Buddy got bent, sort of...

[Leejnd]

Oh god, I just realized that your description that I'm replying to wasn't the dive with the bf, it was a later dive. OOPS! I could just go back and delete all I just typed, but I think that there's some valid points in there somewhere so I'll leave it. I'll claim exhuastion -- just got back from a boat trip out to Anacapa Island and did three dives after a really rough crossing.

I'll agree with everyone else that anybody who won't end the dive with their buddy who breathed their tank out before them is a bad buddy who should be fired. On all three dives today, I ended with at least 500 psi more than hubby. I would NEVER think to abandon him because I wanted to use up the rest of my air.

Editing to say...even if he DOES blame me for every friggin thing that goes wrong in his life!

 

[Texasdivechick]

I may have made a boo-boo. Thinking about you both, with less than 30 dives each, stick together. I tend to do well by myself, but that doesn't really fit into your profile.

My bf is no longer diving, or at least he was told not for 4-6 months or so after the chamber. When the BF and I were diving we did descend/ ascend together for each of the three dives we did before he got hit.
The "other" diver I was referring to is someone I met at the dive shop while in Bonaire after I no longer had my BF as a buddy and needed someone else so that I could still dive. He had logged 500+ dives and therefore, I trusted that he knew what he was doing when he gave me the signal to go up. You know, finger pointed at me, swimming motion with hands, hands cupped like boat, thumb up for ascend. Did I get that right? Anyway, could I have actually made him come up to the boat, this person whom I had only met hours before?

 

[DandyDon]

Well, L.Bridges went to the final deep in 1998, but did a lot of inspire those of my generation.

Let's skip the fight. You can be right the next few...

 

[DandyDon]

Anyway, could I have actually made him come up to the boat, this person whom I had only met hours before?

Nope, but in the future you may want to cover that with all buddies. "We go down together and we go up together - ok, or else?"

 

[Texasdivechick]

And yes, this new "buddy to the boat" question is on a subsequent dive than what my original post (Hilma Hooker) with the bf was about. Sorry if I confused anyone.

 

[Leejnd]

Anyway, could I have actually made him come up to the boat, this person whom I had only met hours before?

No I guess not, but wow, if somebody who'd agreed to be my buddy gave me that signal, I'd be giving him a signal right back---my middle finger! That's just wrong. You never abandon your buddy.

 

[divermatt]

Let's skip the fight. You can be right the next few...

That's way too much leeway to give a guy like me. After all, I recently started a thread about getting my snorkel nitrox certified.

You made a good call, I missed it.

BTW: I've been on many dive boats where there was one diver, and a significant other of the diver. The S.O. tends to end up puking on the boat..Diving is great, and while it is awesome that sometimes our S.O. tries...That doesn't make them a diver, it makes them a good partner. (Sorry, but throwing this boy under the bus just ain't right.)

If only he had a nitrox snorkel, this wouldn't have happened.

 

[Jeff Toorish]

In reading this thread, which is full of insightful lessons for both new divers and more experienced divers I am still very disturbed by one thing. Shannon's boyfriend's original open water course. If his version, relayed by Shannon, is true, then there is an instructor out there that is endangering lives.

I realize there are greater and lesser instructors. I also realize that taking positive action that might result in an instructor losing his certification and his job is tough. But, you know, I'm going to feel pretty lousy if I find out some badly trained diver is dead because he was not properly taught by this instructor.

So, any instructor trainers or program directors want to weigh in on that?

Jeff

 

[DandyDon]

BTW: I've been on many dive boats where there was one diver, and a significant other of the diver. The S.O. tends to end up puking on the boat..Diving is great, and while it is awesome that sometimes our S.O. tries...That doesn't make them a diver, it makes them a good partner. (Sorry, but throwing this boy under the bus just ain't right.)

Oh, I've seen buddies separate on NC wrecks a lot - air diver up first, nitrox diver up later. Saw one of those air divers on a rented reg ascending when his reg stopped. He caught up to another air diver ascending alone. Those were sloppy trips - and I got caught up in it, too. Nearly got hurt bad myself solo diving there - swam out of it, but just barely - not nearly so cocky now.

Saw a wife puking on a boat, didn't want to go in, so very experienced hubby goes solo on the Key Largo wreck. He just blew it, OOA at depth, found on surface with bloody mouth, unconscious. It was only a lung embolism, tho - rescued before drowning.

Found a diver uncouncious on the dock once - actually the same OOA mentioned above with the bad reg, after a serizure. He never told us about the seizures. He still dives, and posts on another board I visit - lying about doctor clearance. I won't talk to him. Same trip, loaded a newbie into a Coz ambulance after he felt bent. He was hungover with a DAN card, so he did the chamber ride - don't think he was bent, but who I am to say. Same trip, found another diver out on the dock, alcoholic diabetic; he no longer dives. I had some harsh words with the group leader about the alcoholic leadership of that trip; no longer happens on that group.

And so on and so on. I have survived a few dumb stunts of my own, to be sure - but learned from them, as well as watching others' mistakes and discussing them here. I'm still a maverick at heart, but very careful of my buddies if I accept one. My daughter has written instuctions that if I am ever lost and presumed a goner to call off the search and just file claims, but I try to dive safe, and certainly try to post safely.

BTW, my snorkel is good to 40% O2...

 

[ereediver]

I too would like to apologise. When you said " I decided to stick with the DM", it sounded like you left your buddy. Your next post clarified that more. As said ,in my opinion, especially if your more experienced, you have a least the moral obligation to monitor the dive and at least check to see that the new guy isn't over reaching. Either party can and should call the dive if they feel uncomfortable. Sometimes the more experienced one may have to suck it up and call it or lighten the load some. "go up a few feet. If they notice problems with the other diver.That was my point, although probably not well said. Shannon mentioned the other buddy letting her surface alone. I have issues with that, but I will keep my mouth shut to avoid sticking my foot in it. I'll just watch and learn

P.S. Shannon22 I did not see, Did your b/f have his ears checked? that can make you dizzy