Basics for Recreational Team diving

[MXGratefulDiver]

Sometimes single-file is necessary ... diving a wall, for example. Shoulder-to-shoulder doesn't work well on a wall, because one person will always be too far from the wall to really look at what's on it. What we do instead is dive at slightly different depths ... a few feet difference ... top person leading by about a body-length. Since the person above is in front, the person below can look up and see their buddy easily. The person below is also easily visible to the above buddy, who only has to look down and a bit back. Also that way the bubbles from the person below don't interfere with the buddy. It's also easy to signal each other if one of you finds something interesting to share ... especially in darker water where light signals are effective ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[victorzamora]

Shoulder-to-shoulder WOULD work if the buddy with the better SAC rate was deeper and both divers were on their sides. The lower diver being slightly behind the higher diver. HAHA!!

Jokes aside: In that case, you're right. On a wall, shoulder-to-shoulder doesn't work....but lining up front/above and behind/below is a very similar setup. Close enough to keep at a glance but not hard to find, requiring serious contortions to find your buddy. Many people dive in a straight line, same depth. This is what I've been trying to avoid. Conditions will change your plan (or should).

 

[bowlofpetunias]

Yeah my hard lesson was about dive 80 we entered the cut into Split Solitary Island following the dive guide as per the dive brief. We had to go single file. My buddy ahead of me trying to keep and eye out for the guide and me.. I was watching my buddy confident the two behind me would help if needed. Turns out they weren't there! They decided not to follow. I should not have done that dive looking back. It was a trust me dive I shouldn't have taken on. Fortunately we did complete the dive safely but it could have gone otherwise.

I think the single file format is just too hard to keep track of buddies. I really don't understand why it is so commonly accepted!

I like the use of lights for signals. I often use mine on strobe to catch the eye of the team members.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

In OW, in decent visibility, light signals do NOT work. My wife and I have stolen them from my cave training, but they do not work well under all conditions.

If you're doing "same day, same ocean" on a wreck in the Caribbean and you can see your buddy 180ft away but can't make out a hand signal, lights work well. But if your buddy is single-file behind you following at a moderately close clip in gin-clear water on a sunny day, there is no WAY you'll see your buddy's light. Plus, what if their light dies? Light dies, they have an issue, you swim off. Having to constantly check on them is a hassle. If my buddy is within my peripherals on-and-off, I'm a lot more comfortable and confident in my diving and can dive much more freely with a lot less worry, as "buddy awareness" is taken care of.

that is really cracking me up. Your "buddy" is 180 feet away and you can communicate well with lights. Once again. I have to say. "where do you people come up with this stuff?" A buddy 180 ft away is going to do what when you signal you need air? You are going to swim 180 feet and chase him down to get air rather than swim up? Some of this stuff is just silly.

 

[victorzamora]

that is really cracking me up. Your "buddy" is 180 feet away and you can communicate well with lights. Once again. I have to say. "where do you people come up with this stuff?" A buddy 180 ft away is going to do what when you signal you need air? You are going to swim 180 feet and chase him down to get air rather than swim up? Some of this stuff is just silly.

That was my point. If all you're doing is HAPPEN to be in the same ocean, then lights are alright for some communication. However, lights just aren't going to help in any other scenario in crystal clear waters on a sunny day (typical Caribbean, Coz, Q.Roo, Keys, Maldives, etc). My point was that a light is NOT the final solution.

Did you read the rest of my post?

 

[dumpsterDiver]

That was my point. If all you're doing is HAPPEN to be in the same ocean, then lights are alright for some communication. However, lights just aren't going to help in any other scenario in crystal clear waters on a sunny day (typical Caribbean, Coz, Q.Roo, Keys, Maldives, etc). My point was that a light is NOT the final solution.

Did you read the rest of my post?

Calling a diver 180 ft away from you a buddy is ridiculous in this context. Saying that you are going to be effective signaling from 180 feet is also ridiculous. I have used powerful green lasers underwater and I don't think they go that far, even in clear water. Have you ever tried this 180 ft signaling and communication; how do you know they work well? Do you actually dive like this- having your buddy 180 ft away? What value does it provide?

 

[victorzamora]

My point is that lights are useless in clear water.

And yes, I have, in fact, done that dive. It wasn't a buddy, but a guy I knew in another group. It was a 180ft long wreck. I signalled "okay" with my light, he signalled it back. I couldn't see make out what his hand signal was, I couldn't see his beam, but I could see the hotspot on his lens. I rarely dive like that. When I DO dive like that, it's because we both want a solo dive and I just occasionally make sure he's okay. Nothing more. I'm not saying he's useful to me.

My point is simply that lights are useless in very clear water. Period. I'm not saying that a diver 180ft away from you is useful, I'm just saying that lights are not.

 

[TSandM]

Single file works great in dark water with good, strong lights. If you are going to do it in bright water, though, it takes a real commitment to situational awareness on all parties, but particularly the guy(s) in front. In clear water, you have the advantage that, if you get a little ways ahead of the person behind you, you will still SEE them if you look back -- but you have to do the looking.

You can manage a lot of team formations if everyone ON the team uses some type of a scan system: "What's my depth? Where's my buddy? Look at the fish . . . " Where teams get separated is where the time between checks is long enough for someone to disappear (or where team members put themselves in positions where they are hard to see, like getting above the other divers -- as my friend HBDiveGirl says, "Dive to stay found.")

 

[Peter Guy]

Several years ago a group of us were in Cozumel and we dove in a few teams, 2s and 3s. Did we dive shoulder to shoulder? No. Did we dive in line? No. We went diving to have fun, look at the pretty fishies and just play. BUT, we always stayed within an undefined, but recognizable, pattern -- within an undefined, but recognizable distance from each team member. Later the DM said it looked like we were hooked together with rubber bands -- we'd go until it was "stretched" and then come back -- go out, come back.

We were just diving, looking under ledges, floating along -- but always (well, almost always -- we ain't perfect!) as coherent, and cohesive, teams. We had plans, we stuck with them, we stayed together, we kept watch on each other BUT, we had lots of fun and did what we were supposed to do -- look at the pretty fishies and enjoy the ride.

"Team Diving" is just diving:

 

[eponym]

Sometimes single file is necessary . . . diving a wall, for example. Shoulder-to-shoulder doesn't work well on a wall, because one person will always be too far from the wall to really look at what's on it. What we do instead is dive at slightly different depths . . . a few feet difference . . . top person leading by about a body length. Since the person above is in front, the person below can look up and see their buddy easily. The person below is also easily visible to the above buddy, who only has to look down and a bit back. Also that way the bubbles from the person below don't interfere with the buddy. It's also easy to signal each other if one of you finds something interesting to share, especially in darker water where light signals are effective.
Bob (Grateful Diver)

Good description, Bob. The two can swap positions from time to time as they find and show stuff to each other.

I enjoy swimming through dense kelp forests in mid-water, picking my way with no particular destination in mind, looking for life and admiring the play of light and shadow. Usually one diver leads and one follows, and the leader is checking back much more frequently than normal. They have agreed that they can swap roles at any time (and they have a signal for that).

-Bryan