"I refuse to dive with him!"

[all4scuba05]

one way for the dive ops to limit the tragedies that can occur is to not team up the "newbies" and sent them off on their own. If the professionals picked only professionals to dive with, then I'm afraid more newbies will be diving with newbies only.
I count myself fortunate enough to be teamed up every once in a while with a "pro". All the more reason to make sure I am becoming more efficient in the skills that are important. Its unfortunate that the unskilled tend to sort of ruin the dive for the pros after all the training and experience that the pros have gone through. We better ourselves and even DIR sometimes to get more time out of our dives and to do and see more, and to be most safe in our hobby. But unfortunately, we will sometimes be surrounded by newbies and therefore have to understand that not every dive we have will be a promising one. When teamed up with one, perhaps we can try to teach them how to be a better diver. I myself would get satisfaction in knowing that my buddy cut my dive short but at the same time learned how to be a better/safer diver.

 

[SDdiver1]

At times these situations can turn out for the best. I was buddied with another single diver when I only had my cert a couple of years, and hadn't dove much. He asked a few questions to size me up, said we would go slow and shallow on the first dive. The first of many we dove together 20 years all over the So. Pacific and west coast, until cancer took him.

 

[allistoy]

How about getting buddied up with a fellow who wants to be incharge of the dive plan and lead the dive without asking if your in agreement. The captain would not allow solo diving and this fellow was the last person that needed a buddy besides myself. So down we go and off we go to the wreck at 110fsw alls fine so I think! The guy keeps checking my computer about every 2 minutes and it's starting to annoy me so I write him a note on my slate "what's wrong" and boy did I get a response, he writes " my computer failed before we got in the water so I'm following your computer". Now that about blew my fins off right there. I told him the dive was over and we were going up. On the boat he was all upset that I called the dive and made him surface. I could not beleive his attitude. On the second dive I refused to dive with him under any condition, at least the captain understood when I explained what happened on the first dive.
SO they partner me up with another fellow whose previous partner did not want to do the second dive. Once again this new guy wants to control and lead the dive which is no big deal to me as I'm used to being solo most of the time. Well low and behold but down we go to a nice 50 fsw dive and he's leading the way and when it's time to turn around he looks at me and signals "where's the boat" like give me a break how could I possibly get two no it alls in a row. So I showed him the correct compass heading and after straying off course 3 times I lead him back. I found out once back on the boat from his previous buddy that he skipped the second dive because the no it all got him lost on the first dive and they had a very long surface swim.
I will dive with just about anyone but I truly wish when someone does not have the required skill to be incharge please ask for help rather than wreck the other persons dive as well as endangering both of you.

 

[all4scuba05]

wow...I don't know what else to say...but that really s_cks

 

[divetraveler]

I have had two bad experiences with two very similar divers. . some call them cowboys others refer to them as chest-beaters. . .one thought is was really cool that he dove to 140ft on air . . .left the dive group for so long that we were in the process of ending the dive to look for him when he came back (glad I didn't need him for anything). . .the next guy argued with the DM about the amount max bottom time and anything else you can think of. The DM told the latter to find another op to dive with and as for the former, I pulled the DM aside and told him that "I refuse to dive with him!"

 

[tjmills]

This is a good question but I am curious as to what would make you decide not to team up with someone? Chances are if you are a single diver, you won't have that much of a choice. Either pair up or don't go. It's simple. Keep in mind that I am assuming we are talking your average Recreational Dive here so as to not upset the technical crowd which has a much larger degree of responsibility and need here.

I have been with others who were much less and much more experienced than myself but I can tell you that each time I talked with them, understood their equipment, decided on a dive plan even if briefly. Now you have to take a look at the situation from that point and if you have big concerns then you need to speak up. I have never found one but I would if I needed to.

At this point you are at the mercy of their abilities or they are at the mercy of your abilities. This is a fact and sometimes this can be really good and sometimes this can be really bad. I have had both experiences and have always learned from both so its never a complete failure. The most imporatant thing that you want to make sure of is that you develop some confidence in each other because without it lots of issues can arise from there. So .... talk, discuss, communicate and most importantly...have fun.

You are not going to know in a short time if you have a dumb and dumber situation in most cases so be prepared and realize that your buddy is a safety margin for you but YOU are responsible for your own safety.

 

[boulderjohn]

This is a good question but I am curious as to what would make you decide not to team up with someone? Chances are if you are a single diver, you won't have that much of a choice. Either pair up or don't go. It's simple.

Exactly. As I said before, I am a seasoned veteran of searching for buddies on dives, and, as I also said before, most of the time--by far--it works out just fine. Other times, you do your best with the situation at hand. I have never refused to dive with anyone, and I have never really seen the kind of horror stories that some people are relating.

Additionally, I really do enjoy helping people who are new to the sport. In that case, though, we are talking about two entirely different things. Helping a new diver is fun and interesting, but so is having a quality dive in a new setting. When you can have both, it's great--but sometimes you can't.

 

[boulderjohn]

Here is one more type of dive in which matching divers is critical.

In places like Cozumel where the conditions are tricky and dive masters are required, dive masters are told to observe the skill level of the divers and lead the dive accordingly. A good divemaster will not put the reef at risk by taking people with poor buoyancy skills into places where they might not be able to stay off the coral. If you dive, say, Palancar Caves on two different days with the same divemaster, you can have two very different experiences, depending upon the skills of the rest of your group.

 

[all4scuba05]

not sure if you're directing your question at me but if so, I've never said no to being teamed up with someone.

 

[boulderjohn]

not sure if you're directing your question at me but if so, I've never said no to being teamed up with someone.

No way. I wasn't directing it anyone in particular. It was just the general idea of the thread.