Collapse of the "Buddy System"

[Kharon]

Given a choice, I always prefer a buddy to solo ...

I always prefer solo to a buddy. I'm admitedly selfish. My time underwater is limited. My diving days are running out. I spend a lot of hard earned money to get that short time underwater. I want to watch the show not babysit nor even keep track of a buddy. Bad, good, great or fantastic. I'd simply rather not be encumbered.

 

[nolatom]

I think "collapse" is an overstatement, but probably good to use in the title since it has sparked a good variety of useful discussion.

I think the buddy "system" is reasonably "alive", but since it's usually a two-person "system", whether it works depends only on two people, and you are one of them. So you have a lot of influence over the "system". For me it starts when I get to the boat early chat up the captain, DM, and deckhand so they know a little about my experience level before they get buried in passengers, navigation, and briefings. Then when I tell the captain or DM that I will need a buddy, I've usually gotten a good match.

I've already posted that my (mostly insta-) buddy experiences have been almost all good, and the very few sketchy or bad ones have at least been a good learning or coping moment, which in a way benefited me more than the "happy good buddy" dives.

 

[TMHeimer]

I always prefer solo to a buddy. I'm admitedly selfish. My time underwater is limited. My diving days are running out. I spend a lot of hard earned money to get that short time underwater. I want to watch the show not babysit nor even keep track of a buddy. Bad, good, great or fantastic. I'd simply rather not be encumbered.

Same here. If it weren't for (my perceived?) safety benefit I would always prefer solo.

 

[Storker]

I want to watch the show not babysit nor even keep track of a buddy. Bad, good, great or fantastic. I'd simply rather not be encumbered.

While others, like me, like to dive with a buddy because four eyes have twice the chance of discovering critters compared to two eyes. The (perhaps perceived, but IMO real) increased safety and the pre- and post-dive banter are additional benefits which I value rather highly. Spending a fraction of my awareness to keep track of my buddy is a small price to "pay" for that.

 

[Adobo]

For me it starts when I get to the boat early chat up the captain, DM, and deckhand so they know a little about my experience level before they get buried in passengers, navigation, and briefings. Then when I tell the captain or DM that I will need a buddy, I've usually gotten a good match.

At home, buddy diving for me starts several days in advance or even several weeks in advance. I have several dive buddies at different levels of experience/training levels. Some more advanced that me, others the same level or less advanced than me. If I want to dive on Nov 15 for example, I ask around to see who is available. Based on who I decide to dive with, my buddy and I start discussing the dive we might want to do (shore dive vs. boat dive. shallow dive vs. deeper dive). Based on what we decide, we pick the right equipment (what kind of gas do we need, do we need scooters, do we bring a camera, etc.).

As an example, one of my dive buddies and I are trading emails on a dive we are setting up for Nov. 9.

By the time I get to the dive site, there is no "oh, i brought air, you brought nitrox" or "i brought doubles and a scooter, you brought a single tank". Even if this is a boat dive, I don't need to ask the captain to buddy me up with someone as I brought all the stuff I need to the boat dive. Including a buddy who is competent to do the dive that I want to do.

I do this routine enough that I don't need to do it so many days or weeks in advance. I could for example get a call on Friday from someone who wants to do a technical dive on Saturday. Not a common thing but it has happened in the past. Because my buddies and I are already on the same page with regards to what gas we use on various types of dives, I already have a couple of sets of tanks at home ready to go. My buddies know that I can get whatever gear is usually needed for various dives lined up with short notice.

All this is to say that at home, I myself am never forced to be instabuddies with some diver who I don't know. I organize my diving in a way that on the precious few days I do get to dive, I get to dive with someone who is competent for the dive I want to do.

---------- Post added October 23rd, 2014 at 10:57 AM ----------

Same here. If it weren't for (my perceived?) safety benefit I would always prefer solo.

There are some benefits inherent in diving in a competent buddy team that is not available to you when solo diving. There just isn't getting around that. We can even take one stupid but real example... let's say you get a cramp on your leg during a dive. A pony bottle is of no help in relieving a leg cramp. Another example, you break your mask strap while in midwater. While a pony bottle help you maintain your proper depth as you put your backup mask on?

I have my own opinion regarding what is better between proper buddy diving vs. solo diving. As I said, I appreciate that divers have varied reasons why they think solo diving is best for their situation. However, one thing I am not convinced on is a pony bottle serving as a complete replacement for a competent dive buddy.

