Knew it would happen eventually

[MXGratefulDiver]

NWGD your playing semantics, you get the point!!

No I'm not ... I think the choice of words here truly matters.

If you teach someone that something is inevitable, they will approach it as though it were.

If you teach them that the same thing can happen, but is completely avoidable, they will approach it as though it were.

Those two approaches to the same situation will be very different.

I've dived with people who believe that buddy separation is inevitable ... and therefore see no reason why they should put much effort into not getting separated. Their attitude is that when (not if) it happens, you just continue the dive solo.

I suspect this is exactly what the OP was describing.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Scott L]

I've dived with people who believe that buddy separation is inevitable ... and therefore see no reason why they should put much effort into not getting separated. Their attitude is that when (not if) it happens, you just continue the dive solo.

I suspect this is exactly what the OP was describing.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

The attitude you describe accounts for the large majority divers I come in contact with in these parts. Currents have much to do with the situation as well...

 

[gotwake]

What a joke I come on for entertainment I know that this is a place for wannabes and every time
you confirm my opinion of the clowns that are on here. it is entertaining. I dive and I dont dive with clowns and wannabes.

You should probably get someone to proof read your posts before you hit that post button. my 10 year old has better writing skills. She knows how to spell "diving" too.

So, what procedure do you "teach" your students concerning a lost buddy?

 

[JohnB47]

I am not going to say anything more about scubaflier, as many others have already said it all.

I agree that buddy separation is not inevitable, but in low viz it takes two to avoid it.

Here is a story about buddy separation that took place many years ago. I was with my scuba club at a quarry in Ohio. My regular dive buddy was not available, so I just joined a group of three other divers. Two of them were a married couple, and the other was the husband's friend. We all submerged together, but the woman was having trouble clearing her ears. Her husband and his friend continued down, swimming fast until they were out of sight, so I stayed with the woman. I motioned that we could stay at the depth where we were, and waited until she got her ears cleared. Finally she gave me the ok sign.Then we continued down and had a great dive. I thought she was a good dive buddy, even if she did have a bit of an issue with clearing her ears, but I was not too impressed by her husband's actions. Oh, by the way, I heard that they got divorced the following year...

 

[udtfire]

time for solo class or as I call IT the ultimate buddy class

 

[mbalmr]

more people should snorkel
Diveing is to much for some

ya know you should just give up trying to prove how awesome you are. At 67 dives, the OP is still somewhat of a beginner and there is no problem with that, we all started out that way. This person did exactly what is taught and you are criticizing him for doing so. If I had to guess I would say you are one of those people who is never wrong, tells everyone else how to do stuff right and has no room for criticism or or other people's opinions. If you have a problem with how this person handled the situation or if you would have done something different, fine, but to continually berate this person for his choice is not only none of your business but unacceptable and in no way helping him with finding out more information. If you must criticize, please take it somewhere else, people come here thinking it is safe to ask questions and to find out more information. Your input is not wanted in regards to this situation.:mooner:

 

[DennisW]

I completely empathise with the OPs situation. Several years ago, I was buddied up with a guy from work on a two tank dive out of Riviera Beach, FL. We dived the Mitzpa on the first dive and made a float dive on the second. We discussed our dive plan before we made the first dive. When I entered the water directly behing him, the last I saw of him was his fins as he kicked to the wreck. I followed him, thinking I could keep up, but he never looked back for an ok sign nor did he ever look for me. I had seen him enter the wreck (the Mitzpa can be penetrated safely, or it could back then) so I followed. I never found him in the wreck so I exited, looked around the wreck for a bit and then went back up the line, made my safety stops and got back on the boat with 1500 lbs still in my tank. I was ticked off. When he got back on the boat (tanks near zero lbs), we had a long discussion. Since the next dive was a float dive (most people incorrectly call this a drift dive) and we were going with a group of 6, I thought things would be better. Nope, he hit the water kicking like a fool and we came up on him in about 20 minutes. He was kneeling on the bottom, and he showed me his guage, he had 500 lbs left. I took him to the float line and showed him the way to the surface. I finished my dive. And I never dived with him as a buddy again. Turns out no one wanted to be his buddy. Wonder why? So, the one choice on your poll, "Let the idiot go.", wasn't there. I couldn't vote.

