Knew it would happen eventually

[divekraz]

My wife and I were in the Caymans doing a shore dive by the turtle farm. My wife and I have been dive buddies for over 20yrs and the only time we have an IB is when a third party wants to join us. A third person who was on the dive boat with us heard we were doing a shore dive and wanted to know if he could join us. He happened to have a dive master rating according to him. We discussed the dive plan in detail as we always do before a dive. We were into the dive about 20 minutes and close to our turn around point when I couldn't see the 3rd diver. I was leading the dive as we were familiar with the area. We lost him where the shallow cave is and all the Tarpin hang out. We did a search of the area, went around the big rock, couldn't find him. Surfaced and couldn't see anything. We went back to the entry point at the dive shop and he was standing on the jetty. I asked him what happened and he said he wasn't feeling well and decided to turn back. I asked him why he didn't let us know he was turning around and he just said since we were buddied up he didn't think he needed to let us know. I couldn't believe his response given his dm status and didn't dive with him again. I have had 3rd buddies over the years with some very good experiences but more bad than good. I will always give a diver one chance to dive with us, but if they decide to not follow the dive plan or ignore our safety standards I simply let them know they will not be diving with us again and let it go at that.

 

[dementid]

In reading through this thread the same thought crossed my mind.

 

[hvulin]

I don't really even try to make him stay... If he want's to go I'll let him go...

 

[diver 85]

Wait---he just left you---for no reason???....Did you try to install one of his regulators 'where no one else would/could find it' after 'the dives'??


You said there was a 'captain'--so I'm assuming you paid for a boat ride??...I'd have demanded my money back(or not paid him if no money had been exchanged) from the captain & told him to get it from that instabuddy....---OR @ least hear the words from the captain to the instabuddy "You'll never dive off this boat---again"...

 

[diver 85]

I rarely dive with insta-buddies, and only if they are divers I have some knowledge of at least through the boards.

My last one, a comely lass, left me as I was filming something. I saw her reflection in my port, filmed for about 20 seconds, turned around and she was nowhere to be seen! I looked for her for about a minute, surfaced to see if I could see her, returned to the bottom to see if I could find her (fearing an accident). When I got back in to shore 20 minutes later, she was already dressed and walking off to have drinks with some guy she had just met.

I read her the riot act and asked why she left me without any communication. She replied "I knew you would be fine." I rather pointedly said "But I didn't know if you were... I've been looking for your body."

Guess you were not as good looking & (slightly) older than her new found 'drinking buddy'....

 

[Krenath]

I asked him why he didn't let us know he was turning around and he just said since we were buddied up he didn't think he needed to let us know.

With the group of divers I normally dive with, we semi-frequently team up in buddy groups of three if someone else decides to skip a dive.

Unlike the moron divemonster that DiveKraz described, we're aware that it's the job of every buddy in the group to keep an eye on every other buddy in the group.

Each buddy keeps an eye out for both the other buddies. It is never 'the other guy's job' to keep an eye on someone. If one buddy goes missing, the other two look for him. This eliminates the possibility of a "But I thought YOU saw him last!" situation.

The only time where we'd split up is if everyone in the group was aware that everyone else had pony bottles and everyone knew that everyone else was perfectly fine with going off solo.

It's not enough that everyone is ready, willing, and able to go off solo. Everyone also has to be aware that it's the PLAN.

Personally, if you're not willing to stick around as a real dive buddy, then don't even bother pretending to buddy up just to take off once you're out of sight of the boat captain. If you go ahead and get in the water by yourself then everyone who needs to know your plan already does.

 

[chokdeekap]

you have a valid point there,but no one has actually ever said that to me if they did I would look for them no problem

 

[DevonDiver]

I'll always plan to look after myself in a dive, so unless a dive calls for specific team planning, I won't stress too much about whether an 'insta-buddy' leaves me (and that includes a few Divemasters/Guides I've dove with too).

I am more than content to dive solo, so I will ensure that any insta-buddies who accompany me are made fully aware that it is their decision and their liability should they opt (by choice or neglect) to abandon the buddy/team plan. The only exceptions to this would be minors/children - but then I don't think I would accept a juvenile 'insta-buddy' anyway!

 

[acwest]

I'll always plan to look after myself in a dive, so unless a dive calls for specific team planning, I won't stress too much about whether an 'insta-buddy' leaves me (and that includes a few Divemasters/Guides I've dove with too).

I am more than content to dive solo, so I will ensure that any insta-buddies who accompany me are made fully aware that it is their decision and their liability should they opt (by choice or neglect) to abandon the buddy/team plan. The only exceptions to this would be minors/children - but then I don't think I would accept a juvenile 'insta-buddy' anyway!

In the context of the OP, he didn't see the insta-buddy swim away. He looked for him and didn't find him. There was no reason to assume the buddy was OK. If somebody pulls that on me, they can expect to surface to find a full search for their body(living or not) taking place...
-Craig

 

[orm]

Wow... this is all a bit fcedk up.

It's not a diving thing, it's a people thing. People can be a pain in the arse.

You did well not to whack him round the head with your tank when he popped up.

Next time you should work this into your buddy check: Lean over, stroking your knife and whisper to him. "And if you think about leaving me under water, it'll be the last thing you do." Smile, pat him on the back then jump in