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

[Edward3c]

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.

The site brief is the responsibility of the person booking the charter, not the skipper. Different if it’s a scheduled trip anyone can turn up and book a place on.

 

[Littlerayray]

This is as bad as the NDL run for the surface.

With 500 psi they still have 1/6 gas left. Yes head up, but you don’t need to donate an octopus, just ascend normally. Even if they drank 1500 in 20 minutes, they still have at least 4 minutes left at their breathing rate. Shoving at octopus at them is going to increase their panic.

It used to be the norm to start the ascent when we hit 30bar (435 psi).

In my area the rule is you surface with 500 psi no less that way if you need to do a surface swim or have to wait for the boat you can fill your bc or just breath from your reg if the surface is rough our rule is 500 if you are surfacing with less you better have a damned good idea

I must be a d*mn good buddy then!

we seem to get along I'm sure we would have fun diving together let me know when

 

[Storker]

The site brief is the responsibility of the person booking the charter, not the skipper. Different if it’s a scheduled trip anyone can turn up and book a place on.

Ah, I see. We're talking about somewhat different situations.

When my club books a boat we get it with a skipper who knows the sites in the neighborhood - which we don't - and thus provides the site briefing. I guess that in your situation, it's also a case of a site that lies somewhat further offshore than I'm used to, and on bigger boats?

 

[KatieMac]

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

I've had completely the opposite experience - just one shop though - and I sort of expected this everywhere. Now I know better.

On a recent diving trip, the tank strap on my BCD came loose. My husband/buddy noticed and came over to fix it. Neither of us are seasoned divers so the DM was paying attention and came to watch. Noticing his (probably flawed) technique, he motioned "watch me" to my husband and showed my husband how to correctly fix it. As a newbie, I sort of like that level of service and ongoing training.

 

[Marie13]

I've had completely the opposite experience - just one shop though - and I sort of expected this everywhere. Now I know better.

On a recent diving trip, the tank strap on my BCD came loose. My husband/buddy noticed and came over to fix it. Neither of us are seasoned divers so the DM was paying attention and came to watch. Noticing his (probably flawed) technique, he motioned "watch me" to my husband and showed my husband how to correctly fix it. As a newbie, I sort of like that level of service and ongoing training.

My shop’s boats are generally water taxis. However, if you need help, they will give it. There are site briefings. But no DM in the water and you put together your own gear.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

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

DM's and instructors do so regularly, as part of a class. But they're usually confining those dives to small areas and shallow depths. As a part of normal diving, it's just not practical. Anything larger than a group of three should be broken up into "primary buddy teams", and your objective is to maintain visual contact with your primary buddy(ies).

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

My shop’s boats are generally water taxis. However, if you need help, they will give it. There are site briefings. But no DM in the water and you put together your own gear.

My experience in the Great Lakes was on a four-pack boat ... four divers and a skipper. No DM on the boat, much less in the water ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[uncfnp]

Strictly US and caribbean experience but I have seen the whole gamut. Boats that required follow the leader buddy diving (only once), group dives with DM (also try and avoid), buddy dives do your own thing or my favorite, boats that let you dive according to your experience and skill, solo or buddy.

 

[AdivingBel]

...

 

[drbill]

I was diving as a personal guest at Jean-Michel Cousteau's resort in Fiji when I was paired up with an Aussie who openly stated he would ignore the rules set forth in the dive briefly. That was my first warning. We descended deep, well beyond the rest of the group. When I hit 130 fsw and he was about 20 ft deeper than me, I signaled to the DM that I was returning to the group. Back on board the dive boat I told the DM I refused to dive with him and was assigned a new buddy. The new buddy was very apologetic telling me he was an air hog and our dive would be short. He again apologized after the dive and I replied that he had informed me and I was fine with that despite an abbreviated dive.