Dive Boat Protocol

[merxlin]

I'm lucky enough to live in So Cal and have access to a variety of boats to dive from. I've also been lucky enough to have a dive buddy to dive with when I haven't been on an LDS sponsored trip. I now find that I want to dive more than my buddy can. I believe that although new, I am fairly competent, have passed my AOW, and wouldn't be a burden except for maybe still being a bit of a hoover. Is it reasonable to just book on a boat and expect that I will find someone willing to dive with me?

 

[Ed Marshall]

If there's not another buddy-less diver on board, the divermaster will usually buddy with you, in my experience.

Ed

 

[nolatom]

Yup. it's always worked okay for me. they won't refuse unattached divers, not good for business. there's usually someone there to dive with, and the captain or DM can help match you up, or maybe you can buddy with the DM if he goes in.

 

[theskull]

This is my usual practice since I don't have a regular travelling buddy. It has never been a problem. I do always make it clear when I book my reservation that I will be needing a buddy, which has never been a problem. It is also good when boarding the boat to let the DM or the Captain know that you will need to be set up with a buddy.

A tip for the future: You will quickly become a good diver if you dive often, and once you are a good diver you will especially appreciate dive buddies who are good divers. When this is the case, it is wise to meet the DM right away, give them a decent tip right away, and let them know that you would really appreciate getting paired up with someone who is a good diver--they can usually help you out by putting you with someone they know or buddying with you themself.

On the other hand, if the dive is not something out of the ordinary or a long trip from home, it can be very satisfying as well to pair up with a new or wary diver and help them have an enjoyable dive!

Dive safe and have fun,

theskull

 

[Boat Chick]

If there's not another buddy-less diver on board, the divermaster will usually buddy with you, in my experience.

Ed

Not on So Cal dive boats. The DM's stay on the boat. Watch you get in, and take your 'number' as you get out of the water as a head count. Only time I've seen a DM get in the water was when diving the Yukon years ago, a gal did her giant stride and didn't have her inflator hose hooked up and kerplunk...bloop bloop bloop...he went in after her and pulled her up and on the back of the boat. Never mind she had a 2 or 3mm wetsuit, beanie, and it was April and water was around 55F...

On that note; I don't dive with someone I don't know anymore (or that has not been recommended by fellow divers). Too many times having been buddied up with someone that did not have the same diving philosophy as I do (safe safe safe). Plus, it just doesn't make for a very relaxing dive once you get down there and realize that you should have passed on the dive rather than being buddied up with someone who say's they have the same philosophy, but it becomes very apparent that they do not once you are 50 feet underwater.

3 examples:

1. (Another Yukon trip) Right after they sunk the Yukon, my husband and I took the Lois Ann out to dive her. Hubby forgot to take Bonine, and after hanging onto the mooring line during the safety stop and getting yanked all over the place....well, spent much of his time on the front of the boat with a couple other divers. So, I had no buddy for the second dive but really wanted to go. Three young men said I could go with them, but they were penetrating. I wasn't qualified to penetrate. They said "just stay on top and watch our bubbles." The DM looked at me and just shook his head like "don't do it." So, I was smart and stayed on the boat.

2. At Catalina a couple years ago, there was a single, we said he could go with us. We talked about staying together, bottom depth, turning around at half tank, etc. He became separated from us during the dive. My husband and I searched for 1 minute, then surfaced. No sign of him. OK, you get a little panicky wondering what happened to the diver. So, we went back down, looked some more, then surfaced. Nothing. So, we quickly headed back to the boat. He was on the boat. :shakehead

3. Got buddied up with someone who said he was a dry suit diver from Belgium. No way....aerobic diver with eyes that had the look of panic the entire dive...and it was warm water...

So, you may want to join Dive Bums if you haven't already and get to know some folks and hopefully hook up prior to the boat dives. JMHO

 

[Robert Phillips]

Most dive boats in SoCal rarely, if ever, have DM's that actually get in the water. The exception would be DM's diving with a class, and then they would be working for a shop that chartered part of the boat, not for the boat itself.
Still, it is good advice to let the Captain and boat DM know you are buddyless and they usually do a good job finding you someone to dive with.
Then there are always the monthly Mo2vation boat dives you could hop on. No problem finding some one to dive with then.

 

[Ann Marie]

Heck, just post in the So. Cal. section here that you want to go diving. There's plenty of us that will jump at the chance to go diving.