'Blind' buddy experiences?

[vimaldude]

I have finally became an 'empty nester' and my buddy/son has gone to college. I have to look for new buddy(s) to dive with.

How do you know if a diver is the right buddy for you? How do you tell someone (after a dive) that you don't want to buddy with them again?

Please share your experiences (both good and bad) related to pairing with a diver whom you never met before. I know it is very common but I have never faced this before..

 

[TSandM]

I've done quite a few dives with people who have contacted me on line. I put myself out there to dive with newer divers, and with people who visit the area. I've also occasionally had someone come up to me or us and ask to join us because their buddy hasn't shown or doesn't want to do a second dive.

Most of those experiences have been fine, an uneventful dive that was neither here nor there. A very few have been extremely unpleasant. I've never found it necessary to tell someone I wouldn't dive with them again -- you just part ways and don't attempt to contact them again, and so far, they haven't tried to contact me again, either. A few dives have been really pleasant, and I've tried to stay in touch with those people, even if schedules haven't worked well to connect again. If you find somebody whose style works with yours AND who has a similar schedule, you've found a jewel.

 

[Sasquatch]

That's a good question that doesn't lend itself to a simple answer. I've never refused to dive with new people or people that I didn't know. I consider myself a solo diver even when I'm in a group. That means that I'm self reliant if I need to be and not that I'm in my own universe when I dive. A solo diver in a group buddies up just like they were taught. Even a solo diver enjoys an added redundancy in a buddy and if that person turns out to be reliable, safe and pleasant to be around then, like Lynne wrote in a previous post, I'll make a point of diving with them again if they feel the same way and our schedules mesh.

Bottom line: Talk to the prospective buddy and go by your gut, be a good buddy and check your new buddy out during the dive. Ask about their experience, where they've been, what they've done and who with. What "style" of diver are they? Do your styles match or at least mesh?

Cheers (and let me know if you want to go diving sometime)

 

[sanjose80]

Not too much experience in this but here's what I think.Another thing that could help is being meticulous about the basics of buddy dive planning. Have a good amount of discussion before the dive about objective (photography, experiencing a new site, just bottom time, other) , plan, return point, lost buddy actions, etc.

Catching up a little bit even before you meet up at the dive site in terms of dive experience, dive objectives, number of dives, have equipment or need to rent that morning, are they in a rush to get to another appointment after the dive, etc. could also help plan better and help be on the same page.
Its typically a fairly long drive and effort to get to a dive site and you would want it to be a good experience.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Coming from the perspective of 25 years of diving, and technical and full cave diving certifications, I approach it along a continuum.

For the local quarry, I'll dive with just about anyone who does not have an "attitude" or personality disorder. Skill level is not real important and I am more than happy to mentor a new diver.

For offshore trips, I get a little pickier as I invest a lot in the trips and I do want the dive to be enjoyable and not have to babysit a diver or focus on keeping them from doing something stupid and killing themselves.

For cave diving, I may dive with you if you appear to have your stuff togther but I will watch you like a hawk and double check everything you do before during and after the dive (but I try to be subtle and discreet about it.) Until I develop a level of trust in your abilities and your judgment. If I never dive with you again, you'll know why. If you really screw up, I'll tell you exactly why on the spot in no uncertain terms.

Basically, in all three of the above situations, I make the mental assumption that I have the same level of buddy support that I would have on a solo dive and I accept that if things go south, I will be bringing 100% of the resources to the table. I don't mean that to sound negative, it just means I don't assume there will be any assistance avialable to me if a problem develops and conduct the dive accordingly.

There are a few who have made the short list who I love to dive with in a cave, and would indeed trust with my life, but they are very few in number.

On the plus side, I met Marci as a "blind buddy" and she is a phenomenal buddy - one of those really rare people who function on the same wave lenght you do. It usually feels like we share the same brain.

 

[BabyDuck]

i love you, too, sweetheart. but don't fool yourself that you're all that subtle & discreet...

absolutely, i'm up to instabuddies on the same continuum. i've had pretty good luck the one time recently i had to do that on a boat, but i'd much rather bring a 'home-grown' buddy somewhere i'm paying more than quarry entrance fee or having an overhead.

 

[vimaldude]

These are all very good suggestions and observations.
Thanks.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

i love you, too, sweetheart. but don't fool yourself that you're all that subtle & discreet...

I said I *try* to be subtle and discreet -I won't argue that I probably suck at it especially if it is an overhead dive.