Collapse of the "Buddy System"

[TMHeimer]

To veer off just a bit, I just DMd an OW course that had the new PADI "mini dive". My 2 students were decent buddies, doing good compass work as well. Seems like a good idea--will see what happens next time.

 

[TSandM]

JohnN, I am extraordinarily lucky to have the pool of divers available to me that I have -- but of course, that pool is available to anybody else on earth, if they are willing to do the work

In your situation, I would really work on pre-dive communication. I'd explain what I wanted, and make sure that the buddy I was working with was amenable. I would recognize that it might be possible that I'd have to do more than half the work to keep the team together, but it should still be possible to have a good dive, nonetheless.

I dive with my husband on a regular basis, and he does not subscribe to the kind of team diving I prefer. Still, I manage to have many good dives with him, even though I'm doing more than my share to make sure we stay united.

 

[Mike]

Did I just read in the last 4 days that California has lost 3 recreational divers in three separate incidents all of which were same ocean at best or buddiless divers? I apologize if I have the information incorrect, but if it's true, it's certainly timely in regard to this whole discussion.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I don't know. What was so advanced about what we were doing? It was pretty simple. We agreed on a course and a plan, and neither of us deviated from it, so we were predictable. Neither of us moved off a point until we had made eye contact and were sure the other person was on board with moving. When we were moving, we swam close to each other. Anybody coming out of OW ought to be able to do those things. The problem is that they don't know those things need to be done, and they don't make a plan ahead of time that allows divers to be predictable.

It was simple and easy because you two knew what you were doing, it sounds like a simple dive and you both had similar and compatible goals. You knew about the strobes, know when to check and TRUST your buddy not to race off without confirming your consent/ knowledge. It takes a while to develop that level of coordination (and still not interfere with your dive).


The buddy team/safety concept gets stretched when divers get cold, distracted, stressed or encounter something novel or challenging. Then it takes just 10-20 seconds to cause a separation (that new divers are less skilled in closing).

I always liked this analogy.. Olympic ski jump looks simple too.. (when the experts are doing it).

 

[Storker]

if I'm the 'bad' buddy (and I never promised to be a good one)

You most definitely didn't. OTOH, you did promise to be a bad one:

I'm a selfish pig, I want to (try to) take pictures and I don't want to lose any of those dives babysitting someone.

Remind me to never dive with you.

BTW, why does it seem as if everybody is talking about OOA situations as the only reason for buddying up? Other stuff happens underwater.

 

[PantherDiver]

In my limited diving experience <50 dives I've lost my buddy several times with less than normal situations. On our first open water dive my stepdaughter and I checked her air at the stern of the boat she was already at 1000 and the line was at the bow which we were supposed to be at 1500. The divemaster and instructors grabbed her and left. It was very lonely and the current was strong so I used the chain on the boat to get me to the bow without using what I had in my bottle fighting against the current. I was by myself until I hit the boat line and started making my way up. My second experience my buddy got narc'd and the instructor left me to hover at 106 feet while going in the darkness of the quarry to grab the diver. Their computers were going crazy and it was a controlled rush from then on. Third my daughter who keeps a very good contact distance from me and we even use sign language while diving to communicate. She was about 5 feet away when I got a cramp and it really only takes a few seconds for the distance to become greater. When she looked back as normal she was 20 feet away. Our rule is every 5 kicks we check for the other that's primarily because she was 15 when she was certified so it was keeping her always aware if herself and avoiding tunnel vision. I was just in a class where visibility was inches and unless we kept physical contact getting lost was easy. I don't have the experience to say that it's been lost but I can say it seems a lot of things happens that keeps the ideal buddy situation from being a norm.

 

[mrdre]

All the bad buddies I dove with had one thing in common: they had tendency of swimming and swimming a lot, like the water "over there" was different. So often I wanted to yell at some buddies - STOP SWIMMING!! For some reason some divers think that diving is underwater swimming; they'd just descend and swim swim swim. I don't even remember when I got separated from my buddies (well, the good ones), because I prefer to go and stay at some place exploring it. Once we're done exploring, we would point where we want to go, move towards that direction a little and stop and explore.

It takes good buddy to find a good buddy. Those who just swim and swim don't realize that they are bad buddies themselves. They often take off without looking, they get the buddy tired, they waste air, they don't see much and they don't let the buddy see much.

 

[Lorenzoid]

All the bad buddies I dove with had one thing in common: they had tendency of swimming and swimming a lot, like the water "over there" was different. So often I wanted to yell at some buddies - STOP SWIMMING!! For some reason some divers think that diving is underwater swimming; they'd just descend and swim swim swim. I don't even remember when I got separated from my buddies (well, the good ones), because I prefer to go and stay at some place exploring it. Once we're done exploring, we would point where we want to go, move towards that direction a little and stop and explore.

It takes good buddy to find a good buddy. Those who just swim and swim don't realize that they are bad buddies themselves. They often take off without looking, they get the buddy tired, they waste air, they don't see much and they don't let the buddy see much.

That description also fits some divemasters who have led me on guided dives.

 

[Kharon]

"Lost buddy" is about on par with "accidentally running out of air". They both have the same cause and the same solution: "pay attention"

Horse pucky! I (at the wing position) dropped with a buddy and she went into the silt hard, dropping vis to zero then took off finning through the silt so hard that I couldn't even make out her silt trail. That's on me? No effin way.

---------- Post added October 2nd, 2014 at 09:27 AM ----------

... good buddy diving, (that still facilitates some degree of "doing your own thing") REQUIRES a ton of experience, band width, situational awareness, the ability to predict what the buddy will (and won't do).. etc.. Call it whatever you want.. but these are high level skills that are not acquired in a short course or probably most recreational training settings. And as you mentioned, a unified, common goal is also an essential element as well.

Yep. +1 on everything you said.

And I'll point out one more thing. If I ever get into an OOA situation, grabbing my pony reg and sticking it into my mouth and simply breathing is way easier and way faster than trying to get to a buddy, get their attention, and get some air, no matter how close they are and how attentive they are.

I also carry redundant cutting tools and pretty much redundant everything I might reasonably need. I can ditch my BC and leave it on the bottom if that's what it takes to stay alive. Redundant air should be taught. But also, all the solo skills should be taught as well. Divers should be as self-sufficient (not the PADI self-sufficient) as possible. Then buddies would have the greatest safety possible. Is it ever going to happen - yeah, right.

So it is on all of you to get the equipment and pursue these skills for your own sake (and for your buddy's, should you dive that way). I did and it ain't that hard. It just ain't rocket science and it isn't expensive. Particularly considering the bang for the buck.

To those of you who argue so vehemently that it's not necessary and you don't need it - good for you - whoopy dingle. What makes you think you should dictate to someone else what they feel they need or what's necessary for them?

 

[Steve_C]

That description also fits some divemasters who have led me on guided dives.

Yup. That is why when traveling and working in a dive or two if at all possible I go with a private DM. We work out a common plan ahead of time. Usually works. With some I still have to work on slowing them down. But that can usually be accomplished just by stopping and looking at something. After doing this a few times the fast ones get the message. To me one of the great pleasures is finding something interesting and actually looking at it for a couple minutes as opposed to seeing 200 pieces of coral shoot by instead of only 190 pieces of coral.