What should I have done?

[DepthJunkie]

My buddy and I were comfortably on the surface after our dive. After a few minutes we both heard a diver yelling in distress about a hundred yards away. Turns out the person calling was actually calling for their buddy. After quickly surveying the area I saw that we were the closest to the call. I took off on the surface, swimming as fast as i could, to lend whatever assistance I could. The bottom depth was about 60' and I had about 1200 psi remaining. Fortunately, everything turned out ok, a lake monitor arrived just as I arrived to pull him into a boat. My question is my buddy stopped swimming after about 10 yards and I was torn between my obligation to stay with my buddy or help in a potential bad situation. Did I do the right thing? My next thought was "why did she give up and what does that mean for me?.

 

[Calle Roo]

Never done Rescue, and never been in this situation, so I could be completely off, but your buddy was at the surface, and floating, and ok. I figured she could float there for awhile while you assisted to someone even if she didnt try to follow.

She may have started to swim with you, realize you could handle it on your own, and her best bet was to stay put where she knew she was comfortable and safe....

 

[emttim]

My buddy and I were comfortably on the surface after our dive. After a few minutes we both heard a diver yelling in distress about a hundred yards away. Turns out the person calling was actually calling for their buddy. After quickly surveying the area I saw that we were the closest to the call. I took off on the surface, swimming as fast as i could, to lend whatever assistance I could. The bottom depth was about 60' and I had about 1200 psi remaining. Fortunately, everything turned out ok, a lake monitor arrived just as I arrived to pull him into a boat. My question is my buddy stopped swimming after about 10 yards and I was torn between my obligation to stay with my buddy or help in a potential bad situation. Did I do the right thing? My next thought was "why did she give up and what does that mean for me?.

You did the right thing by lending assistance to a diver in distress. A diver should be fine at the surface if there's no equipment malfunctions going on that would prevent his/her BCD from inflating; you didn't mention any so I'm assuming that wasn't a concern.

As far as your buddy giving up after 10 yards, I'm not sure why she gave up but what that means for you is possibly (not a guarantee but certainly a possibility) if you ever require help, you may not be getting it from her. I would sit her down and talk about it. If she stopped after 10 yards because you were going to get there first and she didn't think she would be needed, then that's just a lack of rescue diver training (or inadequate training if she has that card), but if she stopped after 10 yards because that's how far she can swim then I would not count on her to help you in an emergency.

 

[tfsails]

I agree with Emittum. I think you did the right thing by going to aid the diver in distress; your buddy should have gone with you. I think it's ok to leave a buddy who is ok on the surface to aid a distressed diver.

I would sit down with my buddy and have a nice serious discussion with him/her about why he/she did what he/she did. Someday your own life may be at stake and you need to know what's going on in your buddy's mind. Maybe the whole thing can be used as an impetus for you two to get your Rescue certification. That is the single most fun cert I've gotten to date and it's well worth the effort.

P.S. Don'tcha just LOVE political correctness???

 

[jupitermermaid]

My buddy and I were comfortably on the surface after our dive. After a few minutes we both heard a diver yelling in distress about a hundred yards away. Turns out the person calling was actually calling for their buddy. After quickly surveying the area I saw that we were the closest to the call. I took off on the surface, swimming as fast as i could, to lend whatever assistance I could. The bottom depth was about 60' and I had about 1200 psi remaining. Fortunately, everything turned out ok, a lake monitor arrived just as I arrived to pull him into a boat. My question is my buddy stopped swimming after about 10 yards and I was torn between my obligation to stay with my buddy or help in a potential bad situation. Did I do the right thing? My next thought was "why did she give up and what does that mean for me?.

I think the first thing would be to ask your buddy why she made the choice to stop after 10 yards. There could be a number of reasons she stopped: To save her strength in case you needed help once you got the distressed diver back to your original location, she thought you had everything in control and you knew where she was and didn't want you to have to look for her later, there's no sense in two divers overexerting themselves and not being able to help each other out if the ocassion arose, she may have seen the boat approaching and felt her help wouldn't be needed, she didn't feel qualified to be of any assistance, or many, many other reasons. She and only she can tell you what her reason was. I would definitely ask her.

You did the right thing, though. Aiding a distressed diver always overrides the responsibility to stay with a diver who is on the surface and has the capacity to float and has their SMB inflated for easy spotting. My only suggestion if the ocassion arises again is to make sure you don't swim so fast that you're exhausted by the time you reach a diver in distress. If you put yourself in a weakened condition before you reach the victim, you could end up being another distressed diver, needing assistance yourself. You did well, though, and I give you credit for giving your assistance to someone in need.

 

[Teamcasa]

I think you are over thinking this. Before you swam off as fast as you can, did you ask your buddy if they were fine? You and your buddy were on the surface, bobbing around and were in no danger right? (No boat traffic, signs of distress in your buddy and your BC’s were inflated.) Kudos to you for recognizing that a diver might be in distress and without hesitation, took off to lend assistance. I like that you are also concerned about your buddy’s safety. You sound like a good dive buddy to me.

Post dive communication will help to build better buddy skills. I like to do a post dive discussion with my buddy (instant or otherwise). Many future problems can be avoided by a frank discussion about even the simplest of dives.

Then again, my best buddy and wife has no problem telling me what I did wrong. Got to love that!

 

[trigfunctions]

I would sit her down and talk about it.

Unless your buddy is a child, I would not recommend that.

 

[ScubaSteve]

.....Then again, my best buddy and wife has no problem telling me what I did wrong. Got to love that!

That sounds wonderful. I remember one day when I was allowed to think that I was right . But then she corrected me .


You ahve been given some great information here. The only thing I can say which I do not recall reading is that in the name of improved communications, as you are leaving you buddy, tell them what you are doing and allow them to say is there is a situation you need to be away of that may endanger them in your absence. I do believe you did the right thing and thought it through but it only takes a second on the move to yell at your buddy just in case. I agree with teamcasa...you sound like a good and competent dive buddy.

 

[Teamcasa]

I would sit her down and talk about it.

Unless your buddy is a child, I would not recommend that.

Why?
A good conversation does not have to take on an adult – child connotation.
I sure would like to know if I did something on a dive that perplexed my dive buddy and hopefully I will be able to explain why a particular decision or action was made.

 

[trigfunctions]

Why?
A good conversation does not have to take on an adult – child connotation.
I sure would like to know if I did something on a dive that perplexed my dive buddy and hopefully I will be able to explain why a particular decision or action was made.

Originally Posted by emttim
I would sit her down and talk about it.


I am all for a having good conversation, but I think most people would not react favorably to "being sat down". That sounds pretty condescending to me.