 

[mrdre]

We are diving for fun right? Which is more fun - going alone, coming back alone or diving with group of friends? It's like going to the club alone. True, you don't have to wait for friends, you drink more efficiently, you can check out more people when you are "solo", but it's fun when you are with a good company. Same with is diving. So you go solo, so you see creatures, so you take pictures, so you tell stories nobody cares about, so you show pictures and videos nobody is interested to look at because youtube is full of those. When you are with friends you do something before, you dive together, you see things together, then you do something after, talk about what you saw, etc. Instead of just being on the mission to dive and see the maximum number of critters everybody saw gazillion of times.

With regards to safety, it's not so much for underwater safety, but more for entries and exists. If you do beach exit and you fall your buddy will help you get up. On the surface if you are with a group of people there is higher chance for the boats to see you. If you get hit by the boat, your buddy will help you, call for help, etc. If you are tired of swimming, your buddy may tow you. Your buddy may help you carry heavy equipment. I actually prefer to dive with group of 3. I think it's much more enjoyable and fun - plus you have 2 people to take care of you if you need some help.

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

I think Solo Diving for me anyway is like a tool in my tool box.
If I am going diving and my son or buddies can't make it - I dive solo. I like to dive - I am not going to not dive when the conditions and tides are in my favor because a dive buddy can't make it.
On the flip side I don't dive in secret - I tell folks as far in advance as I can make plans. Four kids a wife and a job have constraints on me and I balance as best I can. That said - if I want to dive on spur of the moment - I am confident in my skills that I can go with or without my tool box...
So in summary - I like to dive - with or without my buddies - and the older I get the more I realize you need to take those opportunities when they come because you never know when you won't be able to dive another day...

 

[drrich2]

We are diving for fun right? Which is more fun - going alone, coming back alone or diving with group of friends? It's like going to the club alone.

A lot of people don't do one or the other exclusively. They can go to the club with a buddy sometimes, or alone sometimes. Ditto diving. I don't exclusively dive solo, but I like to do some solo diving. As long as I deem a dive safe enough for solo, whether it would be 'safer' dove with a buddy no longer drives the decision.

To put your example in a more analogous context to a lot of vacation charter boat diving, what if your options were to go to the club alone, or with a spontaneous randomly assigned stranger?

Richard.

 

[TMHeimer]

I think Solo Diving for me anyway is like a tool in my tool box.
If I am going diving and my son or buddies can't make it - I dive solo. I like to dive - I am not going to not dive when the conditions and tides are in my favor because a dive buddy can't make it.
On the flip side I don't dive in secret - I tell folks as far in advance as I can make plans. Four kids a wife and a job have constraints on me and I balance as best I can. That said - if I want to dive on spur of the moment - I am confident in my skills that I can go with or without my tool box...
So in summary - I like to dive - with or without my buddies - and the older I get the more I realize you need to take those opportunities when they come because you never know when you won't be able to dive another day...

Some good points. We've gotten around to which is better, solo or buddy. Answer of course is it depends. Being retired, I can pick my day to dive--one that probably has excellent weather/conditions. May be a Tuesday when potential buddies work. Another advantage to solo is if you have a specific goal that may not lend itself so easily to buddy diving. Many use the example of photography--I use my example of shell collecting. Going where you want, changing your direction mid dive is easier done solo. In may case (at home especially), I have no worries about falling while entering and don't think I've seen
more that 5 boats anywhere near in 10 years. OTOH, mrdre makes some good points about buddy benefits. Comraderie, assistance (a tow when I get serious cramping could surely come in handy). If I'm with a (good) buddy I have less of a concern in wandering further afield, while if solo I always must have a general plan of where to head should I cramp up. Depends on the situation--and the diver.

 

[mrdre]

A lot of people don't do one or the other exclusively. They can go to the club with a buddy sometimes, or alone sometimes. Ditto diving. I don't exclusively dive solo, but I like to do some solo diving. As long as I deem a dive safe enough for solo, whether it would be 'safer' dove with a buddy no longer drives the decision.

To put your example in a more analogous context to a lot of vacation charter boat diving, what if your options were to go to the club alone, or with a spontaneous randomly assigned stranger?

Richard.

Oh, no, I'm not against solo diving. I solo a lot. I just don't think solo is more "fun"... Yes, I'd rather go solo to the club than with some random "buddy", but if my friends are up to diving I prefer diving with them rather than solo. And to me the bigger the group - better.