Panicked diver this weekend

[jlcnuke]

So you lead and the beginner follows, swimming behind you where you don't see him. Not good. Why not swim next to each other along the line? The diver in the back is actually solo diving. He may be in serious trouble but nobody notices. If you had swum for 20s longer before looking back, maybe you wouldn't have found him in time.
I think swimming in line is a frequent mistake. Plenty of accidents where the buddy says they somehow lost each other, actually the victim stopped behind with a problem and nobody noticed until too late.

Good point, and something I'd overlooked. Thanks for bringing it up.

 

[Marie13]

I actually prefer shoulder to shoulder.

 

[jlcnuke]

At least you started your dive off the east/square dock and headed east. Just imagine if you'd started down the west corner to the bus, or started off the west/U dock...

Nope, we were off the U dock (taking the line to the 20ft platform first) since there were two classes working out of the square dock...

 

[Steve_C]

Shoulder to shoulder is good. I find that many new divers prefer to just follow. Maybe because I have seen many dive classes run that way. Lead, line of sheep, then sometimes a final DM.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Shoulder to shoulder is good. I find that many new divers prefer to just follow. Maybe because I have seen many dive classes run that way. Lead, line of sheep, then sometimes a final DM.

One of my buddies, a newer diver, always prefers to follow me. I'm always trying to get my buddy beside me and making the eye contact with OK signal. Buddy claims to feel better watching me from behind no matter how often I explain how that's not going to help buddy, if problem happens behind me. Funny

 

[BlueTrin]

One of my buddies, a newer diver, always prefers to follow me. I'm always trying to get my buddy beside me and making the eye contact with OK signal. Buddy claims to feel better watching me from behind no matter how often I explain how that's not going to help buddy, if problem happens behind me. Funny

Maybe you should ask him to lead and then stay behind him so he can realise the issue.

I learned to not do it because I realised it was a pain when you are leading and the buddy is behind you.

You could be behind him but slightly above when he does not expect it and see his reaction when he cannot see you

 

[johndiver999]

staying above and behind you buddy is the absolute worst position to take.

 

[rongoodman]

staying above and behind you buddy is the absolute worst position to take.

Unless you can plant a nice bright light beam in front of his nose, not practical in bright tropical waters.

 

[Rollin Bonz]

Until I have a grasp on the buddy's abilities, I'm usually vertical and strafing or swimming more or less backwards, eyes on them

staying above and behind you buddy is the absolute worst position to take.

Still better than on the dock drinking a beer

 

[johndiver999]

wrong, I would rather be alone thane have someone pulling that stunt. It is extremely irritating and wastes my time underwater.