Buddy positioning - GUE/DIR/IANTD practice and rules

Recently, I've dived a couple of times with a clubmate who's IANTD certified, and I find that some of his practice stresses me out ever so slightly. Not enough to be a real issue, but enough to make me think about it.

More specifically, if I'm leading the dive, he's following behind me. He's got total control of where I am, and so far we've had absolutely no issues with buddy separation, but I notice that not being able to just turn my head slightly to check on buddy's position increases my stress level. I very much prefer my buddy to be side by side with me, so that a quick turn of the head is enough to check on his whereabouts and that we're keeping proper distance.

I've gotten the impression that his training specifies a single file type of formation rather than side by side, but I'm not sure if that's right, or if one of us has misunderstood something. Anyway, I'd like to hear what other DIR-type divers consider proper positioning towards a buddy in open water.

I am not IANTD, but GUE trained, and in Norwegian waters, I really don't need my buddy or teammates to be to my sides. When diving with GUE divers (and some IANTD divers) I am used to a very conscious use of primary lights. When single file, the diver behind needs to keep their light within the leading divers field of view. Ie, a calm lightbeam not only shows where the diver is, but also if they are in trouble.

I'm not GUE, IANTD, but I agree that side by side is best. Lead buddy slightly ahead, so he can easily turn often to see the buddy. Single file is not my favourite as it assumes the leader doesn't go too fast. Plus hard for the leader to turn all the way around to check trailer. Signalling/change of direction or plans is also difficult. Very frequent eyeballing of each other is the main thing and to me there is only one easy way to do this.

Where you are matters less than that you are where your buddy expects you to be. Diving with a buddy is all about predictable behavior ... if you're where your buddy expects to find you, then there isn't likely to be an issue.

The "best" buddy position often depends on the terrain you're diving in. Sometimes ... like on a wall dive ... side-by-side isn't practical. As said above. use of dive lights can be helpful ... if your buddy can see your light, they know you're nearby. This works better in some conditions (relatively turbid or dark water) than in others (bright sunlight and clear water). There are other approaches that will work better in some conditions or environments than others. Local divers seem to have their own preferences for their local conditions. The important thing is to talk about it, agree on an approach, and stick with that approach.

Communication is also key. If you're going to stop or change direction, it's always best to get your buddy's attention first. Your position with respect to your dive buddy will determine how easy or difficult that will be.

Personally I prefer to avoid the lead/follow approach, since I don't have eyes in the back of my head. But if it needs to happen, I prefer that my "following" buddy be a bit lower than me in the water, rather than a bit higher. That way I can look back and underneath my body ... which is a lot easier than having to stop and turn around all the time.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Storker:

I've gotten the impression that his training specifies a single file type of formation rather than side by side, but I'm not sure if that's right, or if one of us has misunderstood something. Anyway, I'd like to hear what other DIR-type divers consider proper positioning towards a buddy in open water.

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I'm not a "dir" type diver but I've followed IANTD training. Under ice or in situations where someone is going first and laying line then first-in/last-out seems to be a bit of a norm.

In normal diving, single-file is pretty bad and I seldom, if ever, see it.

Some TDI divers seem to prefer the "flock of geese" formation depending on the size of the group and the objective of the dive, but even then it's not single file. Also, lights and responsiveness to light-signals are essential to this.

In PADI we normally teach side-by-side for groups of 2 or 3 or to split up into smaller "buddy pairs" if the group is larger. In this case some following takes place but not within the buddy team. Normally if this is done it's for navigation purposes.

R..

I am not GUE certified, but I will give you my take on the situation.

Are you saying that you would like your buddy to be directly parallel with you (give or take a ft) and how far away?

In my mind, swimming side by side could in many cases can be harder to keep track of a buddy especially in low vis. What if one of you stops or slows down to look at something while the other continues? What if one veers off right or left without the other one noticing? If buddies are swimming single file and get separated (from low vis, etc) it is generally easier to find one another underwater, as long as each maintained their depth, the lead buddy backtracks/stays still and ends up finding his buddy following his "path". With a side by side profile, this would be much harder because you wouldn't know when exactly you lost them or what their trajectory is.

