Was it the Right thing to do?

[Calmseas]

Recently got back from a 5 day trip in the Caribbean with my non diving wife. I have minimal diving experience (15 dives total) but feel really comfortable in the water.

On the second dive of my trip I was with a new dive operator and it was a cattle call type boat. Probably around 15 divers on board. I was a single so they paired me up with another single on the boat but we were to mainly follow the guide. It was a 100 foot wall dive with a few swim throughs. I rented everything but mask, snorkel and fins from the operator.

As soon as we jumped in the water, I turned to give the boat my all clear sign of the touch on the head and prepare to descend. Unbeknownst to me, my insta buddy was long gone, (already descending) and the guide was about 20 feet below by the time I started down. Seemed like they were in a big hurry to me but oh well. I descended and honestly, never saw my instabuddy for the next 45 minutes while we were under water. There was 100 foot visibility so there were divers all over as we descended and perhaps my buddy was in there somewhere but I had not idea where she was.

As we got down to the sea floor, around 80 feet, I noticed my depth gauge was not working at all, completely blank screen. I motioned to the guide and he came over and took a look at it. He handed an extra one off his arm and we went about our way. Max depth was about 103 after we did a swim through and then worked our way along the wall and back up to about 60 feet. I followed the guided, (within about 40 feet of him) along with about 6 other divers following along. Still not sure if my instabuddy was anywhere around. I got low on air as I am still getting the hand of long slow breathes and went up to 15 feet alone, did my safety stop and then surfaced. Got on the boat, after waiting in line with about 6 other people and did a surface interval before a dive to the reef at about 40 feet. Saw my instabuddy during the surface interval and we splashed together again going in for the second dive, but away she went. She may have been around somewhere on the second dive but I didn't see her. If I would have gotten in trouble, the guide was within 2o to 30 feet and there were other folks swimming around.

Got on the boat after the second dive and I thought it was a great day of diving. However, based upon my training in the open water class I recently took, I should have called the dive when I lost instabuddy the first time dive, and probably should have surfaced when my depth gauge didn't work. I am pretty laid back and figured the guide and other folks were near, so just float along and have a good time.

Any experiences like these? Should I have been more letter of the law on these dives on this cattle boat? Curious what those with more experience would have done. Thanks,

 

[scrane]

I think you handled yourself very well. I wouldn't have done anything differently. You might have talked to your "buddy" during the SI and clarified responsibilities or lack thereof. It is not unusual on a cattle boat for the DM to be mother hen and everybody's buddy. On dives not everything might go as planned, but you used your common sense and successfully gauged your own capabilities.

 

[Leighen]

If I was you I would have handled things differently, but I'm not you so I'll tell you what I would have done first.

When asked to pair up with an instabuddy my response is typically "No thanks" unless of course she's really hot in which case I have no problem with it regardless of her level of training or experience. Otherwise I much prefer to dive solo and I have the certification and redundant gear to do it. I can't be bothered with trying to keep track of another diver while there's so much more interesting things to do.There's also liability issues when you are responsible for another diver, as well as different diving styles and with two divers there's more chance of something going wrong that could require an unexpected end to a nice dive.

If I was you, with a relatively low number of dives, despite my comfort in the water I would have had a firm discussion with your same ocean/same buddy back on the boat after dive one and clarify that you expect to stay together for the duration of the dive, and have a plan to either abort the dive or team up with the DM if you cannot locate one another within a specified time, typically 1-2 minutes. Furthermore if she is unable or unwilling to do this then go find another buddy.

If you prefer to avoid that sort of conversation then simply speak to the DM or other crewmember and request another buddy or to be paired directly with the DM.

 

[Calmseas]

It was definitely a mother hen type situation. The guide is really the only person I focused on staying close to. Saw a nurse shark on the wall dive and a few barracuda on the reef dive so was a little distracted at times but otherwise just followed him along. The only part that frustrated me a little was the rush to get in the water and head down immediately. After I splashed I wanted to get a feel for who was around me and signal each other before we headed down but they were gone.

