What are your buddy "requirements"?

[SM Diver]

I'm still trying to figure out where the risk of an 02 hit is (assuming his exposure isn't up against a wall, in which case that would have been his fault, not hers).

Nitroxbabe, no one should be rude with you, but you said:

1. You wouldn't have gone after her, and
2. You wouldn't risk an 02 hit at that depth.

No where in the scenerio was there mentioned that his 02 exposure was a problem. You're own reply stated you wouldn't go that deep with 32%.

Now you're saying you would have gone after her.

I'm not trying to be confrontational, buy maybe you should reconcile some of these issues before you dive with someone, especially deep. Your replies indicate you're very uncertain as to what you would do.

If I needed help at 125 ft, and my partner refused to come down and give it to me because he was afraid of a convulsion (while diving 32%, no less), I would need to be restrained from him in the boat (assuming I made it back alive).

Frankly, if I had to, I would go down to 140ft and get my buddy breathing 32%. I'd grab his azz, and lay on my power inflator until it was burping, dragging us both up to a safer depth. I couldn't live with myself to just let someone swim away. That "I'm no good to anyone dead" sounds like a big cop-out if you could safely grab or direct someone.

 

[ElectricZombie]

I usually try to dive with people I know but, I will dive with strangers if they seem to be safe and know what they are doing. I can usually make a accurate judgement by talking to the person and checking out their gear. I don't really care if the gear is DIR or not, just safe. I'll dive with newbies just to help them out...really helps develop your own underwater problem solving skills too.

If I were doing a dive that was more advanced; tech or penetration, I would check them out throughly.


J

 

[kwesler]

that I have less experience than others here, judging by how many of you are instructors...

How do you accurately ascertain whether someone will be safe? As I said, while these folks had some issues, they said NOTHING that made me think they would be such a mess. At worst, I was expecting buoyancy issues etc.

Geez, my first deep wreck I was remora boy on my buddy!

Ken

 

[SM Diver]

chepar once bubbled...
Do you have minimum "requirements" that must be met before diving with someone?

Yes, they'd have to be willing to render assistance at 125 ft. breathing EAN 32.

 

[kwesler]

The issue is not whether or not it is safe to dive to 125
FSW on 32%-that is just math, and the math says it is...and what I keep trying to express (and am apparently failing at) is that I NEVER CONSIDERED whether there was danger or not, and I do not think most people, if not all, do consider danger. We are tribal animals, and act to protect another member of the tribe.

I maintain that while N-Baby and others may say, in the cool light of their computer, that they will not risk themselves, that they in fact WILL.

If they WON'T, isn't the whole buddy system (which I believe in) flawed?

Ken

 

[ElectricZombie]

kwesler once bubbled...


How do you accurately ascertain whether someone will be safe?

There are usually little clues, sometimes not. Say you approach this potential buddy and he's got his 1st stage upside down, his gear is green with corrosion and his BC is held together with Duct tape. Probably not a safe or even remotely adequate diver.

Some will try to confuse you by having what appears to be a good set up. You can usually ask them a couple of questions to really determine if they know what's going on.

You can always just ask them about their diving experience or ask to see their logbooks.

Generally the ones that sit around and brag and made stupid comments are the worst divers on the boat. If they tell all these stories about how they fought bare handed with sharks, run! I had one guy tell me about how he fought a 10 foot bull shark underwater. The story ended with him cutting the sharks jaws out underwater. He also told me about the times he was bent and paralized for 2 weeks. The guy was serious, and a complete idiot. He will be diving alone.

Review safety issues and watch for that glazed over look. Talk about the dive plan. If they obviously have not put any thought into it, don't dive with them.

If they are using a huge amount of weight, more than they should really need, they probably have not been doing this very long.

9 times out of 10 you can accurately determine if they are going to be a problem or not.

 

[kwesler]

1st stage upside down, his gear is green with corrosion and his BC is held together with Duct tape

Oh, you mean the SUBTLE clues!:bonk:

 

[ElectricZombie]

Or when they write "Race you to the surface!!" on their slate underwater.

 

[SM Diver]

The "Made in the USA" label still zip tied to the top D-ring is not a good sign.

 

[kwesler]

We are about to jump in, and a guy on the platform turns to the DM and says, "now which button is inflate, and which one lets the air out??"

That's kinda a warning sign...