How to spot a "bad buddy" - have you ever refused a buddy?

[KeithG]

A quick question about the dive plan talk with your buddy...

Doesn't the DM give the dive plan? When you plan with your buddy, is it more about what hand signals they use, and how close together you want to stay... that sort of thing?

(And thank you *everyone* for all the great advice and answers)

This depends upon where you are.

If you are somewhere where DM led dives are mandatory (most of Coz?), then yes the dive briefing establishes the dive plan. You must dive as a cluster.

If you are somewhere else then the briefing only establishes where the DM intends to go, if they actually get in the water. Your buddy pair is free to establish their own dive plan.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

... and in some parts of the world, nobody from the boat crew actually goes in the water with you ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Storker]

... and in some parts of the world, nobody from the boat crew actually goes in the water with you ...

That's how we do it in northern Europe. Get on a boat, and what you'll get is a taxi ride and a site briefing. And sometimes a cup of tea or coffee after the dive.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

That's how we do it in northern Europe. Get on a boat, and what you'll get is a taxi ride and a site briefing. And sometimes a cup of tea or coffee after the dive.

Most US west coast dive operators are also basically water taxis ... if you want a dive guide you have to bring your own ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Marie13]

Pretty much water taxis on the Great Lakes, as well.

 

[Edward3c]

That's how we do it in northern Europe. Get on a boat, and what you'll get is a taxi ride and a site briefing. And sometimes a cup of tea or coffee after the dive.

Often in the UK the skipper is only interested in getting divers in and out of the water safely. No briefing on the site, they're not interested whether your qualified or not - not their problem, they've provided transportation to and from the site dictated by the individual chartering the boat.

The tea, coffee and biscuits are to get the organiser to re-book.

 

[BRT]

Most US west coast dive operators are also basically water taxis ... if you want a dive guide you have to bring your own ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Can you imagine a DM herding 6 people around in 6 foot viz? I was at Sund once when a prospective DM was doing a dive with two trainers. They told us the plan was to follow him toward the cables and at 70 feet one would go one way and one would go the other. Black enough out there that 3 of us almost always get separated.

 

[Storker]

No briefing on the site

Hm. I think I'd feel a little short-changed if I were on a boat on a new (to me) site and didn't get a rudimentary briefing. Particularly if I were paying for the ride. If I don't get any info on the depth, or currents, or what to look out for, it'll be a mite difficult to make a proper plan. In my club, we provide a site briefing for any n00b on an outing even if it's to a well-known site.

Now, if I'm diving from my own boat and exploring a new site, I'm taking that into account for my dive planning. But if someone on the boat has dived the site before, it's just common courtesy to brief the rest of the gang. IMNSHO, of course, and YMMV.

 

[mallbritton]

Can you imagine a DM herding 6 people around in 6 foot viz?

Been there, done that. ;-) I spent a lot of time swimming backwards signaling with my torch so the divers could see me.

 

[Trailboss123]

Can you imagine a DM herding 6 people around in 6 foot viz? I was at Sund once when a prospective DM was doing a dive with two trainers. They told us the plan was to follow him toward the cables and at 70 feet one would go one way and one would go the other. Black enough out there that 3 of us almost always get separated.

Been there and done that many times at Sund Rock.
Those summer algae blooms can be a killer. I once descended all the way to 95 feet hoping things would clear up and they never did. Safely ascended and called the dive. Couldn't see a thing.