Situational, Buddy Awareness

One of the things I find the hardest when diving is to keep track of your buddy. It takes away from the dive to always be looking around (over your shoulder) to see if your buddy is near. Is there a way that DIR makes this second nature? Just wondering, I don't really know all that much about DIR but it sounds interesting.

Yes... by using focused beam HID lights we maintain constant passive communication.

I probably shouldn't post here since I'm not DIR certified, but anyway . . .
Situational awareness is not limited to DIR diving. Situational awareness is a characteristic to which all divers should attemp to achieve a high degree of competence.

One of the building blocks of situational awareness is having a common mission, dive, plan, etc . . .

Getting to the bottom and going willy-nilly in any direction immediately suspends any chance of establishing situational awareness.

Plan what you're going to do when you get to the bottom, where you're going to go, and when you're going to do it. That way each member of the buddy team will be aware of the basic plan. If you know that when you reach the bottom you're to head off in a general north by northwest direction, then that will at the very least put you and your buddy heading off in the same direction. That's just a good place to start.

Plan, communicate, execute . . .

the K

kabluton:

One of the things I find the hardest when diving is to keep track of your buddy. It takes away from the dive to always be looking around (over your shoulder) to see if your buddy is near. Is there a way that DIR makes this second nature? Just wondering, I don't really know all that much about DIR but it sounds interesting.

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Making any skill second nature requires practice. What DIR gives you is a method by which you can use the same skills on every dive while acquiring that practice. Passive communication is one of those skills. Another is learning how to dive in a "formation" whereby you are where your buddy expects you to be, and vice versa. Still another is descent/ascent techniques that keep the two of you together, at the same depth, ascending/descending at the same speed. These skills take practice, but with practice they become second nature. In fact, over time you develop a "sixth sense" that triggers an urge to look around if you haven't seen your buddy or his/her light for more than a couple of seconds. It takes nothing away from your dive, because it has become integrated into the way you dive to the point where you don't really have to think about it.

FWIW - you can learn any skill that DIR will teach you outside of the context of DIR. What you get through the training curriculum is a systemized approach to learning those skills that will significantly reduce the learning curve.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

kabluton:

One of the things I find the hardest when diving is to keep track of your buddy. It takes away from the dive to always be looking around (over your shoulder) to see if your buddy is near. Is there a way that DIR makes this second nature? Just wondering, I don't really know all that much about DIR but it sounds interesting.

Click to expand...

You need to be sure to actually work as a team; not just two divers jumping in the water together. A defined leader is important. Signals need to be understood by both, including signals to change who is actually leading. It's the leaders responsibility to make sure their buddy is following, it's the buddies responsibility to make sure he's following.

I personally hate single file diving, it's a PITA as the leader to try and make sure your buddy is with you. Side by side is best, when you can see each other out of the corner of your eye. If you are following, it's best to generally look at things [e.g. with your light] in your buddy's field of view. If you look at something closer, only do so briefly.

As the leader, always be conscience of your buddies light. If it leaves your view, that's a signal that something may be wrong and you should be putting your dive on hold and check your buddy. If they are checking something out... check it out too.

All in all, know where your buddy is at all times, and be in contact with them at all times... via visual, light visual, hearing their breathing. If at any point you lose that visual or auditory contact; regain it. If you want to stop and check something out... signal your buddy. If your buddy wants to check something out... check it out with them. Keep in constant contact, define who is the leader, and be well versed in both hand and light signals.

Interesting. I read somewhere that HID wasn't the "bees knees" in high ambient light situations. Do you have any comment on passive communication in those types of environments?

Thanks,

Mark

Uncle Pug:

Yes... by using focused beam HID lights we maintain constant passive communication.

Click to expand...

It's not actually that hard if both buddies honestly put situational and buddy awareness as priority #1. It's a different ballgame entirely trying to keep track of a buddy who doesn't pay attention to you.

mweitz:

Interesting. I read somewhere that HID wasn't the "bees knees" in high ambient light situations. Do you have any comment on passive communication in those types of environments?

Thanks,

Mark

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For most of the diving we (me, Uncle Pug, OE2X, and other PNW divers on the board) do, high ambient light isn't typically a situation we have to worry about. Usually by the time you descend below 20 fsw or so, a bright, focused light is a really useful thing to have. At 100 fsw, it's typically a night dive ... even on bright, sunny days.

However, learning to dive side-by-side ... or wing-on-wing if you're diving as a threesome ... will still keep your buddy (or buddies) within easy reach of your peripheral vision.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Bob, I just find it interesting that when I posted the EXACT same things as Pug did in the post he linked to you attacked part of the post and he stated that HID weren't the Bees Knees for high ambient light conditions.

Peace,

Mark

NWGratefulDiver:

For most of the diving we (me, Uncle Pug, OE2X, and other PNW divers on the board) do, high ambient light isn't typically a situation we have to worry about. Usually by the time you descend below 20 fsw or so, a bright, focused light is a really useful thing to have. At 100 fsw, it's typically a night dive ... even on bright, sunny days.

However, learning to dive side-by-side ... or wing-on-wing if you're diving as a threesome ... will still keep your buddy (or buddies) within easy reach of your peripheral vision.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Click to expand...

mweitz:

Interesting. I read somewhere that HID wasn't the "bees knees" in high ambient light situations. Do you have any comment on passive communication in those types of environments?

Thanks,

Mark

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Even PADI 101 has this right. Plan the dive, including picking who will lead the dive, and stick to it. Most divers' problems of keeping up with a dive buddy are due to this. Once discussed, the actual in water part is fairly easy. For carribean like waters where lights aren't as useful you just stay next to your buddy, preferrably in the exact position, right side, etc. discussed before the dive so they can basically constantly see you out of the corner of their eye and can hear your breathing. As you contine to dive with the same buddy this becomes second nature. But, it initially has to be discussed in detail. To the extent you alter being exactly where your buddy expects you to be notify them i.e. before moving to buddies other side, stopping to check something out, etc.