How Do You Descend With A Buddy?
- Thread starter OE2X
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hermosadive
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Follow him along the line to your predetermined depth?
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0345394062/002-2697397-2517604
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0345394062/002-2697397-2517604
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OE2X:
That, honestly depends on my buddy. When I'm diving with my wife (my usual vacation buddy) or a student, I prefer to keep them in my main field of vision at all times. I'd descend just above them for that purpose. With someone else I'd descend side by side.
James
SeanQ
Contributor
I prefer to stay in constant visual contact with my buddy. I have dove in the Saanich Inlet when the surface vis was less than a metre. We were a few metres apart on the surface when we began our descent. As soon as we dipped under the surface I lost sight of him. I swam forward a metre to where I thought my buddy was only to discover he wasn't there. I looked in every direction but could not see him. I surfaced and 20 seconds later he joined me. He told me he descended quickly to the bottom (around 7 metres) and shone his light up towards me. Although he was only a few metres infront of me, I had no way of knowing. I couldn't even see a bubble trail. The vis was so bad in the first 10 metres I might as well have been diving solo. We had to hold hands and swim along the bottom until we reached the wall and the vis cleared up. Since then I prefer to descend in constant visual contact with my buddy (even if this means a metre away).
All depends on how much I like them 
StSomewhere
Contributor
How will we know if one of us has problems clearing our ears, etc. if we don't descend together?
If there is current, then one of us will lead, and the other will follow. A quick glance backwards every few seconds will determine if they are following.
Maintain contact on the way down. Like already said, you gotta watch for that ear clearing thing.
BTW, were you bored today, OE2X?
BTW, were you bored today, OE2X?
Stay in the eye contact till the agreed depth. I have already seen several problem accuring during the descent - such as ears, loosing the weight belt, 2nd stage braking down and so on....
Mania
Mania
Depends on the buddy. If they are experienced the odds of them having a problem on descent are very slight so we will usually drop down the anchor line in trail formation at 60-75 ft per minute. The leading buddy will still normally look back over his/her shoulder periodically during the descent.
With an inexperienced diver it just depends on the diver. Some need more attention or confidence and you end up decending in an upright face to face position rather than in a head down swimming position.
Others are a little more independent and I will just hang off to the side for more distant moral support.
For the annoying type you don't like or who tend to get self absorbed and wander off, clipping them to a 75 lb anchor ensures they will not only get to the bottom but also ensures they will be waiting for you when you arrive.
With an inexperienced diver it just depends on the diver. Some need more attention or confidence and you end up decending in an upright face to face position rather than in a head down swimming position.
Others are a little more independent and I will just hang off to the side for more distant moral support.
For the annoying type you don't like or who tend to get self absorbed and wander off, clipping them to a 75 lb anchor ensures they will not only get to the bottom but also ensures they will be waiting for you when you arrive.
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