Trio diving teams - Insta Buddy - Thoughts

[Gradual Ascent]

Background: I have dove with teams of three divers that are pre-arranged, and insta-buddy trios. Some have been ok, others not good at all. And since I travel for business I will try to get some diving in when possible on one of these trips. So that means I am sometimes the insta-buddy on someone else’s holiday, and vise - versa. In general, I'm not a big fan of trio diving teams since no one person is your buddy.

So here is the question: Have you ever refused a request to have a seemly novice insta-buddy join you, or your two people established diving team? And if so, why?

Or, have you ever been the one to get denied a place on someone elses' team? :shakehead

 

[MarkUK]

I once refused to dive with someone in Tobago, as I'd seen them the day before on land, on the boat and underwater and, to put it politely, they were a liability.

Like a prat, I'd shown my DM card, so they figured they'd put him with me. He was a Rescue Diver, with some 50-odd dives, but that made him an expert, and he proceeded to grill me on diving experience and manhandle my kit. Given that I do more dives in six weeks than he'd done in his lifetime – plus my dislike of anyone fondling my kit without asking – I attempted to talk to him in a rational manner about the forthcoming dive (a fast drift down Kelleston Drain), but he just ignored any of my comments and generally acted like a tit. So, I refused to dive with him.

He didn't take my refusal to dive with him very well, and got all in my face and everything. I refrained from explaining that I thought he was a danger to himself and everyone around him, and instead just said we had different diving styles – and left it at that.

Anyway, said SPORE (Stupid Person On Rental Equipment) got loaded on to someone else, and I dived with a couple I'd been with previously, who were sound divers.

Predictably, 30 minutes into the dive, and the current suddenly picked up. Mr know-it-all SPORE panicked big-time, and the DM and myself had to manhandle him to the surface and back on to the boat. And guess what, he didn't have the good grace to shut his trap even then, blaming the rental kit (nothing wrong with it, brand-new Scubapro stuff), the strength of the current, even his hapless insta-buddy!!! It was all I could do from throwing him back overboard with a few weightbelts round his neck...

I dive on assignment once a month, and usually end up with a DM or someone to dive with, but ever so often I just dive with whoever is on the boat with me. I have to say that nine times out of ten, these people have been fine, but every once in a while I get one like the above idiot, and they are the sort who can cause serious problems for the people they are dropped on...

Mark

 

[Charlie99]

Or, have you ever been the one to get denied a place on someone elses' team? :shakehead

Most of the time I'll find another single diver as an instabuddy. Only if I'm the only unbuddied diver onboard do I hook up with an existing buddy team.

Out of 50+ instabuddy situations, there was only one time where an existing buddy team expressed reservations about me joining them. They'd had a horrible experience with an insta-buddy the day before, and didn't want to ruin their last day of diving by repeating the problems (wandering buddy, airhog buddy). I asked about what had happened, chatted a bit and then started to go off to hook up with someone else. They stopped me and invited me to join them. Just our brief general conversation had pretty much eliminated their concerns. My experience has taught me that ATTITUDE is more important than the experience of an insta-buddy in the generally mild, low stress dives that I usually do.

I often travel alone and dive with insta-buddies. There are a lot of divers that I have shied away from. By looking around and figuring out who is also unbuddied lets me pick and choose. There are lots of divers that I have proactively avoided, but only one case where I flatly refused to buddy up. They were a couple. Obviously inexperienced. That in itself isn't a red flag for me, but when I noted that he was putting the BCD on backwards and suggested that he rotate it around, he reacted negatively. Instant red flag. I chose to buddy up with a couple of guys at the other end of the boat. Later however, the Captain asked me to buddy up with the couple. I told him that I had already arranged to dive with the other guys. During the ride out I privately spoke with the Captain and explained that I had bad vibes about the couple and he should watch them carefully. On the ride back in the Captain was asking me about what tipped me off. They'd experienced multiple problems. First problems descending, then a lost weightbelt, then the two of them getting separated and surfacing at different places, then surfacing downcurrent of the boat.

