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What do you ask a New Buddy?


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27 replies to this topic

#1 uwfan

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Posted 26 March 2009 - 12:32 PM

As to the buddies, I know what "travel buddies" can be like. I have had some excellent "travel buddies" and I have had some that could have gotten me in serious trouble. The thing is that one needs to learn the proper questions to ask and things to look for. I believe that we have some good threads on that here. If not, we could start one.


Taking this quote from another thread...what questions should you ask a new to you buddy when you are preparing to dive? What things should you look for?

#2 divzac

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Posted 26 March 2009 - 05:09 PM

First of all I'm guessing that we are past the "traveling" part and are planning a dive with a new to me buddy. First of all I suppoose I would like to know their name and the "where ya froms" etc. I would do that by introducing myself first to ease any pre dive tension on that level at least. I try not to "question" buddies but rather have a conversation that hopes to reveal things to us both. I want them to know about me,too. I observe the gear set up and other things. These can be different as I may be at the quarry or on the boat,etc. If I see something that I believe to be questionable such as putting on BC upside down, I usually comment something like "I hate when I do that!" or "I did that and got better results doing it this way"... How long since your last dive? Is this your first "ocean" dive? ...and similar questions, and answers to them from me, come easily after that and usually I have made a new friend. From there I want to plan the dive respecting their SAC rate and comfort levels. Again, these just come up in the conversation almost by "accident". Well, that's enough outta me for now. ....Like I always say, "If you haven't jumped off the boat without your fins, keep diving and it will come to you".
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#3 pmarie

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Posted 26 March 2009 - 06:04 PM

You Rock Zach!! I do pretty much the same. I, hopefully anyway, have managed to get info as conversation rather than it seeming like an inquisition. The last trip I was on one of the divers had put his first stage on over the bungee, I walked towards him and said "I live in FEAR of the day I do that" and motion to it. Broke the tension and we ended up doing the dive together, and having a blast.

#4 Monkey Diver

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Posted 26 March 2009 - 06:18 PM

I have had some bad experiences in the past traveling with unknowns, so now when traveling with another person it is usually with someone I already have diving and compatibility experience with.
Wayne :-{ )

#5 georoc01

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Posted 26 March 2009 - 06:31 PM

I think one of the first things is the diving style and what the options are on the dive. Are we following the divemaster or doing our own dive plan? Do you like to lead or follow?

A quick discussion of hand signals is also a good idea. Nothing like being at the bottom and realize that you can't communicate, or that one of you is working in feet vs bar

#6 VADiver

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Posted 26 March 2009 - 06:38 PM

On a SD dive trip my buddy and I were planning out dive when this guy mentioned he needed a buddy. Needless to say my buddy and I were asked if he could join our team. It seemed like a odd request as we were diving DBL AL 80s with an AL 40 of 50%; he had a single tank--maybe an AL 100 (?). Before we agreed to have him join the team we started a conversation to find out what his dive experiance was. Here are some of the questions...
-How long have you been diving?
-What conditions are you used to?
-What is your certification level?
-How do you work minimum deco? What profile do you use?
-Whats your working SAC? Deco SAC?
-lets have a look at your equipment? What type, config, etc..
-What kind of guage do you use? Do you run tables or dive your computer?
-What mix are you using?

Before we could finish, the potential team member said he felt like he was being interrogated and got defensive. Suddenly he got up and announced he didn't feel comfortable with my buddy and I and left. He was paired off with some other group. My buddy and I had a great dive.

#7 Capn Jack

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Posted 26 March 2009 - 07:13 PM

I just try to be friendly, let them tell me about their trips - where they've been.... you can subtly glean a lot.

Then I ask how they signal various things - if they don't know - I'll give them mine.

I'll dive with anyone once. That's the tough one - saying I'm getting a new buddy for the next dive. usually I can talk DM-DM - and then tell my doofus buddy that we're going to stay close to the DM so I can get good pics etc.

Had the shoe on the other foot with the dive gods (and you know who you are) - when I start getting the interrogation "define rock bottom" Then I tend to go into real stupid mode - "just got certified... borrowed my son's bp/w... and his cute little extra oxygen thingy - which is so cool it lets me get another 5 minutes of dive time past my normal 15-20 minutes" and hope they leave me alone - sigh...

Seriously - don't pay too much attention to me - feeling kind of narc'd right now - it's a long story I'll tell to anyone at HH tomorrow in Dallas.

I think the average recreational once-twice a year vacation diver should read what others have written - here's what I think are important questions beyond what's been previously said by the other folks.

1. Go over the plan, emphasize diving the plan. How deep, how long, turn decision air
2. Commit to coming up together regardless of who needs to first etc
3. Hand signals - great point - but be sure you both count the same way!!!
4. Equipment check - be SURE you know how to dump their weights and vice versa
5. How far away will you be and where?
6. Let's do one drill - pick one, discuss it go over it.
7. Night dive in particular - discuss diving lights out (my favorite) - and how we'll do that - most have not, and I want them to be comfortable
8. Wreck diving - NO PENETRATION - with a new buddy - and I'll tell them - I will pull them out if they start going in
9. Surface procedure - who's boarding first
10. Special procedures and fetishes - like I have a jon line I love to use to stay clear of the down line when hanging out for the SS - and I get pretty wanked if someone wants to disturb the critters.

Edited by Capn Jack, 26 March 2009 - 07:36 PM.

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#8 divzac

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Posted 26 March 2009 - 07:35 PM

Had the shoe on the other foot with the dive gods (and you know who you are) - when I start getting the interrogation "define rock bottom" Then I tend to go into real stupid mode - "just got certified... borrowed my son's bp/w... and his cute little extra oxygen thingy - which is so cool it lets me get another 5 minutes of dive time past my normal 15-20 minutes" and hope they leave me alone - sigh...


