Ok, everyone has been there: they match you with a buddy that looks fine on the boat, but when down there he/she behaves really bad and makes your dive terrible.
What do you do?
Here 2 examples:
Example 1) I need a buddy and they pair me with a couple (husband and wife). We jump in the water and the husband takes off. We run after him and I tell him to slow down. It's already time to go back because she is almost OOA because of the chase underwater. He take off again (vis in not good) an he disappear. With the wife we look for him and we cannot find, we ascent, and still nothing. She's scarred and in distress, I'm worried. We swim back to the boat (I also have to haul her). We finally reach the boat and the husband is already on the boat. I gently ask "What the **** happened??!!", he replies they he didn't even notice that we have separated...
Example 2) This happened last Saturday. Technical dive at -35 meters in very strong current and poor vis. I need a buddy and they match me with a dude that I kind of know and he seems ok. We go down at -35, frolic a little bit, and we start to ascend a little bit to avoid deco. I sign him to ascend but he stays on the bottom. I sign again but he doesn't care. At this point I have 1 minute left before deco, and I have to ascent. I do that and he's not following me (don't ask me what the hell he was doing or what computer he has). At this point my computer is telling me to do a safety stop at 15 m for minutes, so I ascent at -15 and the dude is gone. Ascent, do my last SS for 5 minutes and I emerge. The boat is about 500 meters far away, the current is terrible, big waves and -just because it wasn't harsh enough- a thunderstorm arrives and it start to pour like crazy (at that point the boat was barely visible). I don't panic, I inflate my safety sausage and I start my 30 minutes swim back against the strongest current ever hoping that my compass is not failing me and I'm going where I saw the boat the last time (I am also in the middle of the ocean and no coast or other landmark are visible). I finally get back to the boat. I find my buddy there, having the time of his life. I keep my calm and I tell him that it wasn't good what happened, but is not really getting the message...
...and is not finished here.
After this episode, we move to another spot: a wonderful enclosed tropical reef (-12 m max dept) where we can just go down have a long dive and chill out. I go down again with this dude (I don't have any choice). Everything is ok and fine, we're enjoying the dive and the spot is really wonderful. I call him to show him a turtle that was hiding in a nice spot, he comes after me and I accidentally touch him with my fin. He grabs my fins and starts to twisted it until it gets off from my feet. So I need to chase my fin and put it back. Anyway, we go back on the boat and I ask him (trying to be calm) what the hell he was trying to do, and he's answer is "I was just messing with you..."...
Now, is it me or sometimes a punch in the throat is the only solution (and I am quiet and peaceful)?
A bad buddy can be the difference between a wonderful dive and a horrible one, including the fact that can be potentially really dangerous.
Any similar cases?
What do you do?
Here 2 examples:
Example 1) I need a buddy and they pair me with a couple (husband and wife). We jump in the water and the husband takes off. We run after him and I tell him to slow down. It's already time to go back because she is almost OOA because of the chase underwater. He take off again (vis in not good) an he disappear. With the wife we look for him and we cannot find, we ascent, and still nothing. She's scarred and in distress, I'm worried. We swim back to the boat (I also have to haul her). We finally reach the boat and the husband is already on the boat. I gently ask "What the **** happened??!!", he replies they he didn't even notice that we have separated...
Example 2) This happened last Saturday. Technical dive at -35 meters in very strong current and poor vis. I need a buddy and they match me with a dude that I kind of know and he seems ok. We go down at -35, frolic a little bit, and we start to ascend a little bit to avoid deco. I sign him to ascend but he stays on the bottom. I sign again but he doesn't care. At this point I have 1 minute left before deco, and I have to ascent. I do that and he's not following me (don't ask me what the hell he was doing or what computer he has). At this point my computer is telling me to do a safety stop at 15 m for minutes, so I ascent at -15 and the dude is gone. Ascent, do my last SS for 5 minutes and I emerge. The boat is about 500 meters far away, the current is terrible, big waves and -just because it wasn't harsh enough- a thunderstorm arrives and it start to pour like crazy (at that point the boat was barely visible). I don't panic, I inflate my safety sausage and I start my 30 minutes swim back against the strongest current ever hoping that my compass is not failing me and I'm going where I saw the boat the last time (I am also in the middle of the ocean and no coast or other landmark are visible). I finally get back to the boat. I find my buddy there, having the time of his life. I keep my calm and I tell him that it wasn't good what happened, but is not really getting the message...
...and is not finished here.
After this episode, we move to another spot: a wonderful enclosed tropical reef (-12 m max dept) where we can just go down have a long dive and chill out. I go down again with this dude (I don't have any choice). Everything is ok and fine, we're enjoying the dive and the spot is really wonderful. I call him to show him a turtle that was hiding in a nice spot, he comes after me and I accidentally touch him with my fin. He grabs my fins and starts to twisted it until it gets off from my feet. So I need to chase my fin and put it back. Anyway, we go back on the boat and I ask him (trying to be calm) what the hell he was trying to do, and he's answer is "I was just messing with you..."...
Now, is it me or sometimes a punch in the throat is the only solution (and I am quiet and peaceful)?
A bad buddy can be the difference between a wonderful dive and a horrible one, including the fact that can be potentially really dangerous.
Any similar cases?