Questions for New Buddy Teams

[kidspot]

Just curious about what checks/questions you go through when diving with a new buddy...

ie:

1) Here is my weight belt/how to release...
2) Do you donate primary or backup, where is your backup reg?
3) Safety stop depths/durations
4) Basic Hand signals
5) Formation in water - how close, right side, left, single file, etc..
6) Gear location (especially if you have hidden gear in pockets)
7) Air/gear check


Obviously many will be things you review even with your long time dive team, but what others do you add, or do you wish you had added on your last dive?

Aloha, Tim

 

[ibnygator]

Unfortunately, I do not have a regular buddy and almost always end up buddying up on commercial boats. I always find out quickly who I will buddy with and engage them in conversation on the trip to the dive site.

• How long have you been diving?
• How many dives have you logged?
• Have you dove a lot of different environments?

I will also just make small talk to try to get to know the person better before spalshing.

 

[diver_paula]

Could add:

o How is your air consumption?
o What size / type of tank is that? (LP vs. HP?, what = a full tank?)
o Are you using a computer or tables?

 

[OE2X]

For me:
Talk about dive history rescue course etc...
We talk about the dive plan.
Find out where their keys are (if it's a shore dive). Contact person for emergencies.
Go over each others gear.
Size tank.
What kind of gas they are breathing.
In the water we do a bubble check.
We also go over air share proceedures if the person isn't using a 7' hose.

Those are the basics. You can tell a lot about a person in 5 minutes of talking with them.

 

[PhocaVitulina]

What sort of diving do you do? (photographer, sport, tech) You can have two great divers, but spearfishers and photo nerds (me) make bad buddies for each other.

What sort of pace do you keep?

What's the dive plan? (who's leading, where are we going, average depth when do we turn around, what calls a dive?)

Is your name Fred? (Monterey joke)

 

[Amphibious]

wow - I would expect this to be a Non-topic. you should always do a full buddy check before everydive (no one remembers their training in their basic course???????)

each person should know their dive partners gear and habits as well as they know their own. period.

 

[leo311]

Wow, that's wgat I was thinking. Basics are what get people injured. What's the three limits on ANY dive??? Anyone??? Those are the things that snowball into serious problems. "if you're gona be stupid, you'd better be tough"
Leo.

 

[leo311]

Wow, that's what I was thinking. Basics are what get people injured. What's the three limits on ANY dive??? Anyone??? Those are the things that snowball into serious problems. "if you're gona be stupid, you'd better be tough"
Leo.

 

[Kriterian]

Wow, that's what I was thinking. Basics are what get people injured. What's the three limits on ANY dive??? Anyone??? Those are the things that snowball into serious problems. "if you're gona be stupid, you'd better be tough"
Leo.

I don't think Kidspot was referring to buddy check as in, "Got your mask on? Got your air on? Inflator hose hooked up?" etc. I think he was referring to buddies that are strangers, what information do you go over with each other?

As far as your three limits, I'd say "Depth, Air supply and time".

 

[Amphibious]

I don't think Kidspot was referring to buddy check as in, "Got your mask on? Got your air on? Inflator hose hooked up?" etc. I think he was referring to buddies that are strangers, what information do you go over with each other?

As far as your three limits, I'd say "Depth, Air supply and time".

A buddy check is MUCH more then just making sure the air is on. much much more.