:usflag: Love it Capt!
I wanna be the person that my dog thinks I am

Check out the SPREE...come dive with us!


charlies@singledivers.com

#9 PerroneFord

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Posted 26 March 2009 - 07:56 PM

On a SD dive trip my buddy and I were planning out dive when this guy mentioned he needed a buddy. Needless to say my buddy and I were asked if he could join our team.

Before we could finish, the potential team member said he felt like he was being interrogated and got defensive. Suddenly he got up and announced he didn't feel comfortable with my buddy and I and left. He was paired off with some other group. My buddy and I had a great dive.


LOL! Darn Borg divers!

Always makin' plans when people just want to jump in the water!

#10 TCdamsel

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Posted 26 March 2009 - 09:30 PM

OK, you guys are worrying me!! I'm a novice diver - only 38 dives and I still feel really nervous when pairing up with someone new. My air consumption is to the point where I can come up with everyone else and have 500-700 left. I did the rent-a-buddy thing with Wrench Wench in St. Croix and learned a lot. I probably can't throw the lingo around as if I had been diving for a long time. I have 3 more trips planned for this year, so I'm hoping time and experience will take care of my apprehension. So, my question is basically, does anyone really, honestly, want to dive with a new diver???? (other than our sainted WW)
Every man and woman is born into the world to do something unique and something distinctive and if he or she does not do it, it will never be done.Benjamin E. Mays

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#11 TCdamsel

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Posted 26 March 2009 - 09:33 PM

OMG, Kamala, excuse me, Wreck Wench.... , though I'm sure you have been a Wrench Wench before, too!! :usflag:
Every man and woman is born into the world to do something unique and something distinctive and if he or she does not do it, it will never be done.Benjamin E. Mays

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#12 Capn Jack

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Posted 26 March 2009 - 09:37 PM

So, my question is basically, does anyone really, honestly, want to dive with a new diver???? (other than our sainted WW)

I seriously totally enjoy new divers. This is a SPORT (ok, maybe a hobby) - and it's FUN!!! Like I said, I'll dive with anyone at least once. It's been VERY rare that I wouldn't repeat - last I remember was like 3 years ago.

There are more risks than other fun sports, so a degree of caution is merited - but I'm really ok with new - we were all there once, some of us have forgotten.

See you tomorrow night!!!
No aquarium, no tank in a marine land, however spacious it may be, can begin to duplicate the conditions of the sea. And no dolphin who inhabits one of those aquariums or one of those marine lands can be considered normal.
Jacques Yves Cousteau

#13 dustbowl diver

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Posted 26 March 2009 - 09:56 PM

OK, you guys are worrying me!! I'm a novice diver - only 38 dives and I still feel really nervous when pairing up with someone new. My air consumption is to the point where I can come up with everyone else and have 500-700 left. I did the rent-a-buddy thing with Wrench Wench in St. Croix and learned a lot. I probably can't throw the lingo around as if I had been diving for a long time. I have 3 more trips planned for this year, so I'm hoping time and experience will take care of my apprehension. So, my question is basically, does anyone really, honestly, want to dive with a new diver???? (other than our sainted WW)


know need to worry-plenty of great people around here willing to dive with you!! :usflag:
"Yesterday's gone, tomorrow never knows, today will never be the same again!"-Jibe

#14 PerroneFord

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Posted 26 March 2009 - 10:19 PM

OK, you guys are worrying me!! I'm a novice diver - only 38 dives and I still feel really nervous when pairing up with someone new. My air consumption is to the point where I can come up with everyone else and have 500-700 left. I did the rent-a-buddy thing with Wrench Wench in St. Croix and learned a lot. I probably can't throw the lingo around as if I had been diving for a long time. I have 3 more trips planned for this year, so I'm hoping time and experience will take care of my apprehension. So, my question is basically, does anyone really, honestly, want to dive with a new diver???? (other than our sainted WW)


To be honest, it depends. I've welcomed dives with divers who had less than 10 dives. And I've refused to dive with divers who had hundreds. It's not how many dives that matters, it's the dive in question, and the diver's attitude. My GF is a new diver. She has about 25 dives now. However, she approached me about getting better, wanting to get her buoyancy solid, learning about gas management, etc. I'll do some pretty big recreational dives with divers who have that attitude. I did a 110ft dive on the Spiegel Grove with her that went like a tech dive. Including stops every 10ft on ascent. Her on the line, me off the line but 5ft away.

So the way to help yourself is to keep diving, but more importantly, to work hard to improve your skills, and your knowledge about diving. Coming up with 500-700 pounds will put you in good stead with people who don't plan their dives. But it will get your excluded from dives with the "dive Gods" who know that doing that would likely not leave enough air to breathe to get you and your buddy to the surface on many dives. So learn WHY that's not the best idea, and begin to plan your dives a bit better.

Learn how to be still in the water, how to keep your gear squared away, how to keep your fins above your body so you don't contact the reef. The best advertisement you can make about your diving, is to look solid in the water. It erases all doubt.

If you want to have ANY tech diver be comfy doing a recreational dive with you, take GUE Fundamentals, or the NAUI equivalent class. If you take and pass that class, any of the "Dive Gods" will be more than happy to dive with you, and you'll be better in the water than 99% of recreational divers. It's not a technical class, but gets your basics squared away to a VERY high level. I don't think I've had an instructor to this day that could pass it on the first try.

In short, be good in the water, be smart about your diving, and you'll never have to worry about people not wanting to dive with you.

#15 damselfish

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Posted 26 March 2009 - 11:13 PM

Are you married?
Just kidding!
I make sure I know which regulator they will hand me and the signals for air.
Agree with the Captain. :usflag:
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