Search results

DM's and instructors do so regularly, as part of a class. But they're usually confining those dives to small areas and shallow depths. As a part of normal diving, it's just not practical. Anything larger than a group of three should be broken up into "primary buddy teams", and your objective is...

... there are techniques for being a photographer's dive buddy ... and for being a photographer with a dive buddy ... The Photographer's Dive Buddy ... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Most US west coast dive operators are also basically water taxis ... if you want a dive guide you have to bring your own ... ... Bob (Grateful Diver)

As an example ... you're diving on a wreck at recreational depths. You and your dive buddy are moderately experienced, and both have OW, AOW and Rescue training only. You are diving standard AL80 rental tanks. At 90 fsw you come upon what looks like an easy entry to the wreck. Your buddy...

I'll disagree ... in fact, I think that is downright bad advice as stated. Diving is very situational, and there are few rules that are so absolute that they should begin with the word NEVER. This is one of them. You have no obligation to stay with a buddy who is ... (a) intentionally breaking...

... and in some parts of the world, nobody from the boat crew actually goes in the water with you ... ... Bob (Grateful Diver)

The coldest I've ever dived wearing a wetsuit was 42 degrees (F). But that was a long time ago. Now that I'm older I'm not as tolerant of being cold as I once was ... so anything below about mid-70's I'm wearing a drysuit ... ... Bob (Grateful Diver)

The boat crew generally gives a dive briefing, which describes the site and provides some recommendations for how to dive it. The dive plan is between you and your buddy. Yes, you certainly talk about hand signals and buddy positioning (there's more to that than proximity). But you also want to...

I was that guy for about my first two or three years. Then one day a friend brought a new camera and wanted to practice taking some video ... so I got to be her subject. Watching it later I said I didn't realize I was flailing my arms like that. She said I do it all the time. Nobody had ever...

I don't mind diving with somebody who likes to brag, as long as he can walk the talk ... after all, once we're underwater he ain't gonna be talking much anyway ... ... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Great wreck diving, for sure ... but retirement generally means older people, and as you get old your tolerance for cold decreases. After 17 years of mostly cold water diving (including the Great Lakes), I'm ready for something warmer. I think most older folks would prefer warmer climes...

Not everyone ... but most. Some photographers are excellent dive buddies ... but they're the ones who put the priority on the team, and the camera comes second. They're usually excellent divers who developed good buddy skills before becoming a photographer, and who have put the extra effort into...

Many dive ops around the world mandate that their crew put your gear together for you. I don't generally want them to, but have learned to just let them do their job (the hired help doesn't make the policy, after all ... but they do have to follow it if they expect to remain employed). Then...

Yes, and in describing him I'll point out what I think you should look for. It was in Bonaire, on an afternoon boat dive out to Klein Bonaire. I'd already three dives that day, and told my assigned dive buddy that I wanted to stay above 60 feet. He (a German fellow) said "yah", and that's what...

... I used to have a dive buddy like that ... we called him "scooter" ... :) ... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Yes, we do too, and we use them for penetrating the wreck. But the upline isn't where you penetrate. In this case, it wasn't on the wreck at all. We dropped it off to the side of the wreck (so as to not damage the wooden structure), tied off a line from the upline to the wreck, and proceeded to...

Fiji's a pretty direct flight from Hawaii ... and if you haven't been to Fiji I highly recommend it ... ... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I'd be hesitant to stage my deco bottles under some conditions. I've been on wrecks where the vis was so bad we had difficulty finding the upline ... in one case we never did find it and had to do a free ascent from about 215 feet. Was glad to have my deco bottles with me on that one ...

... I've been living in the shadow of the nation's largest active volcano for the past 25 years ... outside of having emergency evacuation plans handy, there's really not that much to worry about ... ... Bob (Grateful Diver)

... which is, of course, their job. I find them to be a useful resource ... but only one of several for any given location. The biggest hurdle in researching any destination for retirement is keeping an open mind and not buying sales pitch ... ... Bob (Grateful Diver)