On Your Own: The Buddy System Rebutted By Bob Halstead

[chillyinCanada]

Wingy, we've got to meet. My story is yours, if you leave out your sons.

 

[caruso]

Nope that was in the 90's, he does not use 2 second stages. He's also no longer welcome on charters, he's Ok with that

Are you ok with that? His missing second stage would be for you.

 

[NAUI Wowie]

If I thought I couldn't handle whatever problem that comes up in the conditions and parameters of a dive I would not do it. I neither need nor want someone else thinking for me.



Totally disagree. It might be as safe properly implimented - but I've seldom seen it properly implimented, particularly with boat diving in a crowd, where no one is actually paired with a buddy, or with randomly paired buddies.



Actually, I strongly disagree with this. When someone tries to help me, especially not being familiar with the exact way I set up my gear and the procedure for donning it, they always eff me up. I prefer people to keep their hands off my gear, and do not try to help me unless and untill I explicitly ask for help. Bozos that rush in thinking they know what I need done are extremely counterproductive.

And, let me ask, how many times have you actually needed a buddies assistance? With just over 300 dives, 182 of them solo, (actually not many, I know) I have never, ever needed assistance from any one else.

You are a solitary diver and thats alright. But your and others on this thread whole philosophy of it being safer diving solo WILL put the majority of joe public divers at greater risk if they dive solo.

For a SUPER experienced person its less hectic and easier to dive solo.

for most ordinary divers its FAR more dangerous to dive solo.

there is NO arguing that point logically.

most of humanity is absent minded. driving cars, walking anywhere, scuba diving, driving a boat, you name it humans simply lose focus often including diving.

is that me? heck no I check my remaining air every couple minutes. and carry many redundancies, air, cutting tools, lights. But you and others are offering this up as gospel that its SAFER to dive solo. That is simply not true.

EVEN if you as an expert diver are with an insta buddy who is a typical recreational tropical rent all their gear dive twice a year diver , even then its a MUCH safer situation. Why?

Because you as an experienced person if you choose can make sure they do not endanger you. you will know if they are sub par and keep an eye on them. no harm to you.

BUT if they have an issue YOU can choose to help out...if you wish...thus making it far far far far more safe for that diver that would dive anyway....

think of it like the caveman days.....there were experienced lone wolfs and there were groups... in a group you help each other but can cause some issues....but protect each other...

but the lone wolf it caught in the wrong situation cannot bail himself out and will die....same with scuba....

you take that risk and accept it. cool.

but to foist that off on a bunch of newer or casual divers that read this thread is not doing any good at all and could do great harm to someone thinking they can just solo as a newbie because YOU said its safer.

even with my limited diving time i know im far safer than the majority of divers which yes is scary cuz im under 100 dives but i know i make the average autopilot diver safer by being near them.

 

[Ana]

Are you ok with that? His missing second stage would be for you.

We dive out of our own boat, 99% of the times is just him and I, even when we have someone diving with us, we don't let just anyone in charge of the boat, maybe my son or daughter in law but that's about it.

One person dives while the other is on the boat following the flag, not one psi of his air is for me, because we don't get the luxury to dive together at home.
Last time we went to Bonaire it took close to 2 days to get used to not do our own dive solo. If by any chance I run out of air with him I know how to buddy breath.

 

[jadairiii]

One thing for certain ,,,,, no matter what the reason is,,,,,,,,, the end result is a buddy that is not functional. and a non functional buddy is no buddy at all. you are now solo whether you like it or not.

Totally agree. But that is not a flaw in the System, it is a flaw in the diver.

Rule Number 1.

 

[NAUI Wowie]

So you are trying to compare a professional tree service to an amateur and inexperienced diver? Quite unfair, I'd say. How about comparing the tree service to some professional, highly experienced divers? Is that not a better comparison?

Oh contrair monfrer...

I live in california and the giant palm trees 100 ft tall need tree services to take down the palm fronds. otherwise they are a danger. Well I can tell you the majority of tree guys climbing those trees just do the job and risk themselves if alone. They die all the time doing it. improperly anchored, etc etc. its not rocket surgery. In fact many likely dont speak good english and may be paid in cash. Then there are others that do it properly with backup people and are not at risk of dying.

I would never compare tree trimmers to technical divers or professional people. That would be a disservice to technical divers.

 

[Wingy]

Chilli - we do. Thanks for being you - a dive buddy and friend I just haven't dived with yet - how's Rangiroa and Fakarava sounding - I'm not allowed in the US so we have to go "somewhere" and I'm in my element in the Tuomotos....and AFAIK left the archipelago on good standing not having stolen anyone's pantaloons or taken their cherry. Diving gave me that - I've discovered a bunch of women around the world I feel a connection to or have met and I think a chica's trip is necessary.

Everyone's solo diving but we're buddies that month ok? (Please read T&Cs trip itinerary subject to change without notice - LOB in Thailand may become month in Africa)

Wingy, we've got to meet. My story is yours, if you leave out your sons.

 

[NAUI Wowie]

One thing for certain ,,,,, no matter what the reason is,,,,,,,,, the end result is a buddy that is not functional. and a non functional buddy is no buddy at all. you are now solo whether you like it or not.

No you have a civic duty as a diver to help and assist this non functional person not die. As long as it doesnt put you at risk. Im not saying wrestle with a panicked diver at 100ft deep. But if you are saying just watch em die when you can help then......wow....wheres the humanity.

p.s. would it make a difference if it was a non functional female diver? would you feel a paternal or human instinct to help if you knew it wasnt just some average jerk male diver that deserves what he gets for being stupid?

just sayin man. come on. I hope to one day be able to save someones life somewhere somehow. I thought that feeling was in every mans heart. Forget being Captain Solo, how about embracing being the Lone Ranger? Heck even the Lone Ranger had a buddy sidekick

 

[loosenit2]

Nope that was in the 90's, he does not use 2 second stages. He's also no longer welcome on charters, he's Ok with that.

Lately we only dive from our own boat, Bonaire is the only other place we've gone for diving, and no one had an issue with his configuration.

Very interesting. Can you expand on why this is his preferred configuration? I could imagine lots of reasons but would like to hear his specific reasons for this configuration.

 

[Ana]

but to foist that off on a bunch of newer or casual divers that read this thread is not doing any good at all and could do great harm to someone thinking they can just solo as a newbie because YOU said its safer.

.

Unless things changed on this board, only people that want to talk about solo diver will see these posts, so the casual divers doesn't accidentally read.

However the newbie that looks around and notices that diving with an insta-buddy is for the birds, can find alternatives. This person actively looking for other ways can come here and see what others do. Some solo with full redundancy down to an extra hoodie , others solo all the time within rec limits, others do something else.

I'm not going to worry about a person reading stuff in the internet, there's people posting about the consumption of tide pods.