Found him ~3 miles out after an hour of searching

[ggunn]

This is a case of the old adage 'You can please some of the people some of the time, but you can't please all of the people all of the time.' Or 'Different strokes for different folks.'

A lot of divers don't like being assigned to an 'instabuddy,' to the point the term at times on SB carries a negative connotation. Many divers appear content doing the 'group follows the guide' dives, with the understanding that if someone has a problem they can approach the guide or another diver (e.g.: out of air emergency) - contrary to what some may say, this isn't the same as true solo diving.

So there are the polar opposites -'I should always dive with a buddy!' vs. 'Lemme alone!,' and shades of gray in between. A dive op. that does what you suggest (assigning buddies) will annoy and push away some customers.

A diver who refuses to buddy up, does not dive with an SMB or other signaling means, and who also refuses to stay with the group and within sight of the DM is playing a dangerous game, especially when there is significant current, wind, and wave action. He might think that this seeming independence is the mark of an experienced diver when it is actually quite the opposite. "Guy" got lucky this time.

 

[Diversiontenerife]

SMBs should be required at all times, especially in Cozumel, known for it's drift dives

 

[Jackie]

If you need to stay 30 ft above the group, you need to work on your skills, or do shallow afternoon dives or maybe stick to snorkeling.

 

[KeelsonGraham]

Hey Searching for Diver. Could you please write English. It confused the hell out of me when you referred to ‘The Guy’ and then ‘them’.

 

[ggunn]

Hey Searching for Diver. Could you please write English. It confused the hell out of me when you referred to ‘The Guy’ and then ‘them’.

"They/them" is sometimes used as an awkward sounding (to me, anyway) gender neutral third person singular pronoun, but in this case we already knew that "the guy" was male.

 

[DandyDon]

"They/them" is sometimes used as an awkward sounding (to me, anyway) gender neutral third person singular pronoun

I don't know if I will ever get used to that as I was taught that those were plural pronouns before the gender confusion appeared.

 

[Dan G]

Take it to The Pub, folks rather than exercise your confusion over gender fluidity here.

 

[ggunn]

Take it to The Pub, folks rather than exercise your confusion over gender fluidity here.

I'm not confused about my gender.

 

[drrich2]

In Cozumel, divers are required to be with a guide in the park. For someone to insist they be allowed to dive far from the guide or without one, is asking the op put their business at risk and the DM and Capt to put their livelihood at risk.

A diver who refuses to buddy up, does not dive with an SMB or other signaling means, and who also refuses to stay with the group and within sight of the DM is playing a dangerous game, especially when there is significant current, wind, and wave action. He might think that this seeming independence is the mark of an experienced diver when it is actually quite the opposite. "Guy" got lucky this time.

I agree op.s have the right to set their own boat policies, SMBs are highly advised for ocean diving generally and drift/current diving in particular, and in Cozumel where being with a guide is required (plus a really good idea even if it weren't) the diver shouldn't ventured off from guide and group.

My point was some divers disdain mandatory instabuddies, consider diving with the group adequate, and some dive op.s allow that (in practice whether they state so explicitly), which enables choice for those who want it. People who want to buddy up are still welcome to do so.

 

[alwayssummer]

After hearing about this incident, I checked my rental gear and realized that it had no signaling devices whatsoever, should a similar thing happen to me. Seems to behoove the responsible diver to bring their own minimal acceptable safety gear rather than expect the shop will provide the same stuff that's strapped to their gear at home. Lesson learned: next time I bring my own SMB, surface signaling device(s), and a cutting tool.

Always happy to learn from someone else's close call rather than my own.