Absentee buddy

[Taipeidiver]

I just got back from a trip to Palau which, while fantastic, was overshadowed by an unfortunate incident with my dive buddy. The following incident happened to two consecutive dives with only minor variatons.

I had all new equipment (long story) and found myself getting through my air much more quickly than usual - it turned out that I had the breathing resistance turned right up on the reg, once I adjusted it I was back to my normal RMV - so found myself running low on air well before my buddy.

When I got to 50 bar, I got my buddy's attention and gave him the signal that it was time to leave and instead of getting the affirmative response he signalled that he wanted to stay, I returned the 50 bar signal again and gave him a firm two handed thumbs up, time to go, signal. Still no joy with my buddy so, rather than risk an OOA emergency, I decide to leave on my own. At 5 metres, I pop the buoy and after my stop surface and am picked up by the boat - no problem. Five or ten minutes later my buddy surfaces.

I tried to explain to him that he was supposed to stay with me and he replied that he wanted to stay with the group and said that he thought I would be okay. I was not impressed. He just would not accept that he was supposed to stay with me, or that either of us could have gotten into trouble and been without a buddy to assist. More of a problem for me than for him at the time, as he was still with a group of other divers.

Though I have dived with this guy about thirty or forty times and had never had this problem before because previously we used our air at roughly the same rate. I have since decided not to dive with him again. We remain friends.

So, what lessons did I learn?

1. Choose your buddies carefully!
2. Be prepared (in terms of mindset and equipment) to finish any dive on your own.
3. It's been said before, but plan the dive - and make sure that both members of your buddy team (yourself included) understand that when the set time limit or minimum air level is reached then it's time to go, it's the same as calling a dive - no buts.

 

[2Tours N Iraq`]

Good lessons learned from an unfortunate event. I also know someone who recently had a similar experience with a dive buddy and vowed to never again dive with that guy. Even thought I have yet to get certified, my brother and I have already decided that our safety is more important than the fun that the dive may provide. I have been reading the US Navy Dive manual to learn as much as I can before I take the plunge so when I do get certified (sometime this summer) I will be as good a dive buddy as possible for a newbie.

 

[miketsp]

Good lessons learned from an unfortunate event.
..snip..

I don't see it as an unfortunate event because you got back safely.
I see it as a fortunate event because you found out about your buddy's sense, or rather lack of, of responsibility before anything really serious happened.

As you already said, find another buddy.

 

[ScubaSarus]

This happens often in our group. We talk about this before the dive. I usually accept having to make it back on my own, but I usually don't let my buddy go back alone not even walking up the shore alone if I can help it.

Discuss these situations ahead of time and see how you feel about them. Usually the dive boat leader will get upset and say "were is your buddy?"

 

[Puck]

Apparently your buddy (not for lack of a better, unpostable term) forgot that the buddy system was also for his benefit. Should he have encountered a problem, you would not have been there to help him out. An extra set of eyes, ears, or even just a moment of clear thinking could make all the difference. I seem to use less air than most of the people I dive with, but for MY OWN well being, I stick with them all the way to the surface.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Well I have to admit if I were in Palau with a Hoover for a buddy, he or she would be surfacing on his or her own as well.

The difference probably is that given any choice at all I would buddy with someone who, like myself, is self reliant enough and properly equipped to surface without a problem and who does not expect me to cut my dive short and, quite frankly, who will not complain about it. Another difference is that we would discuss this before hand and would arrange for one to notify the other so that the low on air buddy is mistakenly assumed to be missing.

The buddy system is ok within it limits but, expecially for new divers, it tends to get rather dogmatically applied as a matter of indoctrination with little critical thinking involved. For more experienced divers it often becomes a crutch for poorly developed skills or redundancy inadequate to properly safeguard the diver in the specific conditions.

 

[Puck]

DA,

If the poster was consistently a "hoover" it would be one thing, and as his buddy, I might elect to dive with someone else and suggest he pair up with someone with similar a consumption profile, but this was an isolated and apparently strange occurence -- which in and of itself should have made the buddy at the very least curious or more aptly concerned about his buddy not less. If a regular buddy of mine seems to be going through his air at twice his normal rate, I am going to be watching him like a hawk -- something was obviously wrong, and thankfully it was just a reg adjustment.

I realize that you have 20x the experience I do, but I did not know that somewhere after the 500th plunge a diver will gain the ability of prophecy. Your claim of diving with a buddy who is self reliant enough to make it on his own is like saying you don't need a backup torch if you take a good reliable light with you in the first place.

Reviewing the accidents and incidents reports, how many "experienced" divers might be diving tomorrow if a buddy would have been closer or there at all.

 

[Tassie_Rohan]

Well I have to admit if I were in Palau with a Hoover for a
buddy, he or she would be surfacing on his or her own as well. .

Been there and been sorely temped to do exactly that - on one day I was teamed up in Palau with a gentlemen who was in the red in around 15 minutes - while still on route to a manta cleaning station. Although somewhat surprised (I couldn't believe anyone could suck through a tank that quick) I dutifully split away from the group and surfaced with him. My feeling is that someone who is that quick on air needs all the supervision they can get. The rest of the dive group surfaced 40-50 minutes later whooping with joy over the 7 mantas that had hovered around them... :-( Although disappointed I was more interested in making my buddy feel comfortable during the SI by swapping stories - he was pretty apologetic when he surfaced.

On my second dive with him he lasted 20 minutes: that time around I followed him up to 5 m, watched him surface, watched the pick up boat get him, then returned to my dive. After that dive he was buddied with a DM and I was able to get some decent dives in.

It can be a tough choice, especially when travelling a long way and paying a lot of money. I stick with the hoovers as they are usually the sort of people who need supervision. Main thing is to make sure they get buddied with a DM or another hoover as soon as possible – and matching divers quickly is the mark of a good dive operation.

Cheers,
Rohan.

 

[wedivebc]

DA,

If the poster was consistently a "hoover" it would be one thing, and as his buddy, I might elect to dive with someone else and suggest he pair up with someone with similar a consumption profile, but this was an isolated and apparently strange occurence -- which in and of itself should have made the buddy at the very least curious or more aptly concerned about his buddy not less. If a regular buddy of mine seems to be going through his air at twice his normal rate, I am going to be watching him like a hawk -- something was obviously wrong, and thankfully it was just a reg adjustment.

I realize that you have 20x the experience I do, but I did not know that somewhere after the 500th plunge a diver will gain the ability of prophecy. Your claim of diving with a buddy who is self reliant enough to make it on his own is like saying you don't need a backup torch if you take a good reliable light with you in the first place.

Reviewing the accidents and incidents reports, how many "experienced" divers might be diving tomorrow if a buddy would have been closer or there at all.

I agree with most of DA's post. It is a matter of comfort and communication. The big problem with this dive was not the buddy deciding to stay but the buddy not communicating that before the dive. If both parties are comfortable with the situation and had discussed it before hand then all would have been well. If I had a buddy who decided he were not comfortable ascending alone I would cut my dive short but then I might decide to go solo instead. Most dive problems occur before the dive in the planning stage. That's why it is imperitive to dive the plan what ever it may be.

 

[NavyDoll]

I agree with you Dave... no problem ending the dive separately as long as both buddies are comfortable with that plan This system works quite well for me a few of my buddies and means that we are able to make the most out of tank of air!!