How important is a buddy?

[Steve_Dives]

Hard to say it any better than Bob.

I'll share an experience I had. I switched over to a new BC and was making some dives and adjusting the thing to try to get it all configured. Beautiful day. Water at that depth was clear and warm (by quarry standards). My buddy and I were just starting our second or third dive, when I began to feel a great sense of anxiety and had a strong urge to head for the surface. It seemed like death was upon me and the flight or fight was kicking in. The problem was minor, my waist belt on the BC had shifted and was putting pressure on my diaphragm making it difficult to breathe. I don't know how I managed to realize that, but it gave me a good impression of how something little can become something big.

 

[OnceLoyal]

I really didn't mean to make it sound like something that should be in the solo forum. Fight or flight response to me would be less likely to happen if your with someone else, but if I am going to bolt to the surface and my buddy is 5-10 feet away I don't think he will be able to do much. I dunno.. I need to get a buddy I can trust. One that would keep an eye on me as I would keep an eye on him/her. Hmmmm anyone one up for a dive at 9AM The jacks just north of Dania Pier?? My boat leaves at 800-830 AM tomorrow morning from Hollywood Florida!!!!

 

[caseybird]

A buddy can point the recovery team at the right stretch of ocean to begin searching. Otherwise.. no buddy, no chance of recovery.

 

[gcbryan]

If you dive on vacation and you don't bring a buddy with you then you at least have an excuse for wondering if no buddy is as good as an instabuddy. If you are a new diver and live in Florida you have no excuse to not have a decent buddy.

It takes a few months (if you are trying) to join a dive club, post on scuba boards and dive with whoever shows up to meet enough people to develop a real buddy...someone that is a good buddy underwater and just someone whose personality you jell with in the first place. Diving is a social thing for the most part.

The most dangerous aspect of diving especially for a new diver is as Bob points out holding your breath even for a few feet on ascent...dead before you hit the surface.

After you have some experience solo is an option.

 

[rstofer]

I'm going to take a side track. Self rescue is the way to go. There is absolutely no reason to depend on your buddy to save your life! While not exactly solo diving, you should not have to rely on anyone.

Take more classes. In particular, take Rescue.

Richard

 

[The Kraken]

Not very, unless you run out of air for some reason and wish to continue breathing.

the K

 

[imwright1985]

Our dives yesterday had a "bad buddy" deal, I was stuck running the bouy on a dive and sucked up air like crazy causing dive to be cut really short. then the dive before one of the buddys was Low on air and kinda panicked causing him to not let all the air out of bc upon ascent and making him shoot up fast and his buddy tried responsibly chasing after him signalling to stay down so they could ascend together slowly. Buddys can ruin dives but can also be helpful. Esp with the one shooting up if he wasnt stubborn could have realised he was ascending too quick. If we had planned better I wouldnt have been bouy guy and could have had a decent dive, and the stubborn guy .... well he kinda learned a little to listen and try staying calm. After that he is on the same page we are to where whos running lowest on air calls the dive or trades off tasks to help prolong dive and are all alot more open on communication and all ascend in a tighter group so if any problems come up we are there to help