How to get your "buddies" attention?

[fire_diver]

Why would you assume I was on the surface? I was right behind her and about 4' off bottom as she hit bottom.

She descended and immediately set of a zero vis silt storm as soon as she was down. Didn't wait for me, just took off.

Well, I wasn't ASSUMING anything. That's how I read your post. I can see where I might have had a wrong interpretation though. It appeared that you were saying she descended immediately (without you) becuase you said she didn't wait, just took off.

I understand now what you wrote, that you both went down together and THEN she bolted. Liek others said, no piece of gear other than a leash would keep that type of diver close to you. You just have to try to make sure the dive plan, including buddy plan, are discussed top-side before you jump in. Things like that happen some times, just shake it off and make sure you are the best diver YOU can be.

 

[TSandM]

I think this post just highlights the skills that are necessary to keep a buddy team together.

1. You need to be able to control your descent. Some new divers use the strategy of dumping all the gas out of their BCs and plummeting until they see (or hit) the bottom. Since descent rate in that case is determined by the comparison of how negative the diver is with how much resistance they offer to the water, it's unlikely two buddies would "fall" at the same rate. If you don't control your ascent, you can get separated on the way down, and in poor visibility, you may never find one another, once you're at the bottom. Control means controlling movement, too -- both vertically AND horizontally. If you flap and fin on descent, you may not be able to stay within eyeshot of your buddy, either. It's worth practicing just floating down, and being able to arrest your descent anywhere you like (assuming you aren't doing something like a hot drop into current!).

2. You have to be able to stop BEFORE you hit or otherwise disturb bottom sediments. This means the stopping can't be accomplished by frantically finning or waving your hands. You have to learn to establish neutral buoyancy using your breath and your BC, before you hit the bottom, and preferably in a horizontal attitude, so your fins aren't aimed at the bottom.

3. You have to be able to accomplish those things, while maintaining enough awareness to keep checking on the location of your buddy. Even if your control is excellent, if you haven't looked to see where your buddy is until you get to the bottom, he may not be there -- he may have had to stop twenty feet above you because his ears wouldn't clear!

I think almost all of us are aware of the need for good control on ASCENT -- the dangers of too-rapid ascents are pointed out repeatedly in OW class. But I think skills on DESCENT often aren't recognized for being as important as they are. I know that it wasn't until I took some classes where I was forced, as a drill, to stop every 10 feet on the way down, that I recognized that my control on descent was not nearly as good as I thought it was.

 

[antattack]

In a pool and when you aren't wearing gloves, make a hollow fist out of your right hand and clap the "O" made by your thumb and forefinger against the palm of your left hand. It makes a nice popping sound that travels pretty far.

In open water, use a flashlight. Side to side motion at a moderate pace means "give me your attention", an circle means OK, side to side fast means "Problem". Clang your flashlight on your tank if you need to make noise.

Carry a storm whistle in your pocket for signalling on the surface. Storm whistles also work under water, but you need to remove your regulator from your mouth, so this is not a good way to go in most emergencies. Nice to know about, maybe even practice, but in an emergency it probably won't be useful.

 

[gypsyjim]

In a pool and when you aren't wearing gloves, make a hollow fist out of your right hand and clap the "O" made by your thumb and forefinger against the palm of your left hand. It makes a nice popping sound that travels pretty far.

In open water, use a flashlight. Side to side motion at a moderate pace means "give me your attention", an circle means OK, side to side fast means "Problem". Clang your flashlight on your tank if you need to make noise.

Carry a storm whistle in your pocket for signalling on the surface. Storm whistles also work under water, but you need to remove your regulator from your mouth, so this is not a good way to go in most emergencies. Nice to know about, maybe even practice, but in an emergency it probably won't be useful.

I doubt that any of these suggestions would have made a bit of difference in the scenario described. Short of being physically attached to his "buddy", I think this "buddy team" was doomed from the start, from how the story was told.

