Approximately How Often Have You Experienced Buddy Separation?

[kr2y5]

Of course it's all going to be subjective, biased, etc., but I'm just curious what everyone's experiences are. Let's define "buddy separation" as a situation, in which buddy wasn't or wouldn't have been immediately available to provide assistance, should anything happen. Obviously, there's some ambiguity in the question, feel free to resolve it in whatever way it makes the most sense to you. Solo dives don't count. Thanks!

 

[JBFG]

Never. I always make sure i'm near my buddy, even if he/she decides to take off, I stick with them.


There life is in my hand as much as mine is in theirs (to some extend obviously).

 

[Reku]

Back when I started diving I used to pair up with whoever I could find - now after some experience has been gained, The criteria I choose my buddies by is much more rigorous. The majority of my dives are solo - as per your request they do not count.

That leaves about 300 dives with a buddy and out of those I've had roughly 3 or so buddies get separated from me - ~1%, I'm just looking at separation (buddy is not in immediate area) because honestly I don't need their help in the event of an emergency. In all 3 cases my buddy was at fault and did not "plan the dive, dive the plan" - they just did whatever they wanted.

Someday everyone will learn that planning, execution and follow through are the most important parts of diving.

 

[Rilelen]

On one of my first post-certification dives, I was diving air and my instabuddy was diving nitrox. I hit my NDL well before I was even close to being out of air....when I signaled him, my buddy declined to ascend with me. I declined to stay at depth and go into deco. There was a DM in the water, so I swam over to let him know I was ascending without my buddy and he accompanied me to the ascent line. I hung out at the safety stop with a school of barracudas for ten or fifteen minutes until my buddy ascended and rejoined me. When I got home, I decided to go get my nitrox certification.

 

[Reku]

On one of my first post-certification dives, I was diving air and my instabuddy was diving nitrox. I hit my NDL well before I was even close to being out of air....when I signaled him, my buddy declined to ascend with me. I declined to stay at depth and go into deco. There was a DM in the water, so I swam over to let him know I was ascending without my buddy and he accompanied me to the ascent line. I hung out at the safety stop with a school of barracudas for ten or fifteen minutes until my buddy ascended and rejoined me. When I got home, I decided to go get my nitrox certification.

What depth were you diving at? Just curious.

 

[Rilelen]

About 65' - so not that deep, but we had made multiple dives with fairly short SIs (about 45 minutes if I'm remembering correctly).

 

[Storker]

Never.

 

[rivers]

Once. I got caught in a cross current. I went one way, buddy went the other. As I was putting my bag up, I smacked right into him.

 

[Reku]

About 65' - so not that deep, but we had made multiple dives with fairly short SIs (about 45 minutes if I'm remembering correctly).

Ah ok that makes sense.

 

[Reku]

Once. I got caught in a cross current. I went one way, buddy went the other. As I was putting my bag up, I smacked right into him.

That was probably hilarious.