Male or Female Dive Buddies?

[drbill]

I had to hold hands with a female pick-up buddy at the park one weekend. She wouldn't continue the practice once we were topside. I never dove with her again... imagine trying to videotape while holding the hand of another diver!

Dr. Bill

 

[baitedstorm]

if I'm truly buddy diving, I'm extremely picky!! I usually consider myself a solo driver reguardless to whomever is diving around me (meaning, I'm there for them, but won't count on them to be there for me). I'd say there only a very small amount of people out there I consider buddies, and they each have something different to offer.

As a DM on a boat, here's what I see most of the time. I can't honestly say one gender is better than another (as far as diving). I've seen the "Rambo" divers in both sexes, same with the "race-to-win" people, and the "go as slow as you humanly possible can". Honestly, it's such an equal thing. I do prefere my SI with the guys. They seem a lot less fussy about whatever knew thing there is to whine about then the ladies (unless it's an all chic dive, funny, when you exclude the men folk, most of the chickies dont do all that crappy cry baby, whiney stuff)

 

[diveprn]

Do you have a preference for which gender you dive with? For those who dive with someone of the opposite gender (excluding spouses & friends), do you find that it's awkward.. or do you just think of your dive buddy as a "dive buddy"?
Or, do you find it more comfortable to dive with another female?

I have never had a female dive buddy except during my rescue class. The instructor & all of the students were female. Great class in very tough conditions with high waves and no vis. We all made it together by reaching for that extra bit of toughness that I think we women have at times.
However, I will dive with anyone as long as they are safety conscious & like to stop and look. I usually carry a camera so good buoyancy control is a must & not stirring up the bottom.
Valerie

 

[triton94949]

Do you have a preference for which gender you dive with? For those who dive with someone of the opposite gender (excluding spouses & friends), do you find that it's awkward.. or do you just think of your dive buddy as a "dive buddy"?
Or, do you find it more comfortable to dive with another female?

I think of my dive buddy (1) as someone I have to watch out for, and (2) as someone who serves as an extra pony bottle for me, in case my pony bottle fails when I need it. It doesn't matter if they are male or female. Males tend to swim too fast and burn through air that way. Females tend to wander off when you are not looking. Take your pick.

 

[triton94949]

I have never had a female dive buddy except during my rescue class. The instructor & all of the students were female. Great class in very tough conditions with high waves and no vis. We all made it together by reaching for that extra bit of toughness that I think we women have at times.
However, I will dive with anyone as long as they are safety conscious & like to stop and look. I usually carry a camera so good buoyancy control is a must & not stirring up the bottom.
Valerie

If you live close to Lake Tahoe, our dive club is doing a club dive there in August.

You are welcome to join us Valerie.

 

[triton94949]

...I usually consider myself a solo driver reguardless to whomever is diving around me (meaning, I'm there for them, but won't count on them to be there for me)...

Exactly right. This is the profile of the ideal non-co-dependent diver.

If everyone dived like this, there would be virtually no diving fatalities.

 

[triton94949]

I had to hold hands with a female pick-up buddy at the park one weekend. She wouldn't continue the practice once we were topside. I never dove with her again... imagine trying to videotape while holding the hand of another diver!

Dr. Bill

Definitely lose the video recorder.

Santa Catalina Island scuba and holding hands with a female diver. Priceless.

For everything else, including a new video recorder, there is MasterCard.

 

[triton94949]

...I will dive with just about anyone unless they do something really stupid and refuse to correct it.

That would be a two strike rule. I believe in a one strike rule.

 

[darylm74]

I typically dive with guys because there are not near as many women in the cold water arena as there are in the warm. With that said I often dive with one at the zoo where we look out for each other when any of the more agressive fish are around. Other than one of the other instructors that I dive with that is female, I always seem to end up with the highschool chics and THIS IS NOT BY CHOICE! I just seem to be the most open minded in the group and the least agressive I guess. (little do they know I'm a dirty old man he he!!)

 

[ScubaDadMiami]

Do you have a preference for which gender you dive with? For those who dive with someone of the opposite gender (excluding spouses & friends), do you find that it's awkward.. or do you just think of your dive buddy as a "dive buddy"?
Or, do you find it more comfortable to dive with another female?

Other than when there is a potential romantic interest, I see people as people all the way around. This includes diving as well as the rest of life.

One plus I can say as a generalization is that more women divers seem to have better attitudes overall, and they tend to make my outings easier and more fun as new dive buddies. Men can cop an attitude. This is especially so with younger male instructor types.

On the other hand, my regular dive buddies, both men and women, are great folks. In fact, most divers, overall, tend to be pretty good folks compared to the rest of the population in general.