What to do when you lose your buddy?

[ergo46]

I live up in North Jersey and do most of my diving at Dutch Springs. The vis. is mostly 20ft during the day, I know what to do then. I also do diving off the coast and the vis. is very limited. What should I do if I lose my buddy while at 110 ft? Do I just ascent where I am and swim back to the boat in the choppy sea? or do I swim to the anchor line and ascent there?

 

[divad]

I'd think swimming back to the anchor line would best for everyone involved.

 

[Mike]

Do whatever you and your buddy discussed and agreed to before the dive for what will be your lost buddy protocol. You should discuss if the safety stop will be skipped or not also.

 

[divad]

Swim back to the anchor line.

 

[MalibuJerry]

The idea of a buddy team is that you are working as a team. So you need to discuss contingencies before you dive. If there is limited visibility, you should descend with each other, even holding onto each other. If the vis is real bad, stay together with physical contact. With bad vis you will have a problem getting back to the anchor line unless you are running a reel. If the latter than on can run the reel and the other stay in contact with it. So the answer is it all depends and importantly it depends on what is reasonable and what you decide before splashing.

 

[PfcAJ]

Seppuku.

 

[3D diver]

List whatever he left in my truck on ebay...

 

[TMHeimer]

If the viz is so bad a 110' dive may not be advisable. There is the buddy line of course. Other than that, I agree with going to the anchor line and when back aboard finding out why the heck the split happened in decent viz.

 

[kwinter]

Do I just ascent where I am and swim back to the boat in the choppy sea?

Do not do a free ascent if you ever want to dive from that boat again. Or if you ever want to be seen again. Most of our wreck sites are in the shipping lanes, and surface currents can be brutal. If you can't make it back to the tie-in, shoot a bag and tie off to the wreck, creating your own upline. Then ascend on that line and stay at your bag on the surface and get the crew's attention. If it's calm enough, they might tell you to swim back, but they will at least keep an eye on you. Otherwise they will come get you.

 

[lowviz]

...//... I also do diving off the coast and the vis. is very limited. What should I do if I lose my buddy while at 110 ft? ...//...

Buy a copy of NSS Cave Diving Manual an Overview. Read chapter 5. Make your buddy read chapter 5.

Wherever you are diving, always take an upline that is rigged with a DSMB and an exploration reel. Running a reel properly is a two person thing. You will never "lose" your buddy when properly running a reel, he may cork or otherwise disappear, but you will be aware of the issue as it unfolds.

I live up in North Jersey and do most of my diving at Dutch Springs. ...

This is where you practice your upline skills.

... I also do diving off the coast ...

This is where you always run an exploration reel. It will be an annoying mess the first time you try it. Keep at it, running a reel is a core survival skill.