How often do you check up on your buddy during a dive?

[Lostdiver71]

I normally solo dive, that being said if I am on a charter boat and there is an inexperienced diver with no buddy I will buddy up with them because I actually like helping new divers and showing them things that they may not have seen on their own. I will also keep an eye on any divers in the group that look like they are having issues so that I can assist if needed, I have had to assist several divers over the years. It makes me feel good when I help a diver and they have a good experience instead of a bad or possibly dangerous experience while diving. When I dive with an inexperienced buddy I will monitor their location based on how comfortable they appear and after a few checks, I can get a good idea of their breathing rate so I have a good idea of how long their tank will last. If I am diving with an experienced buddy I don't worry so much. I am currently dealing with a medical problem that prevents me from diving for a couple of months but after that, if anyone needs a buddy on Wednesdays and Thursdays in the West Palm Beach or Jupiter area I am usually available.

 

[The Chairman]

If you listen to their breathing patterns if on OC

Pure gold. Listen. Listen. Listen. It's not such a silent world. If the first rule of diving is to never stop breathing, then a corollary should be to pay attention to your buddy's breathing. Since this is in basic, I'll keep my comments to OC using the buddy system.

• If you can hear your buddy breathe, they are close enough.
• If you can't hear your buddy, stop and find them.
  • Adjust distance so you can always hear them
• Rate of breathing is the best indicator of stress
  • Listen to them early in the dive to establish a baseline
  • Breathing usually slows as you relax during the dive
    • It will increase in a current
  • Increased frequency is an early indication of stress and and/or problems
    • You may know they have a problem before they do!
    • Stop and resolve things before they escalates

 

[Saniflush]

Depends on my buddy and conditions. If it is my normal buddy (Mrs Flush) and good vis with benign conditions then it is every 5-10 minutes. We decide who is leading and whoever is not takes their cues from the leader.
If it is an instabuddy then we have a conversation topside before the dive so I can get a feel for their experience then I watch pretty closely for the first 10 minutes underwater to see if their diving lines up with what they said their experience is. A lot of times it is not flashing the "ok" sign as it is signaling something else about wildlife that I saw in case they want to see it. To me that is also a good check in moment without someone feeling like they are getting ok'd to death.

 

[seeker242]

Continuous awareness but a formal check every 5 min or so. But formal check does not necessarily mean I ask them if they are ok. If you dive with someone often, you can tell they are ok just by observing them. If he's doing something unusual, them I'll ask him.

 

[CodeS]

Maybe when you catch up to them if they find a critter or vice versa, but seldom to ask them how they are. I am self sufficient as a diver and I expect the same from anyone I go diving with, bar an absolute novice. I expect my buddy will head back once they are out of air, you would normally expect some signal they are heading back or if they are running low on air.

I have no delusions of being saved from a major medical incident when diving. Gear failures you should be able to be dealt with on your own, whether that means heading to the surface or having redundancies.

If as I mentioned, they are novice, I would keep an eye on them the whole time and check their air a couple times along the way. If I felt I was novice on a specific dive I would have discussed that in advance and planned with a more advanced diver appropriately.

 

[DreadnoughtNH]

Maybe I'm just neurotic, but I flash the OK?/OK whenever my buddy (or anyone else in my group) locks eyes with me, particularly if I know they're relatively new to diving. If they are looking at the other divers, they aren't really in the moment, and it's worth the momentary check-in to me.

I'm usually boat diving warm water with a group, and the number of new/inexperienced divers I see stressed out, and yet trying to not let that ruin their buddy's / significant other's vacation dive is alarming (especially those who have a buddy preoccupied with a GoPro or some new kit they are using).

I'll flash the OK? signal, then again OK? with my head cocked and gesturing to their inattentive buddy if applicable.. If it gets a knowing smile, I know they're ok. If they look exasperated or follow-up with a cold / tired / something's wrong signal, I'll try to get the buddy's attention and try to square them away, or work with them until they are more confident.

I like everyone to have a good time enjoying the sport I love.

 

[lermontov]

Maybe I'm just neurotic, but I flash the OK?/OK whenever my buddy (or anyone else in my group) locks eyes with me, particularly if I know they're relatively new to diving. If they are looking at the other divers, they aren't really in the moment, and it's worth the momentary check-in to me.

e.

actually I find people constantly asking me if im ok quite irritating and i sometimes wonder if its they who are anxious

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I try to be rather vigilant with keeping my buddy into view or his light beam. I use a motorcycle hand mirror (convex) on one hand that really helps. I dive in cold, dark water (Puget Sound). I recently bought a new mask from Atomic for the wider angle view over my Hollis M1. When I am with a new diver and leading, I make sure to have a constant view of them in my mirror.

 

[TMHeimer]

I try to be rather vigilant with keeping my buddy into view or his light beam. I use a motorcycle hand mirror (convex) on one hand that really helps. I dive in cold, dark water (Puget Sound). I recently bought a new mask from Atomic for the wider angle view over my Hollis M1. When I am with a new diver and leading, I make sure to have a constant view of them in my mirror.

Interesting. How big is the mirror? How is it attached to your hand so it's not a bother while diving?

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Interesting. How big is the mirror? How is it attached to your hand so it's not a bother while diving?

One of these: https://www.amazon.com/CIPA-11125-Hand-Mirror/dp/B000TCGD96/. I replaced the hand mount velcro with bungee. It works great. I can face away with my right hand raised, and I can see behind me. One newly certified diver said she felt more relaxed knowing how I was watching her get sorted, as I was sitting there, not moving at all with my right hand raised in front of me.