What kind of buddy do you want to be?

[MXGratefulDiver]

I'd like to start an ongoing thread similar to El Orans' "Where did you dive today". This one will be for the newer divers among us, who may occasionally find themselves paired up with somebody who makes them feel uncomfortable for one reason or another.

The purpose of the thread is to present scenarios ... many of which will look familiar to somebody ... and investigate how the diver could handle these situations. After all, most dive problems stem from decisions we make at some point in the dive.

You can present a scenario, or respond to one that's already been presented. All I'll ask is that if you're presenting a scenario, give it an identification ... such as the one I'll start off the thread with. If you're responding to one, identify it using the scenario number or title given by the person who presented it.

Scenario #1 - The Speed Demon

You've been certified for about four months, and have done about 10 dives in your local waters. And after much anticipation and planning, you're finally off on that first big diving trip ... destination, Cozumel. And although you are traveling with your significant other, he doesn't dive ... so you're prepared to find a dive buddy on the boat. The DM pairs you up with a more experienced diver ... a really nice guy who's been diving for two years. This is his third trip to Cozumel and he's telling you all about the dive site you're heading off to. Your excitement level reaches new heights.

You drop in the water and descend as a group ... eight divers plus the divemaster. Shortly after descending, you discover something really annoying about your dive buddy ... he's trying to be everywhere at once. Being mindful that buddies are supposed to stick together, you attempt to follow him around ... and in the process are missing all the really cool stuff that the divemaster is finding for the rest of the group. You can see them well enough ... you just can't stay in one place long enough to get a good look at anything. After about 20 minutes, your dive buddy looks at you, points to his gauge, and gives you the thumbs up signal. He's low on air. Great ... you look at your own gauge and realize you've still got half a tank.

You haven't seen a thing. You're a bit upset that this guy's been buzzing around like a teenager with his first car. And you're only 40 feet deep. The thought crosses your mind that your buddy can easily ascend on his own ... leaving you to join the group and finally slow down and enjoy the dive. Looking over at the rest of the group, you see them hovering around a large, green eel.

What do you do ... and why?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Scenario #2 - Trust me, I know what I'm doing

You've just gotten certified and joined a local dive club. This is your first outing with the club, and you're going to a local dive site a couple hours drive from home. Part of the dive plan involves pairing up less experienced divers with more experienced ones. You meet your new dive buddy, and he tells you there's a cool little wreck in reasonably shallow water ... about 75 feet deep ... and asks you if you'd like to go see it. Of course you would.

As you descend you realize that the recent sunny weather has created an algae bloom in the water ... it's murky, and getting darker as you descend. And you hadn't thought to bring a light. Being a more experienced diver, your buddy has one. He's being a good buddy and staying close, so you figure you'll be alright.

You find the wreck without any problem, and your dive buddy spends a few minutes using his light to find critters along it's deck and in the crannies under the hull. As you get to the back of the boat he indicates that he wants to go inside the cabin. You hesitate, then shake your head no. He signals OK, turns, and enters by himself.

What do you do, and why?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[AuburnFan]

Scenario #2 - Trust me, I know what I'm doing

I guess I would just wait at the exit for him to come out. I wouldn't want to ascend by myself or leave my buddy at that depth so just wait. I would not enter the wreck with out a light or some more experience/training.

 

[letterboy]

I find this to be a common occurance with divers whom are familiar with a given dive site. Heck, I am this guy sometimes too.

The SAFE thing for everyone is to surface with your dive buddy. It may not be what any diver wants to do, but it is the safe thing to do.

Once surfaced and back on the boat, I would initiate a dive de-brief to review the dive. I would voice my desire to slow down and look at the small stuff on the reef. Maybe offer to lead the next dive or ask if the DB minds following the group as the DM points things out along the reef.

This would allow you to voice your concerns in a respectful, non-confrentational manner to your buddy and give them the option of staying your buddy, who knows this guy may not even realize he is zooming along the reef. If your buddy bulks at the idea you have the option of talking with the DM and finding a new buddy, or buddying with him.

 

[MtnPlayVA]

Scenario #3 - Three's a crowd

You and your regular buddy are getting ready for a dive at the local quarry. You've been diving for a year but he's only been certified for a few months. Someone whom you've never dived with asks if he can join you since his buddy didn't show up. This person is part of the dive shop group you are with there for the weekend but you've never met him before. You ask him a few questions about his certifications and he tells you that he's been diving for years. You all do a buddy check together and agree on the dive plan. You've done this dive quite a few times but it is a new dive for both buddies. This will be a short dive because you know your regular buddy goes through air pretty quickly. The other buddy says he is always really good on air, so it is decided that the dive will be turned when either of them reaches 1000psi.

