Where should I be?

[sealife]

Hi All,

My buddy and I are fairly new to scuba and will soon be going on our first dive trip. I have been reading threads on where people like for their buddy to swim in relation to them. The consensus seems to be that people prefer side by side because it's easier for buddy pairs to keep an eye on each other with that way with little effort.

Ok, I agree with that and for the most part, that is my preference too. But my question is this:

If my buddy and I are touring along a wall or on side of a reef where the good sites are all on one side, where should I be?

If we are side by side, and I swim on the outside, I can't get a good closeup view of the wall or reef. All I'd see is one side of my buddy.

But if I'm between my buddy and the wall, I feel scrunched because any lateral movement and I'll bump into my buddy (or the wall) because, of course my buddy will be trying to get as close as possible to get a look-see too.

And if we single file so we can both see up close, we're back to where someone has to keep looking back (or up or down or where ever) to keep check on the other. Not to mention, it's hard to point out those surprises hiding in tiny crevices to someone behind you -- and even harder to get the attention and show when your buddy's in front of you!

What's a diver to do?

Any advice from you experienced folks out there will be appreciated.

Thanks all.

Oh, and Happy New Year everybody!

 

[chrispete]

If you decide to go single file, develop a plan before the dive that includes how often the leader should check back with the following diver (often) and how to signal that there is a problem (tugging on a fin, etc.. so that you don't ignore your buddy's cry for help thinking that you just bumped him with your fin)

 

[raybo]

First of all, welcome to the sport. It's a great recreational activity

I'm sure there'll be a post from some of the tech guys later with a much more stringent set of rules and concepts.....

I dive with my wife a lot, usually on vacation for her. She's not as avid (translated: ScubaNut) as I am. She just likes to dive in warm clear water. That's OK.

But almost from the start (which coincidentally was wall drift diving in Cozumel) she stared developing a habit of riding about four feet above me, and her head at about my knees. We'd get to depth, and kind of settled into the dive. I'd look over to check and culdn't see her. I'd stop and turn all the way around, and there'd she be. We'd get going again, in the "right" positiion~ side by side~ and 45-60 second later, I'd be turning aound and looking for her again.

We now have about 60-70 dives together, and even though I've tried to explain to her what the issue is for her to be where she ends up, she still does it. Come to find out, she preferred not EVER having me out of her field of vision. I finally got her to at least keep off to one side or the other so I don't have to roll all the way over to see her, and now she can tell by the look in my eyes when she's ventured a little too far out of position for my comfort.

I've learned to live with it. Now that our daughter is old enough to participate, she stays over her back, and I can stay off to the side, and usually see both of them. I tend to have the camera and taking photos, so it works for us.

Of course this is really only good in good visibility. Bad vis calls for a completely different regimen.

Point is, you and your buddy have to communicate and discuss that kind of stuff. As long as you both understand and adhere to an agreed upon method that you're both comfortable with, I don't think there's a "right" method. Just find something you can both live with.

OK...I'm sure I'm going to hear from some of the techies about the "right" way to do it. but for us recreational sort, the "right" way is what works, is comfortable, safe, and fun.

Have a good time on your trip. Where you going?

Feliz Ano Nuevo de Albuquerque

 

[nradov]

It doesn't really matter whether your dive buddy is behind or to the side or wherever. The important thing is to stay in constant communication. And the best way to facilitate that is to buy a powerful dive light that can be focused down to a tight beam. Now you can just watch the light beam out of the corner of your eye rather than constantly turning to look for your buddy.

Also, make sure you agree before the dive who is leading and who is following.

-Nick

 

[raybo]

nradov bubbled...

...watch the light beam out of the corner of your eye rather than constantly turning to look for your buddy.

Have to try that with my wife. Would sure be a lot easier on me.:bonk:

 

[MechDiver]

nradov once bubbled...
And the best way to facilitate that is to buy a powerful dive light that can be focused down to a tight beam. Now you can just watch the light beam out of the corner of your eye rather than constantly turning to look for your buddy.
-Nick

This also works very well for checking on status of your dive partner. The leader makes a circle with the light off to the side (on bottom or wall), then keeps the beam steady. The buddy/follower then makes a circle around the leaders light spot to indicate "ok". Neither diver has to stop and each can signal the other very quickly.

Phil

 

[raybo]

MechDiver bubbled...

The leader makes a circle with the light off to the side (on bottom or wall), then keeps the beam steady. The buddy/follower then makes a circle around the leaders light spot to indicate "ok".

Another excellent point.

Couple of quetions:

Light on the entire dive?

Where do you "point" it when you're not using it for signaling?

And out of curiousity, what other "signals" do you use.

Don't get this kind of exposure much out here in the desert.

 

[nradov]

raybo once bubbled...
Light on the entire dive?

Yes. Turn it on before you get in the water to make sure it works. If it's a daylight dive in good visibility you can turn it off once you start ascending up the anchor line as at that point you'll be watching your buddy anyway.

Where do you "point" it when you're not using it for signaling?

Point it at whatever you want to look at. Since you'll be using it the whole dive it's best to have a small canister light with a Goodman handle. That way you don't have to constantly grip it or hold a heavy object in your hand.

And out of curiousity, what other "signals" do you use.

Wave it from side to side to get your buddy's attention. Wave it rapidly up and down to indicate an emergency, like you're out of gas or something equally dangerous. Again, for an effective signalling tool you need something with a high output that can be focused down to a tight beam.

-Nick

 

[sealife]

Thanks everyone for all for wonderful the advice.

We will try to use a light to communicate. I think that will solve our problem. We do very well until it comes to touring around something vertical and then nothing we've tried as seemed to fit that situation quite right. But using a light for communication will let us constantly know where the other is and still swim where we can both see the sights!

Thanks again.

Raybo:

We are going to Bonaire in early March. I know, we still have quite a wait, and the days seem to be going by soooooo slowly. This is our first trip there and needless to say, we are very excited!

 

[Cave Diver]

Some excellent responses, but here are a few others.

If maintaining proper trim (i.e. horizontal) and your buddy is following you, all you have to do is lower your head and you can look back under your body and see them.

If you are drift diving, such as in a current, you and your buddy can turn perpendicular to the wall and just let the current carry you past it. This allows you to maintain your buddy position right next to each other, while at the same time both being able to get as close or far from the wall as you wish.

You might consider alternating positions every so often. At 500 psi intervals might be a good time. (You DO check your air often dont you?) With this method, it also allows you to monitor your buddies air based on frequency of switches. By constantly switching positions, it lets the more timid diver get some experiencing leading while knowing they won't be there for long.

The most important thing tho, is to discuss and agree on a plan

before the dive, so that everyone knows what to expect.