Kharon
Contributor
Bushwah!!! Most OW courses merely introduce you to the skills you will need to perfect on your own. Many topics are brushed over, treated superficially, and buddy diving and the skills necessary is certainly one of them.
What to do with an inexperienced instabuddy?
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Bushwah!!! Most OW courses merely introduce you to the skills you will need to perfect on your own. Many topics are brushed over, treated superficially, and buddy diving and the skills necessary is certainly one of them.
One reason I dive solo whenever an operator allows that.
I've had inexperienced instabuddies who were a royal PITA and ones that I was just fine with. The ones who were a PITA were generally the ones that paid no attention to their gauges, their impact on the reef or me. I especially disliked being told how great a diver the person was before we descended only to find they had little buoyancy control or understanding of their gear. The ones who were not a PITA were the ones who acknowledged prior to the dive that they had issues so I was aware of them and could anticipate them.
I was diving as a personal guest of Jean-Michel's at his resort in Fiji. My first instabuddy was a a "know it all" who announced topside he wasn't going to follow any of the rules set down by the dive master. We descended and he continued going deeper and deeper as I tried to catch up. I finally looked at my depth gauge and I was at 125 fsw and he was 25 ft deeper and still going. I signaled to the DM I was heading back up to join the group and he went down to retrieve the idiot. I told the DM I would not dive with this guy again so he paired me up with another. The new instabuddy told me had had little experience and was a hoover before we descended. Due to that we had a bottom time of about half what I would have had diving solo. He was very apologetic when we returned to the boat. I told him not to worry about it as he had properly stated his issues and I was fine with that.
The big difference is the attitude and the communication prior to the dive. Of course I knew the first instabuddy would be a PITA before we entered the water. I knew the second instabuddy would significantly affect the quality of my dive, but I accepted that when I agreed to dive with him.
---------- Post added March 4th, 2014 at 07:55 AM ----------
I agree. Most OW courses today barely give you enough to dive safely IMHO. When I finally got certified as OW (Los Angeles County back in the 60s), it was a three week course meeting several times a week with classroom and pool sessions followed by shore and boat dives. Based on what I've observed with too many recent OW certified divers is that they have only a minimal skill set.
I've had inexperienced instabuddies who were a royal PITA and ones that I was just fine with. The ones who were a PITA were generally the ones that paid no attention to their gauges, their impact on the reef or me. I especially disliked being told how great a diver the person was before we descended only to find they had little buoyancy control or understanding of their gear. The ones who were not a PITA were the ones who acknowledged prior to the dive that they had issues so I was aware of them and could anticipate them.
I was diving as a personal guest of Jean-Michel's at his resort in Fiji. My first instabuddy was a a "know it all" who announced topside he wasn't going to follow any of the rules set down by the dive master. We descended and he continued going deeper and deeper as I tried to catch up. I finally looked at my depth gauge and I was at 125 fsw and he was 25 ft deeper and still going. I signaled to the DM I was heading back up to join the group and he went down to retrieve the idiot. I told the DM I would not dive with this guy again so he paired me up with another. The new instabuddy told me had had little experience and was a hoover before we descended. Due to that we had a bottom time of about half what I would have had diving solo. He was very apologetic when we returned to the boat. I told him not to worry about it as he had properly stated his issues and I was fine with that.
The big difference is the attitude and the communication prior to the dive. Of course I knew the first instabuddy would be a PITA before we entered the water. I knew the second instabuddy would significantly affect the quality of my dive, but I accepted that when I agreed to dive with him.
---------- Post added March 4th, 2014 at 07:55 AM ----------
I agree. Most OW courses today barely give you enough to dive safely IMHO. When I finally got certified as OW (Los Angeles County back in the 60s), it was a three week course meeting several times a week with classroom and pool sessions followed by shore and boat dives. Based on what I've observed with too many recent OW certified divers is that they have only a minimal skill set.
How do people get experience? By solidifying their skills on low-risk dives, and then gradually extending their scope. This woman, who could not hold a shallow stop, had no business on a deep dive, no matter what some instructor signed off on. You don't get good at 100 foot dives by doing them; you get good at 100 foot dives by doing a lot of 60 footers and learning to watch your gas, stay with your buddy, and hold your stops. When those things are as they should be, a dive to 100 feet is a mild challenge.
)
I find it funny how so many people on this thread comment on "most OW courses..." when they likely only have experience with a few OW courses from 1 or 2 agencies.
As for myself, I have only taken OW once, and working as a divemaster I have experienced OW courses from about 5 different instructors all through PADI. As such, I am definitely unqualified to comment on "most" OW courses, even though I'm sure I've used the phrase in the past
As for myself, I have only taken OW once, and working as a divemaster I have experienced OW courses from about 5 different instructors all through PADI. As such, I am definitely unqualified to comment on "most" OW courses, even though I'm sure I've used the phrase in the past
What to do? Just say no.
"I am a paying customer and I will not accept an inexperienced instabuddy for a partner."
My favorite solution is to refuse the pair up with an instabuddy and instead pair up with a couple for a group of 3.
I inform the couple that once we are in the water I will become "separated" and I take off solo.
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That's what I do, when I'm not diving off my own boat. Sometimes I'm not down long enough at my house in Mexico to warrant pulling the boat out, so I go out with a local dive shop to get wet. I just tell them I'm a photographer and will be diving on my own. I had one guy who really wanted to dive with me and I had to be adamant that I was on my own. I found out later that he never went deeper than 30 feet and was through his air in less than 30 minutes. I had an hour-long dive and was down at 60-70 feet for much of the time. If I'm paying to dive, I will dive my plan and not that of an instabuddy.
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