Do I Really Need An Octopus?

[redacted]

I wouldn't say a word to somebody who was diving without a secondary air source. I just wouldn't buddy up with them.

It is a good point, though, that your buddy's choice of gear and configuration should be known and important to you, because in certain circumstances, the choices he has made can severely impact your safety and comfort.

I'd probably still buddy up with him. But I would take a 2nd off my backup rig and add it to his first.

 

[tedtim]

Buddy breathing was the buddy-support skill and we practiced it at the start of every dive. With that level of drilling we were ready and confident. If you are prepared to go back to those procedures and every buddy that you dive with is similarly committed ... go for it, if not ... get yourself an "octopus" and a long hose, and a similarly equipped buddy, its a much easier solution.

A wise response.

Now, take a look at it from your perspective if your buddy has only one second stage. Are you prepared and sufficiently confident that you can get yourself and your buddy to the surface using buddy breathing? If not, would you dive with a buddy that has only one second stage?

We did buddy breathing during the pool sessions of my OW course, but not during the checkouts. It was a required skill as part of the gear exchange during my DM course.

 

[Ana]

I love you, Ana!

You know I love you bunches too.

I wouldn't say a word to somebody who was diving without a secondary air source. I just wouldn't buddy up with them.

It is a good point, though, that your buddy's choice of gear and configuration should be known and important to you, because in certain circumstances, the choices he has made can severely impact your safety and comfort.

Agree with you 100%. When diving with a buddy there are implied responsibilities (unless everyone involved agrees to wave them in advance) and gear does affect buddies.

 

[Thalassamania]

A wise response.

Now, take a look at it from your perspective if your buddy has only one second stage. Are you prepared and sufficiently confident that you can get yourself and your buddy to the surface using buddy breathing? If not, would you dive with a buddy that has only one second stage?

I am prepared and confident that, given a buddy who was also prepared and confident, with whom I practiced buddy-breathing at the start of the dive, that we could be each other to the surface buddy-breathing but ... and that's a big but ... when it comes to "a buddy who was also prepared and confident ..." I do not know a whole bunch in that category, maybe two or three, and we don't dive together as much as I'd like. So I have a long hose and an auxiliary.

We did buddy breathing during the pool sessions of my OW course, but not during the checkouts. It was a required skill as part of the gear exchange during my DM course.

Take my word for it, if you don't do it on almost every dive it's not going to work when you really need it. Doing it once during a controlled situation gear exchange, while a good training exercise, is not vaguely like the real thing.

 

[redacted]

Ana - What "vacation" were you on diving with a Kirby Morgan mounted in a hard hat?

 

[Brewone0to]

Diving mainly open water non-technical, no deco in a group or semi-soli. Do I really need an octopus?

No Eric, you don't need one.

Please keep in mind that most "out of air"
divers go for regulator in your mouth.

Since I don't run OOA, If my reg stops working
that is always going to be my 1st choice.

I just know that I don't want an OOA diver to grab my reg
and then bolt for the surface.

 

[Rick Inman]

Take my word for it, if you don't do it on almost every dive it's not going to work when you really need it.

When I started diving in the 70's, and BB was the only option, we practiced it every dive (my Dad insisted on it). But even then, when it really happened to me once at the end of a dive, the guy who ran OOA on me, after a couple of breaths, bolted for the surface. I was 16 years old.

The next OOA situation I was in was more than 30 years later, and this guy swam calmly along with me, sucking off my long hose teat until we stood up at shore.

 

[Thalassamania]

... when it really happened to me once at the end of a dive, the guy who ran OOA on me, after a couple of breaths, bolted for the surface.

He didn't practice at the start of every dive?

I've had any number of real buddy breathing incidents and all of them worked just find. No one bolted, no one had any problem. But all the people that I dove with were part of the same team approach to diving and had been trained the same way, practiced the same way and so on. This is at odds with the stories that most other divers relate.

 

[Rick Inman]

He didn't practice at the start of every dive?

Nope. My dad and I did. I don't know when this guy did. Which just goes to show...

 

[Slaveeye]

You know this is a contributing factor for why some of us end up classified as angry,rude and worse.

You are entitled to dive with whoever you want, regardless of your reasons. For all I care, you may decide that you wouldn't dive with anyone that doesn't have a ribbon attached to the wetsuit zipper. But why "would have a nice long talk about safety" with anyone if that person is not to dive with you. If you approach me with that intention you'll get a swift "go away" assuming you caught me in a good mood.

People, when you are out there diving remember that not every adult you encounter is just waiting for your wisdom; some of us do what we do exactly the way we want to do it.
That also goes for the ones that don't go directly to the person for the "nice long talk" but go running to the capt/DM telling so and so doesn't have and octo. What is it? Are there boats where the capt/DM's give golden stars to tattletales?

I understand the OP is asking for the general opinion, and I assume will read the responses and draw a conclussion from there. It is a wonderful thing to give your suggestions when they are requested, but don't get the idea that it takes a village to raise a diver.

My attentions was not to sound rude. And those that know me know that I'm laid back and love to dive and share my diving experiences. I lead alot of trips and safety is key. You really don't need the seat belt in your car/truck either but in the unlikely event..............Thats right it might just save you or your passengers life. I could continue on and express how juvenile Ana's post is but I'm a professional and I'll just leave it at that. And no need for tattletales, my DM's know who is diving what gear before you ever suit up. Thats the difference between a reputable operation and a don and dip.