---------- Post Merged on August 21st, 2012 at 08:19 AM ---------- Previous Post was on August 20th, 2012 at 12:35 PM ----------

[h=2]I don't know anything about this computer, but I did see it on another site today. Maybe you could get two, strap the second one on to your wandering buddy and then home in on your buddy if they wander off?


UDI DIVE COMPUTER[/h]

This has to be the greatest tool for the underwater photographer with a buddy that just won't stay with you. This great RGBM dive computer allows you to keep track of your wondering buddy with a homing tool. The UDI unit allows nitrox from 21% to 99%, two way digital text messaging, diver SOS and remote SOS signaling, 3D digital gyro-compensated compass and PC interface with PC simulator included. Unit transmission range up to 1100 yards. This unit will require a minimum of two to allow texting, homing and SOS features to be used. Even with this unit we strongly urge you to stay with your buddy. Contact us for more information at (760) 741-2583

Click To Enlarge

• Item #: UDI COMP
• Manufacturer: HTIOPS

* Marked fields are required.
Qty*
Price	$990.00
Availability	In-Stock

 

[Kharon]

I don't know anything about this computer, but I did see it on another site today. Maybe you could get two, strap the second one on to your wandering buddy and then home in on your buddy if they wander off?

Seriously? 2K to make sure I can keep track of a moron? LOL ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Better idea - I will never dive with that person again. I will tell any future "buddy" "I will try to keep track of you. If you take off or lose yourself the rest of my dive will be solo". I will dive solo whenever possible.

 

[mathauck0814]

This has to be the greatest tool for the underwater photographer with a buddy that just won't stay with you. This great RGBM dive computer allows you to keep track of your wondering buddy with a homing tool. The UDI unit allows nitrox from 21% to 99%, two way digital text messaging, diver SOS and remote SOS signaling, 3D digital gyro-compensated compass and PC interface with PC simulator included. Unit transmission range up to 1100 yards. This unit will require a minimum of two to allow texting, homing and SOS features to be used. Even with this unit we strongly urge you to stay with your buddy. Contact us for more information at (760) 741-2583

Talk about an equipment solution to a skills problem...

 

[TSandM]

I will tell any future "buddy" "I will try to keep track of you. If you take off or lose yourself the rest of my dive will be solo". I will dive solo whenever possible.

I'm always very sad when the only conclusion someone can come to, after a bad buddy experience, is that it's better to dive solo. Although I don't condemn all solo diving, I think diving with a buddy is probably safer and a lot more fun in many cases, if the buddy is a GOOD buddy. Sometimes you can make things better by a very clear pre-dive discussion, or by better buddy selection. I don't know that you could have in this case, but concluding that no buddy is better than ANY buddy seems like a pretty dubious piece of inductive reasoning to me

 

[gypsyjim]

I was not suggesting purchasing a $2000 toy, but observing that such a form of communicating does exist, and some folks might find that it meets their specific needs or concerns.
Not in the guy's budget, that's for sure!

The pre-dive discussion, and if necessary the post dive review of the failures, or successes of the team are certainly the #1 and #2 ways you can help avoid, resolve, and/or prevent a recurrence of such separations.

Solo is a major choice, and not one to take lightly, or because one or two insta-buddy situations were not perfect.

 

[flots am]

This has to be the greatest tool for the underwater photographer with a buddy that just won't stay with you.

I have a cheaper solution: "If you ever pull that s*** again, I'm not diving with you anymore".

And my solution doesn't need any batteries.

flots.

 

[Kharon]

I've been diving solo (proper equipment, training, experience) for some time now and actually have quite a few more dives solo than with "buddies". I really don't like diving with others. I'm selfish and don't want to babysit, keep track of, be limited by, etc. etc. etc. I only dive with buddies when I have to - the exception is the Milfoil remediation team on Brant Lake - we work well together, but then we are doing a job not diving for pleasure. Experiences like this one simply reinforce my desire to dive solo.