My 1st Incident

[bsee65]

Yep, you're not his mommy or his instructor. You're not directly responsible for his safety, or the safety of others that may dive with him. That said, if he harms himself or a dive buddy doing something stupid in the future, you might feel badly that you didn't press the issue a bit. Moreso if you're the harmed buddy.

There was a scene in Top Gun that sort of applies. Once you're in the water and reacting to conditions and events, you may be put in a position where you have to push limits or do something risky because it seems better than the other available alternatives. Before you get in the water, though, you have time to consider the possibilities and plan for them to reduce risks and the likelihood of surprises. Getting back in the water with this guy in a questionable mindset seems like a risk no one needs to take.

Hopefully, when you expand on the events, someone at the dive shop with instructor training will have a strategy to get through to him for a positive result.

 

[fisheater]

You did great!

Your buddy, on the other hand, REALLY needs to learn that as long as he can breath, he needs to deal with issues underwater and control the urge to bolt to the surface. Only you can tell how that lesson would be best presented to him.

 

[Spg01]

Thanks to everyone who replied in this thread. It is nice to get feedback on issues that come up.

I do have another question though. And I hope that I do not get beat up for asking or even thinking of this.

A lot of people in this thread have said that when they descend they are always looking at their buddy and asking if they are ok every 5' or so until they hit the bottom or their depth. I have done similar when vis was about 4', but when vis is decent do you still do the same thing? I understand keeping an eye on your buddy, but I should not have to babysit them. Shouldn't you be competent enough to get to the bottom by yourself?

Reading that back to myself I know that It sounds like I am a bad buddy/person. I will admit that I am still learning and growing as a diver, so I might be wrong on my thinking.

But am I?

 

[bsee65]

Well, what happens if your buddy descends before you and has a problem, but then you can't equalize to get down and assist? Even though you see your buddy, if you're at significantly different depths, there's a greater chance that you won't be able to help than if you just happen to be separated but within sight range while both at the same level. Sounds like descending and ascending together really is the safest thing for a buddy pair.

 

[Spg01]

As the saying goes, I don't know what I don't know. But what is this mysterious problem? I guess I need to find out what else can go wrong on a descent. Let me say that I am not trying to be a smart a$$, I am just trying to gather more information before it actually happens. I am also aware of that guy named Murphy and his laws. So I know that I am playing both sides of the fence here.

I will say that I am very comfotable in the water, so that might be part of my problem. That and this has been my only real problem so far in my short diving experiance. But I do not want to get to comfortable and become dangerous.

So thanks again for the responses, am sure they will help me learn one way or another.

 

[gcbryan]

You don't have to babysit but if you go to the bottom and it's quite a way down and your buddy has problems equalizing and has to go to the surface or pause for a minute you will get separated. If there is a current and he simply has to pause for a while before getting deeper he will drift and when he does get down it won't be where you are. He may forget to attach a drysuit hose and have to pause.

There's nothing more irritating than bombing down to the bottom, having your buddy never arrive and now having to go all the way back up to the surface.

 

[Spg01]

You don't have to babysit but if you go to the bottom and it's quite a way down and your buddy has problems equalizing and has to go to the surface or pause for a minute you will get separated. If there is a current and he simply has to pause for a while before getting deeper he will drift and when he does get down it won't be where you are. He may forget to attach a drysuit hose and have to pause.

There's nothing more irritating than bombing down to the bottom, having your buddy never arrive and now having to go all the way back up to the surface.

Good point, we all forget things sooner or later. And returning to the surface to collect your buddy would suck.

 

[Rainer]

I don't babysit those I dive with. That said, descents (just like the rest of the dive) are done as a team. That means we descend together, in control of our (negative) buoyancy, eyes on each other. Way easier to catch any issues like this (some of which gcbryan hinted upon), and had you done so on your dive in question, you probably would not have had the outcome you did. Descents should be an organized team activity, slow and deliberate. In this respect, you both failed.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

As the saying goes, I don't know what I don't know. But what is this mysterious problem? I guess I need to find out what else can go wrong on a descent. Let me say that I am not trying to be a smart a$$, I am just trying to gather more information before it actually happens. I am also aware of that guy named Murphy and his laws. So I know that I am playing both sides of the fence here.

I will say that I am very comfotable in the water, so that might be part of my problem. That and this has been my only real problem so far in my short diving experiance. But I do not want to get to comfortable and become dangerous.

So thanks again for the responses, am sure they will help me learn one way or another.

Your statement that I have bolded is dead accurate. The multitude of Scuba "Incidents" involve either new/inexperienced divers or experienced/complacent divers... keep thinking like that an you are not likely to become a victim!

I must confess my buddy and I don't signal each other asking ok regularly on descent or ascent but we do keep close and keep an eye on each other. The worse/ more challenging the conditions the closer we stay together. Only if the other looks like they are having a problem do we signal.

Normally if one of us has anything going that may be an issue we discuss it before entry. "My ear is a little sore.. I will need to descend slower... I am experimenting on my weight.. dropped or added to it. I am using some new gear etc or whatever so we have a pretty good idea what is going to happen before we start.

A) On descent you can have unexpected equilization/sinus problems that may change your descent rate.. or you may need to go back up a bit to equalize.... your buddy needs to be aware of that quickly so current or Viz problems don't take you out of range of each other

B) On descent mask problems may occur and not everyone carries a spare.. Waves or other divers can knock a mask off.

C) On descent BCD or weight issues may result in buddy not being able to descent or descending too quickly ... some will say you should be able to manage that by yourself.. but you may need your buddy to assist

D) On descent/ascent equipment may fail or as in another thread here you may find a guage was stuck and there is an OOA emergency.

E) On descent you may encounter cross currents that push you in a different direction than you expect or harder than you expect causeing separation

F) Depending on conditions you may also be pushed against rocks or debrie that you didn't know was there and be injured

G) Nausea/ vomiting and vertigo can occurr with little warning. As someone who experiences seasickness.. I have learned to feed the fish through my reg but some people are quite alarmed by this.

In my diving career I have either experienced or been with someone who experienced all of those invonveniences (except OOA). Non of the events resulted in an "incident" because they were recognized and dealt with quickly.

 

[openmindOW]

descents (just like the rest of the dive) are done as a team. That means we descend together, in control of our (negative) buoyancy, eyes on each other.

I descend as a team. Sometimes that means that divers with "good ears" have to slow their descent rate to match that of abuddy who is taking time to equalize.

I am lucky in that I have "fast ears." Some people I dive with need more time to equalize than I do. I'm happy to wait.