People embarrassed to do pre dive buddy check?

[Marie13]

Damn you got me. Didn’t see the clarification until I quoted your post. I was gonna say I sure hope you don’t dive deeper than 20 feet.

I was going to say he sounded like an accident waiting to happen CCR diver! Had to go back and see his clarification.

 

[drrich2]

i had a "buddy" that i was paired with in cozumel once. she was someone i never met. she lived on the island and apparently had a bunch of experience. once we hit the water, she took off and i never saw her again until i was back on the boat. nice.

I think your description encapsulates the genesis of why people get frustrated and in conflict. A typical scenario might unfold this way:

1.) Diver A is self-confident and doesn't want a buddy. He/she intends to dive along with the group and follow the guide.

2.) Boat staff in some places are determined everyone be assigned a buddy, maintaining at least the pretense all diving on their watch is buddy diving.

3.) Diver A suppresses an eye roll and knows arguing with these people is useless or worse.

4.) Boat staff assign Diver A and Diver B.

5.) Diver B has a more politically correct/'by the book' view of the buddy system.

6.) To Diver A, keeping quiet and playing along till they splash is simply a way to keep staff off his/her back.

7.) Diver A and Diver B each thinks his/her own view is right. Diver A can't risk expressing his/her viewpoint topside out of fear of running afoul of staff.

8.) Some people think Diver A is then obligated to dive according to Diver B's view. Diver A has other ideas and...well, it may play out like what you describe.

In fairness, not all dive op.s try to impose buddy pairing. Some destinations are even known for the attitude that you're a certified adult diver, and if you want a buddy, work it out; the op. is not a matchmaker. I think destinations that cater to a lot of local divers, particularly seasoned divers, are more likely to have that attitude. Those who hand-hold a lot of occasional dive tourists, not so much.

 

[jborg]

Some destinations are even known for the attitude that you're a certified adult diver, and if you want a buddy, work it out; the op. is not a matchmaker. I think destinations that cater to a lot of local divers, particularly seasoned divers, are more likely to have that attitude. Those who hand-hold a lot of occasional dive tourists, not so much.

That, and also it varies a lot by the personality of the company/captain.

One of the large dive centers around here couldn't care less if you're buddied or solo, you're expected to keep track of yourself and your gear. When the boat reaches the dive site they give a briefing of the site and ask if everyone's ready, if everyone who wants a buddy has one; then the pool's open -- everyone's free to splash and do what they want.

Another place, which also caters to a mostly experienced crowd, insists on buddy pairs and knowing what they are, and hearing a rough depth/time plan before anyone splashes. But they're also somewhat GUE-adjacent.

In warmer places that cater more to tourists, I've never seen the option to not be buddied with someone.

OnTopic: I don't see a lot of by the book buddy checks, but I do check my own equipment and eye my partners equipment and them checking it. We usually exchange a final "gas on? 200 bars? weights in place?" sort of five second confirmation before jumping in. I seldom dive with people I haven't dived with before. If I am diving with an unknown diver I will ask to see them breathe their regulator before hitting the water. As long as air is on, most other things can be sorted along the way...

 

[dmaziuk]

Damn you got me. Didn’t see the clarification until I quoted your post. I was gonna say I sure hope you don’t dive deeper than 20 feet.

That not an uncommon idiom in not English, actually.

 

[MiloR]

As long as air is on, most other things can be sorted along the way...

This is one of the truer things in all of this. The only caveat is that all involved are savvy enough to stay calm and work it out. I know this opinion is not popular but my experiences have shown that calm, capable, and aware can sort most anything out if everyone can breathe.

That said....the time I performed the old Giant Stride without fins is one that I won't ever live down, lol.

 

[brsnow]

My first night dive I didn’t attach my bcd inflator hose…if I don’t know somebody on the boat and nobody approaches me I typically stay close to the DM.

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

Well PADI also requires Rescue as well as five additional courses for Master Scuba Diver, so the statement about 50 Dives and a Credit Card is very misleading!

Quite true......Sorry if I was misleading. For PADI, other than Rescue and 50 dives......... you'd need:

Digital Photographer
Underwater Naturalist
Advanced Mermaid
Coral Reef Conservation
Fish Identification

And then you can tell everyone that you are a Certified MASTER SCUBA DIVER......

 

[MiloR]

Quite true......Sorry if I was misleading. For PADI, other than Rescue and 50 dives......... you'd need:

Digital Photographer
Underwater Naturalist
Advanced Mermaid
Coral Reef Conservation
Fish Identification

And then you can tell everyone that you are a Certified MASTER SCUBA DIVER......

Did PADI not hug you enough when you were a child?

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

Did PADI not hug you enough when you were a child?

Naw.... PADI has big arms but not big enough to give me proper hug!!! What PADI did that got to me was to fully support a 5 Star PADI shop who's pay structure for instructors was to pay a bonus for each student that was Certified vs the regular price for students who either failed or who I could not in good faith certify. That kinda got to me...

I personally would not certify any student that just simply completed a required skill if I felt that they struggled or had issues. They needed to show basic confidence and competence.........and to MY satisfaction. But then........ I wasn't teaching for the $$$$ . I just really enjoyed it...

Anyway....... that played a part in my being not so enamored with PADI. Look......I'm not trying to be a PITA here.......just saying that a designation of PADI Master Scuba Diver may be very worthy or it may be totally misleading.......

 

[Searcaigh]

What PADI did that got to me was to fully support a 5 Star PADI shop who's pay structure for instructors was to pay a bonus for each student that was Certified vs the regular price for students who either failed or who I could not in good faith certify.

I'm not sure that PADI are involved the management of dive shops, at least in the region where I live they are not.