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?p=1266857 is an old post where I describe some good, so-so, and bad experiences with 3 person insta-buddy teams. The bottomost example is a case where a diver was not allowed to join a buddy team. Strangely, it was a case where a wife would not let her husband join the two of us on the second dive.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

Yes. We were going to dive the Arabia in Tobermory, ON and it was going to be my first time on the wreck. The dive op checks your logbook before they let you go on this dive. This guy did not have a logbook with him and he had forgotten his c-card and the dive shop had already said he couldn't dive. My husband and I plus two other divers were the only ones on the boat and the shop knew I was an instructor. The girl from the shop asked me if we would be willing to buddy with the guy and I asked for his logbook--she said he didn't have it or his card with him. The guy begged and pleaded but I'm not doing a 105' dive, possibly in a current/bad vis with someone I've never dove with nor seen dive especially when he doesn't even have a logbook with him so I can at least have a CLUE about his experience. Needless to say that guy didn't go out to the Arabia with us, actually the waves were so bad we had to divert to the Forest City (max depth 150') which neither my husband nor I had ever been on--not conditions where I want to get familiar with a new "third".

The day before, my husband and I scheduled to dive the Niagara II and Caroline Rose and we were the only 2 on the boat. The girl at the shop asked if we would buddy with a guy who had just showed up. He said he only had about 50 dives but he seemed pretty cool so I told hubby I would babysit so he could focus on taking pictures. This guy turned out to be a GREAT third team member, we had so much fun on the first two dives we all went back to the shop and booked the afternoon charter. He would have been welcome as a third on the Arabia had he planned to dive the next day.

I don't mind diving with unknown divers or new divers but I want to make an easy dive with them before moving on to more challenging conditions.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[jeckyll]

I've said no before.

I was going on a dive to just over 100 with a good buddy of mine. We had redundant air, had dove together a fair bit and had been at depth together before, however, I've only got a handful of dives over 100.

A diver who knew my buddy came up and asked if he could join us. At that point and given the type of dive, I explained that I would not do a deep dive with someone I'd never gone with before. He was fine with that explanation.

I've gone on plenty of 'trio' dives otherwise, but in certain conditions I don't want the distraction especially if it's with someone whom I don't know.

 

[tstormdiver]

Being single, I most commonly have to dive the "insta- buddy" way. When I began diving locally, I was been lucky enough to dive with those of similar experience or above. The more experienced divers have been gracious enough to show me how to be a better diver. I am not shy about conveying my limitations & comfort levels, but also not affraid to try things that are within my abilities & training. I have dove with single buddies to groups of 3, 4 or more. We set who has what responsibilities before entering the water (part of the dive plan). So far I've been blessed to dive with others that are either even with or respect my abilities & comfort zones.

 

[Cacia]

We tell people we want to dive alone (JB and I) because of the photography element.

Cameras are great for a few reasons.

If I am alone..I try and size people up and pick my buddy before it is done "to me".

The sad reality is that the experienced people know how to do this and so the weakest and newest usually end up "stuck" with each other. Which can be good (matched abilities and all) but then when things go wrong, they are not as equipped to handle it.

Having said that, I don't impose myself as a buddy on divers going into caves and penetrations in case I want to leave, which in my case, does happen.

 

[jeckyll]

We tell people we want to dive alone (JB and I) because of the photography element.

....

Does it go something like "I'm sorry, you're just not pretty / handsome enough to dive with us!"

 

[Cacia]

no....it goes like this: hey-- your drysuit is neon yellow and this is Palau.

or: you are breathing really hard and sweating just holding your gear bag...actually you like like you are about to keel over.

or: you are complaining loudly, already

or: you have a gigantic bag of fish guts and a spear. (I just cannot seem to get away from those guys)

or: you admit to having several communicable diseases and love to share air.

or your name is Jo Warhammer.

 

[Gradual Ascent]

Having said that, I don't impose myself as a buddy on divers going into caves and penetrations in case I want to leave, which in my case, does happen.

Catherine, I have to admit, on my visit your place in the world last month, Kona was the absolute best dives ever! I dove the tubes with two locals, and the DM, UBER Fantastic! They had thousands of dives between them, I was the Neo. It was Disney to me. (I fortunately was invited back card Blanc by the DM Duane) So in this case, I was the wildcard for them. I'm glad they took the chance on me.