Lets see what happens with this statement

[scubafool]

I'll go out on a limb and say this. The concept of just checking in with your buddy is not nearly the evil its made out to be. I dive that way A LOT. It just so happens that all of the dive buddies/team I dive with are equipped to be self reliant for almost every failure mode. With that, we don't find it truly neccessary to be in "constant" communication.

While I definitely won't call that concept evil, I will say that when I PERSONALLY (emphasis added to to show that this pertains to only me) start a dive with a buddy, I feel a responsibility to that person, and would hope that they feel the same responsibility to me. Not that I would, or would expect that person to, place oneself in extreme danger to rescue the other, but I am ready to do almost anything to ensure that my buddy makes it back with me. Given that, I get very uncomfortable & worried when a buddy is not immediately accounted for.

I do solo dives in certain circumstances, and there are circumstances that I would be ready to solo that I would not dive with an unknown buddy. I will only dive with a complete unknown in simple dive situations. I will only dive with certain people in more advanced dive situations, particularily those dives that are close to my limits.

 

[Scubamedicjoe]

this is why i like my full face mask with comm center for divers and surface communications

 

[matt_unique]

Now that's an interesting perspective ... it is here so that you get to post your viewpoint without censor ... which would not be the case if it were posted in the DIR forum.

But I'm curious ... why is this, or should this be, a DIR issue at all?

Team diving practices are not unique to DIR ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Perhaps there could be a forum where DIR responses are not allowed or tightly controlled? Similar to the way the DIR forum is managed....

Buddy diving is not DIR, using the term "team" as a way to describe "buddy reliance" is very much part of the DIR methodology.

--Matt

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Buddy diving is not DIR, using the term "team" as a way to describe "buddy reliance" is very much part of the DIR methodology.

What that statement tells me is that you do not at all understand the DIR methodology.

But to my earlier question ... why do you think this topic should be about DIR? The issues being discussed are far broader than just that particular style of diving.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Uncle Pug]

The dive was stressful and anxious, and I didn't have the processing power to do any "sightseeing".

That dive was not *enjoyable* for me either... that is not how I like to arrange buddy teams. However, since I was a last minute add in and Bob wanted to observe a prospective student from behind he aksed me to *lead out front* while he followed.

Under normal diving circumstances it is much better to dive as two 2 diver teams.

 

[Vtdiver2]

While I definitely won't call that concept evil, I will say that when I PERSONALLY (emphasis added to to show that this pertains to only me) start a dive with a buddy, I feel a responsibility to that person, and would hope that they feel the same responsibility to me. Not that I would, or would expect that person to, place oneself in extreme danger to rescue the other, but I am ready to do almost anything to ensure that my buddy makes it back with me. Given that, I get very uncomfortable & worried when a buddy is not immediately accounted for.

I do solo dives in certain circumstances, and there are circumstances that I would be ready to solo that I would not dive with an unknown buddy. I will only dive with a complete unknown in simple dive situations. I will only dive with certain people in more advanced dive situations, particularily those dives that are close to my limits.

I agree with Scubafool. My diving practice depends on who I'm diving with. If it is someone I haven't dove with much, or a newer diver, I'll stay in close proximity and in constant contact with them. BUT with other dive buddies, particularly other photographers, we dive together, yet "do our own thing". We are self reliant, and get what we want out of the dive. Does that make us "bad buddies"?!? No, because we dive together on a regular basis and know in advance what we are doing. IMHO it's the buddy that says he's going to stick together yet takes off that is a bad buddy.
Just my two cents,
Chris

 

[Vtdiver2]

Be prepared to manage your own challenges as a solo diver to become the best buddy should you have one. It is folly to *rely* on others for such an activity. A competant buddy or a team should be just a bonus and not a requisite for your own safety.

--Matt

Well put

 

[scubafool]

To clarify, the type of dive I am willing to do varies depending upon my buddy. But just because I am diving with one of my regular buddies does not mean that I don't want to know where they are at. In fact, if I don't know where they are at, I am not happy until I find out.

 

[matt_unique]

What that statement tells me is that you do not at all understand the DIR methodology.

But to my earlier question ... why do you think this topic should be about DIR? The issues being discussed are far broader than just that particular style of diving.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

The original statement is an obvious plug for DIR diving The "you obviously know nothing about DIR" is a bit of a cliche answer from DIR divers when other divers simply do not agree with the methodology.

I've had virtual conversations with many DIR divers on this board for many years including GUE/DIR instructors, I know enough to comment and recognize the not so subtle plug.

This is why I think the conversation should remain in the DIR section. If I were to post a "let's see what happens with this statement" in the DIR thread - say about the common sense practice and use of a pony bottle, I would quickly be labeled as a troll.

--Matt

 

[jonnythan]

How has this turned into a DIR thread?!

It's a thread about buddy diving, and specifically excluding the comments about the topic coming from "dem DIR types" just because they're DIR is moronic.

The DIR forum is there because it is a specific set of guidelines, and recommending things totally outside that set is not allowed.

Obviously the buddy concept and its advocacy belongs in the Basic Scuba Discussions forum.

I recommend that the posters drop the DIR argument entirely from this thread because it's OT and completely irrelevant. Holding the belief that buddy diving is safer than solo diving is NOT in any way exclusive to DIR (very little is exclusive to DIR) and is in fact the mainstream thinking. "Never dive without a buddy" is something that's in every OW manual out there.