You descend together and swim over to the helicopter which lies at 60 feet. It has the sides cut out so all three of you go in and you take a few pictures of your two buddies with your new camera. They exit the helicopter and you see them swimming around by the exit. You start to swim to them but the camera gets twisted so you stop to fix it so you can hold on to it better with your 5mil gloves. Just as you fix the camera and reach the door of the helicopter to exit, your regular buddy starts using Sea Signs to tell you his air pressure but gets frustrated trying to sign while wearing gloves. He shows you his gauges - he is at 600psi. The other buddy shows you his remaining air by putting his gauges in your face. You realize that he only has 700psi left. Both of them look a little panicky but you know that you can surface and swim back, although it would be a long surface swim. You tell them to calm down and relax. You decide to head for the platforms to make it a shorter surface swim because the platforms are about halfway back to shore. Just as you see the first platform your regular buddy speeds up and takes off towards the second platform. The water is murky so you can no longer see him. The other dive buddy is swimming very slowly. You have enough air to share with the other dive buddy while you look for your regular buddy on the second platform.

What do you do and why?

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Since someone has asked ... anyone can respond to these scenarios, but I put them in the New Divers forum because it's something I think important for new divers to think about.

So please, to those experienced divers out there ... frame your responses in terms of what a newly certified OW diver can reasonably be expected to know.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Kevin Carlisle]

Scenario 2. I would wait if I had enough gas to do that. Then after we surfaced have a chat.

 

[TSandM]

Well, the first two scenarios are both amenable to a solution from OW: Plan your dive, and dive your plan. A ton of underwater issues can be prevented (always better than treating) by a good conversation on land before the dive. When I dive with strangers, I always tell them a few things about me: I am slow to gear up, so they shouldn't hurry and have to wait, and I like to have my buddy close on entries and exits, in case I need some help with my balance.

In the first case, saying to the buddy, "I'm a slow swimmer and like to look at all the camouflaged little stuff, is that okay with you?" might have avoided the entire issue. In the second, saying, "I'm pretty new. It's important to me that we stay together, and I don't want to go inside of anything," might have done the same. I think that's something new divers either forget, or feel funny doing, thinking that it's enough of an imposition for someone to dive with them, let alone to have the dive curtailed in any way by them. But everybody has a right to a good dive, and if you are diving with new buddies, there often has to be some compromise. And if your "buddy" is absolutely unwilling to discuss changing his normal procedures, then you ask around to find someone else with whom to dive.

 

[ligersandtions]

Well, the first two scenarios are both amenable to a solution from OW: Plan your dive, and dive your plan. A ton of underwater issues can be prevented (always better than treating) by a good conversation on land before the dive. When I dive with strangers, I always tell them a few things about me: I am slow to gear up, so they shouldn't hurry and have to wait, and I like to have my buddy close on entries and exits, in case I need some help with my balance.

In the first case, saying to the buddy, "I'm a slow swimmer and like to look at all the camouflaged little stuff, is that okay with you?" might have avoided the entire issue. In the second, saying, "I'm pretty new. It's important to me that we stay together, and I don't want to go inside of anything," might have done the same. I think that's something new divers either forget, or feel funny doing, thinking that it's enough of an imposition for someone to dive with them, let alone to have the dive curtailed in any way by them. But everybody has a right to a good dive, and if you are diving with new buddies, there often has to be some compromise. And if your "buddy" is absolutely unwilling to discuss changing his normal procedures, then you ask around to find someone else with whom to dive.

What would you do if you had your pre-dive discussion and you and your buddy agreed on everything....only to find out underwater that he was still putting you into Situation #1 or #2?

While prevention (and making sure you and your buddy have compatible diving styles) is important, some buddies seem to forget the instant their heads go underwater....so what is your course of action in that case?

 

[Jim Lapenta]

A properly trained dive buddy will stay with/his her buddy as long as it does not endanger them. The new diver fresh out of Ow class SHOULD know his/her limits and stick with them. In a low vis or good vis situation then the slower buddy sets the pace. Period. If the faster one continues to rush around, burning up air, and making the dive miserable then the resposible thing to do is end the dive, surface, and make it perfectly clear that they will no longer be diving with you unless they change their habits. As to scenario 2 then the prudent thing to do is try to convince the buddy to not do the penetration or wait outside til they come out. Under no circumstances would you enter an overhead without a light and the training to do so. And again once the buddy exits refer to the previous. He is not a good buddy. Leaving a new diver in poor vis, no light, to enter a boat cabin where neither can see the other. No more with him until he changes his style as well.