If you are side by side, what if they want to look at something to their right, but you are blocking the view/way (same goes for your left). What about larger groups (3-4 divers) side by side wouldn't be better then.

Most of the diving I do with buddies is basically single file, maybe a little higher, lower, off the right, etc, but one buddy is essentially in front and leading. Occasionally, if vis is very good, or if we are following a formation, we might end up side by side. When I am leading, it is easy to duck my head low and see what is behind me. I give the ok sign, get it back, and we continue on our dive.

Part of this is a personal decision, I check with my buddy regularly, but we can be as far apart as visibility and the situation of the dive allow. If you want to have a buddy that is right besides you that is your preference and there is no shame in that. I still would probably dive with you, but you wouldn't be my first choice just because having to constantly worry about staying by your side and maintaining exact pace is more work than I would like to do on a "fun dive". I find that the more important aspect of buddy positioning is that they stay in the same relative position to you while you are swimming. If you want to dive to my right, fine; you want to dive to my left, fine, but stay there so that I know relatively where to find you. There is nothing worse than a buddy who is to the right, then the left, then above me, etc

---------- Post added December 9th, 2014 at 06:20 PM ----------

When he says single file, I assumed that slightly back-right or back-left was covered in that description and that when he said side by side he essentially wanted his buddy to be parallel with him. I agree that slightly off to the side (and preferably slightly lower) is the best follow position.

I teach that your position in relation to a buddy (or a larger group) depends upon the situation and needs to be discussed ahead of time.

Many and perhaps most times, side by side works best. When that is the plan, it needs to be side by side. I had a buddy with the annoying habit of hanging back just a few feet. It was quite literally a pain in the neck for me to keep track of him. When we talked about it, he talked about how much he liked it because he could see me so well. It had not occurred to him that he put me in the opposite situation.

One person following the other can work best under certain situations. I prefer it in a site I dive frequently where it is very dark at depth and we like to stay close to the rock wall. One reason is that there are interesting things to see on that wall, and if side by side, the outer diver would see nothing but the buddy. In that case, the lead diver keeps the light slightly forward but on the wall. The trailing diver makes sure to put the light beam near the lead diver's at least every 15-20 seconds or so. An occasional circle signal on the wall with the appropriate response can be used for confirmation that all is going well.

And for those wondering... Waters are ALWAYS dark in Norway in the winter.

In OW I want my buddy directly in line with me side by side. Not behind or ahead of me. Not above or below me. How far depends on the conditions. In low vis as close as actual elbow to elbow touching is where they need to be. The better the vis and the better the diver the more distance. With students it's no more than a body length regardless of how good the vis is in class. What they do outside is their business.
When I'm diving with one of my regular buddies or someone I know very well it depends on their level of training. It won't be the same for me diving with one of my friends that is AOW and a very good diver as it will be when I'm diving with someone like Steve Lewis in great vis. But if conditions warrant we'd be elbow to elbow.
Some people I am ok with diving single file like in a wreck. Others no way.
If you use proper communication and procedures there is no need for buddies to get separated unless something truly nasty happens.
People have died on the surface when they felt it was ok to be separated and allow one to get a bit ahead of the other. While it may have been a medical issue that would have happened anyway, they could not say because they did not know their buddy was now on the bottom, dead.
There is no buddy system without good communication. Someone stops, you stop. Or make them stop if you're the one stopping. That kinda means you have to be in position to do that.
I have an entire chapter in my book on the buddy system and how anyone can learn to be a good buddy and use the system effectively.

---------- Post added December 9th, 2014 at 07:53 PM ----------

For newer divers my own general rule is side by side, no more than a body length in open water. Regardless of vis. Don't want to dive with me that way? Fine, I'll dive solo.

Just observing that I have seen OW classes in quarries and ocean in several states with several agencies where the dive turned into instructor swimming ahead and students trailing behind with their eyes locked on the instructor. Usually the class is moving faster than I or most of my buddies normally dive. Explains a lot about how they then dive.