Why I won't dive with you.

[CUunderH2O]

OK, how did a thread about reasons for not diving with certain people degenerate into this finger pointing and taking offence? This is a public forum, remember. The person who started this thread was sharing his thoughts about whom he will not dive with, and others have contributed their lists.

I have had my fair share of experiences with 'bad' divers and have a list of types of people whom I will not dive with. These include:

-individuals who do not follow the dive plan
-individuals who have no buddy skills to speak of
-individuals who have no respect for the fragility of the environement (wrecks & reefs)
-individuals who 'have nothing left to learn'
-individuals who silt up the inside of the wreck before I get my photos (grrrr!)
-individuals who have no regard for safety, either their own or their buddy's
-individuals who just give me a bad feeling (I have learned to trust my gut -- no more insta-buddies)
-individuals who have no experience diving in the specific environment (ie. high current low viz deep wrecks -- I only dive those with trusted buddies) or those whose experience level I do not personally know
-individuals who ignore me if I call the dive for any reason. Not that I'm prone to calling dives.

Diving can be fun, but you always need to keep safety as a priority.

It's all about comfort level, people. For those of you just starting out, you'll eventually figure yours out, and you may change your minds about who you will, and won't dive with!

 

[erparamedic]

Sure thing! Let me know if you ever make it over to Mermet Springs (Southern IL near Paducah KY), My wife and I try to make it down there to get wet all thru the spring-summer-fall. Thought this year we're severly limited on funds due to some unexpected home repairs

Anyway I think that's all I'm trying to get across, is to keep an open mind, don't judge anyone based on appearance's alone, you'll get yourself severely burned that way some day.

I agree totally on the gettin' burned thing. Hmmm... I might be the fat diver/paramedic saving the butt of that skinny little diver with the "fat buddy phobia".

Great!! I'll keep you in mind! My husband and I would love to dive Mermet Springs, but prolly won't make it there this summer/fall... we have a funds issue too!! I'd love to take a trip there next spring or summer though. We live in Indianapolis, so would be a weekend deal for us.

We're heading to Natural Springs in Ohio on Saturday.

 

[7milehi]

We all know the jump in and dive type, no plan , no pre-dive checks, not much experience, kind of a danger to themself and others. But have you ever dove with the other type, not as bad as the prior type but still kind of a pain in the a . This is the "every dive is a shuttle launch" diver. They have all the standard rules plus a myriad of their own special rules. They go over every contingency from OOA to discovering you have a hangnail during the dive. By the time it comes to getting wet you are so exhausted from their pre-dive sermon you want to throw them in minus their gear.

 

[SparticleBrane]

I lost weight fairly easily--I pretty much stopped eating. It takes a little bit of self control, but eating a small snack and one main meal during the day definitely helped me lose weight.

While swimming laps is good for endurance--swimming distance, especially slowly, is a "nothing" sport if you have good form and technique.

During my running days, a normal workout could be doing anything from doing 200m sprints in 105+degree heat with the sun blaring on you and 95%+ humidity for 2 hours, to running 7-8 miles in an hour (15 minutes warm up pace, 30 mins race pace [ie, sprint], 15 mins cool down pace). And everything inbetween. "Bleachers" days were my favorite ( )--running up and down and across the football bleachers with the sun coming down on you from the sky and reflecting up on you from the bleachers, for 2 hours...unfortunately I'll probably never be in that good shape ever again unless I join the Marines.

I currently have a friend in England on a summer abroad program who says that the group he's with is a good deal heavier than almost everyone else they see. He said one person in their group got up to get a drink during the intermission, came back with two cokes, and consumed a liter of coke in 15 minutes.

The simple fact is that if you are morbidly obese, you are NOT healthy in any sense of the word, no matter how active you say you are. I apologize if someone finds this offensive, but sometimes...that's how life is.

 

[JRScuba]

I could be the one saving your butt someday.... then would you dive with me?

Old Chinese saying : the A2Z you kick today could be the A2Z you have to kiss tomorrow.

 

[mrjimboalaska]

WELL.........I'll take a beef fed Nebraska diver over a 6 pack ab diver......
I used to have a fencing Company, never could keep a 6 pack abber
digging a fence post hole, No Stamina.....
I'm 50lbs overweight, would love to loose it.....
the One thing I was dinged for in Rescue Course was the tired diver practice in the pool, I towed him to the edge, caught myself out, then snatched him in full gear out of the pool, I should have removed his equipment first......
IF>>>big divers can handle themselves well, you are welcome on MY boat...
IF>>>you think you are SUPERIOR because you are skinny, STAY AWAY.....

 

[Thalassamania]

The list is pretty good. I prefer to dive with folks who trained in a Scripps Model program (that's our version of DIR), but I'll dive with just about anyone and make a second dive with just about anyone who is willing to share air at the beginning of most every dive and who will say off the bottom.

I will not dive with anyone who pees his or her wetsuit ... whilst standing on the deck.

 

[Mo2vation]

I will not dive with anyone who pees his or her wetsuit ... whilst standing on the deck.

This has just made it to the list. This list took years to develop and hasn't changed in about 3 years. This is a big day.

OK - I now have a list of 4.

1) I'll won't dive with rebreather divers

2) I won't dive with Hunters

3) I won't dive with the morbidly obese

4) I won't dive with anyone who pees his or her wetsuit ... whilst standing on the deck.


You are my hero. That is great.

OK - its now officially a list of 4.

---
Ken

 

[JungleJoe]

I've been diving longer than I can remember, started as a brat and worked my way up, mostly have dove solo all these years till recently.

I am not the type to brag or mr know it all, hell I learn something new on every dive I make. You never stop learning, Started in 8'th grade diving, never kept a log till puters came out, I photog/hunt/pleasure/deep/wreck/ice or whatever opportunity becomes available.

Never dove in the ocean... kinda sucks, you guys that have, I envy you. Someday when I do go, I'll look for someone w/experience and learn some more skills, Basics I think I have down ok, but nothing beats experience, and when I do go, I darn well will have someone one who's old hat at the ocean dive we're doing with me to show me the ropes.

As for dive buddies....

I'll dive with just about anyone once. Unless you can tell from topside they will be a problem, then i'll go get my own flag and scooter and off I go alone or tag up with someone else.

I own a nice boat, so I can be picky who I choose to come with me when I take it out.

I usually dive with a select group, meet some new ppl, it was hard to get used to diving around others after so many years of solo. But I always keep my buddy in view, check their air when needed and vice versa. RESPECT is a key word when it comes to working with a dive buddy. I prefer more experienced divers vs newer ones, but I feel it's my job to help the new ones if I take one out learn to rules of the road and have an enjoyable experience. Those ones I keep a real close eye on.

Arrogance I have little tolerance for

Know it all's -- They can dive someplace else and risk someone else's life

People who ask alot of questions = good divers in my opinion, no question is a stupid one.

Pre-dive should be terse, but cover it all so all understand, ones that don't, go further in depth.

Interview your potiential new buddy, what have they done, what are their skills, what makes them uncomfortable. You'll get a good idea of what your dealing with. Watch them gear up, another sign of competence.

Anyone can be a good dive buddy. But I agree, some are just meant to find their own dives..........

J

 

[erparamedic]

Mrjimboalaska....

Great way to put it!