territory).

This habit got me in trouble with a very experienced diver lately, and they had the same "I don't want to look up to find you" - once we understood each other, I think I was better about staying where they expected me to be.

Bottom line, that's the rule, be where your buddy expects you to be, and make it clear who's leading.

Edited by Capn Jack, 04 May 2007 - 11:04 AM.

[Cold_H2O]

{snip}
Bottom line, that's the rule, be where your buddy expects you to be, and make it clear who's leading.

I couldn't have said it better.
I have had a few buddies who like to stay above..
drive me nuts

Edited by gis_gal, 04 May 2007 - 06:40 PM.