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.