 

[nikos81]

Hello to all

Does anybody care to listen to a beginner's opinion? well no matter what, I'm going to write it down

First of all, I would like to say that continuing answering to scubaflier, is useless,as I don't think he will come back to this thread,so it's a waste of time to anyone.Besides his opinion is totally wrong no matter if he belongs to NAUI,PADI,CMAS etc.

I'm diving with my diving club,to where I was certified.the owners of the club are strict with the "buddy-solo diving"rules. Always dive with a buddy. If you can't find anyone,let us know and we will find someone for you. So solo dives are forbidden and this creates a feeling of security to new,inexperienced divers like me. As for the "baby sitting"mentioned above,well I have to say I took dives with MSDT as my buddies and they were the first to follow the rules regardless if they had a beginner with them.They did not feel like baby sitting or insulted at any way,so there is no excuse to anyone. The first thing we are taught to do, is plan our dives and sive our plans. Safety preacutions are taken, and in case something goes wrong we all know what to do. We must not forget,sea is not our natural environment despite of how many dives a day you may take.

Last, I have a question,because it is not too clear in my mind yet. OK I understand a permanent buddy is always good,but is it always possible? All my dives were made with insta-buddies, levelling from OW to MSDT. But nobody got separated and nobody left the other alone. So to me, it's all a matter of personal discipline...Especially MSDTs could leave me alone and dive deeper or quicker but on the contrary, they stayed with me. to prevent someone who may say that I may have spoiled their dives, I will say that after the dives, I always have a little chat together with my buddy divers, and all of them were happy to have the dive with me. I don't know if it is due to politeness reasons or the truth but I have never had any complaints about my underwater behaviour.
That's all I had to say,take care happy and safe diving.

Nikos

 

[Crush]

re: the poll How do you make sure an insta-buddy stays with you?

An unwilling instabuddy is like someone else's problem child that you have been asked to look out for. I'll try to stay with them, but if they are intent on running away I let them go. After completing the dive I return to the boat and ask the parent (usually called "captain") to put Johnny with someone else next time.

 

[eponym]

Hello to all
Does anybody care to listen to a beginner's opinion? well no matter what, I'm going to write it down
I'm diving with my diving club,to where I was certified. The owners of the club are strict with the "buddy-solo diving" rules. Always dive with a buddy. If you can't find anyone,let us know and we will find someone for you. So solo dives are forbidden and this creates a feeling of security to new,inexperienced divers like me. As for the "baby sitting"mentioned above,well I have to say I took dives with MSDT as my buddies and they were the first to follow the rules regardless if they had a beginner with them.They did not feel like baby sitting or insulted at any way,so there is no excuse to anyone. The first thing we are taught to do, is plan our dives and sive our plans. Safety preacutions are taken, and in case something goes wrong we all know what to do. We must not forget,sea is not our natural environment despite of how many dives a day you may take.
Last, I have a question, because it is not too clear in my mind yet. OK I understand a permanent buddy is always good, but is it always possible? All my dives were made with insta-buddies, levelling from OW to MSDT. But nobody got separated and nobody left the other alone. So to me, it's all a matter of personal discipline...Especially MSDTs could leave me alone and dive deeper or quicker but on the contrary, they stayed with me. to prevent someone who may say that I may have spoiled their dives, I will say that after the dives, I always have a little chat together with my buddy divers, and all of them were happy to have the dive with me. I don't know if it is due to politeness reasons or the truth but I have never had any complaints about my underwater behaviour.
That's all I had to say,take care happy and safe diving.
Nikos

Nikos: to your question about whether it's always possible, the short answer is of course no. Those of us who've buddied up on the boat have met with varying degrees of success. When I started out, occasionally having a free day to dive on a trip somewhere, I was always looking to buddy up on the day boat. I had tremendous luck and dived with some highly experienced divers who were kind enough to give me pointers, especially in the after-dive chat you describe (also called a "debrief").

But I liked your post. I especially like that you dive in a club setting, which means divers try to look out for one another and bring new divers along. That's a great mechanism for creating solid divers. I dived in Crete a few years ago (just up the road from Agios Nikolaus) and enjoyed it a lot.

Good post, keep diving,
Bryan