 

[saxman242]

Any experiences like these? Should I have been more letter of the law on these dives on this cattle boat? Curious what those with more experience would have done.

I have had similar experiences with instabuddies that are more same ocean buddies. This has happened to be on both big boats and little boats. I likely would have done similar, although I generally carry a small pony tank for these reasons. With only 15 dives under you belt, however, this wouldn't be my recommendation.

In the future, I'd have a conversation with your buddy before the first dive to share your experience levels and expectations of how close they want to hang out. If you're on different pages, ask for a new buddy. A lot can be solved by talking things through ahead of time. I'd also stay a bit closer to guide if you find yourself in that situation again.

 

[Leighen]

The rapid descent reflects somewhat poorly on the DM who could have taken a minute to make sure everyone was ok before heading down. Unless of course this was a drift dive and/or during the briefing it was explained that divers would immediately descend upon entry.

 

[Stoo]

Welcome to "Training vs Reality 101". I suppose there are two things that pop out from this. First is that a big part of being a buddy is looking out for your buddy... insta or otherwise. If I am understanding you properly, You lost your buddy on the first dive, found her on the boat, and lost her on the second dive again. I wonder if a chat between dives would have helped. Apparently the two of you were diving very different plans. That can be ok, but not if you both aren't of the same understanding.

Also, when you say your "depth guage" died, do you mean your dive computer? Either way, how did you know your deco status and was the DM aware you were ascending?

 

[Calmseas]

If I was you I would have handled things differently, but I'm not you so I'll tell you what I would have done first.

When asked to pair up with an instabuddy my response is typically "No thanks" unless of course she's really hot in which case I have no problem with it regardless of her level of training or experience. Otherwise I much prefer to dive solo and I have the certification and redundant gear to do it. I can't be bothered with trying to keep track of another diver while there's so much more interesting things to do.There's also liability issues when you are responsible for another diver, as well as different diving styles and with two divers there's more chance of something going wrong that could require an unexpected end to a nice dive.

If I was you, with a relatively low number of dives, despite my comfort in the water I would have had a firm discussion with your same ocean/same buddy back on the boat after dive one and clarify that you expect to stay together for the duration of the dive, and have a plan to either abort the dive or team up with the DM if you cannot locate one another within a specified time, typically 1-2 minutes. Furthermore if she is unable or unwilling to do this then go find another buddy.

If you prefer to avoid that sort of conversation then simply speak to the DM or other crewmember and request another buddy or to be paired directly with the DM.

Thanks for the information. I had no buddy so it was either insta-buddy or I guess I could have said I am fine alone but figured the dive op would not have liked that. She was not of the "real hot" variety. I don't have anything but a newly minted Open Water Cert. I got to the point I just followed the DM, a cool guy that just floated along pointing things out ,and I suppose the insta buddy was also fine with me being no where near her, wherever she was. I have video of the dive and she is nowhere to be seen even though the guide is in multiple shots.

 

[Calmseas]

The rapid descent reflects somewhat poorly on the DM who could have taken a minute to make sure everyone was ok before heading down. Unless of course this was a drift dive and/or during the briefing it was explained that divers would immediately descend upon entry.

That was my only beef this day as well. By the time I hit the water there was no one on the surface. I looked underwater and the DM and my buddy were about 15 feet below. It was not a drift dive, very little current if any.

 

[Calmseas]

Welcome to "Training vs Reality 101". I suppose there are two things that pop out from this. First is that a bog part of being a buddy is looking out for your buddy... insta or otherwise. If I am understanding you properly, You lost your buddy on the first dive, found her on the boat, and lost her on the second dive again. I wonder if a chat between dives would have helped. Apparently the two of you were diving very different plans. That can be ok, but not if you both aren't of the same understanding.

Also, when you say your "depth guage" died, do you mean your dive computer? Either way, how did you know your deco status and was the DM aware you were ascending?

It was the dive console with the rental gear. The air gauge worked but the depth portion did not. I had no idea on Deco time and just did what the DM did. He knew I was ascending as he was asking me about air throughout the dive and when I got to 1000 or so he pointed to the surface. I took that to mean to get going.