lovedivingalways
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How do I avoid getting "assigned" a less than compatible buddy? Last time I was assigned someone who ran out of air at 25 minutes and I had to return to the boat with him. Thanks
Going to Cozumel alone
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Aquabot
Contributor
I went by my self last year. As far as I know you'll basically follow a guide.
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Skittl1321
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Bring a buddy with you? 
Hire a DM to be your buddy?
Who assigned buddies? If it is assigned, I don't really think there is much you could do. If you get to select, try to ask people more about their dive experience and air consumption. Of course, that is assuming more than 2 un-paired divers are on the boat and you have someone to choose with. Ask to be a trio to a buddy pair who are near your air consumption levels?
You could dive with a multi-boat op that splits boats by experience. But experience might not correlate directly with air consumption.
Or dive with an op that lets you rebuddy up with a buddy pair that is not yet surfacing. (My op gave us that option. Some buddies split and repaired up, others decided ahead of time to stay together and always surface together.) Or dive with an op where the DM puts first low on air on a long hose to extend everyone's time.
Hire a DM to be your buddy? Who assigned buddies? If it is assigned, I don't really think there is much you could do. If you get to select, try to ask people more about their dive experience and air consumption. Of course, that is assuming more than 2 un-paired divers are on the boat and you have someone to choose with. Ask to be a trio to a buddy pair who are near your air consumption levels?
You could dive with a multi-boat op that splits boats by experience. But experience might not correlate directly with air consumption.
Or dive with an op that lets you rebuddy up with a buddy pair that is not yet surfacing. (My op gave us that option. Some buddies split and repaired up, others decided ahead of time to stay together and always surface together.) Or dive with an op where the DM puts first low on air on a long hose to extend everyone's time.
DennisS
Contributor
I was there for about a month by myself and got assigned all kinds of buddies.
The worst one was a guy who told me him and his friend were going to do a 200 ft dive the next day so they could wear the "at 200 ft nobody can hear you scream" T shirt. We went down and he immediately took off, I corralled him back to the group several times. The next dive he just took off on a beeline, I watched him head off into the distance, I couldn't keep up and headed back to the group, I let the divemaster know by gestures that I lost my dive buddy. He didn't seem too concerned and we finished the dive. Our wayward diver had surfaced at another boat and we picked him up. We talked on the way in and he told me he almost gave up diving because he panicked on two of his dives
Then there was the guy that just wanted to do underwater ballet as we drifted along the reef. He somersaulted, he twirled, he blew rings and was out of air in 25 minutes. I didn't do a second dive with him.
There was the woman that had excellent U/W trim and buoyancy, a good sense of humor and agreed to go out to dinner, we buddied up for the week and visited for about a year and a half afterward
It's just luck of the draw when they start assigning buddies. It's pretty hard to tell by talking, the worldwide diver may be a putz underwater, the newbie may be a great buddy. As a general rule, I'd avoid buddying with a serious photographer.
The worst one was a guy who told me him and his friend were going to do a 200 ft dive the next day so they could wear the "at 200 ft nobody can hear you scream" T shirt. We went down and he immediately took off, I corralled him back to the group several times. The next dive he just took off on a beeline, I watched him head off into the distance, I couldn't keep up and headed back to the group, I let the divemaster know by gestures that I lost my dive buddy. He didn't seem too concerned and we finished the dive. Our wayward diver had surfaced at another boat and we picked him up. We talked on the way in and he told me he almost gave up diving because he panicked on two of his dives
Then there was the guy that just wanted to do underwater ballet as we drifted along the reef. He somersaulted, he twirled, he blew rings and was out of air in 25 minutes. I didn't do a second dive with him.
There was the woman that had excellent U/W trim and buoyancy, a good sense of humor and agreed to go out to dinner, we buddied up for the week and visited for about a year and a half afterward
It's just luck of the draw when they start assigning buddies. It's pretty hard to tell by talking, the worldwide diver may be a putz underwater, the newbie may be a great buddy. As a general rule, I'd avoid buddying with a serious photographer.
OP
lovedivingalways
Registered
Thanks for your stories. Last year, I arrived in Cozumel on Sat at 5pm...on the boat Sun at 8 am....rescuing (which I am not qualified to do) a panicked diver by 9am with equipment failure who was on his way up...fast...no out of air signal...no attempt to buddy breathe.....Back on the boat was much drama with him saying that I had saved his life....the DM said nothing...the dive shop gave the guy my
email address...he wanted to date me...I did not have the heart to tell him that I would never date a man who panicked....next day I went with a different dive op...
email address...he wanted to date me...I did not have the heart to tell him that I would never date a man who panicked....next day I went with a different dive op...
Maybe find a an OP that will allow 're-buddying' at low on air?
And you know if you saved his life, you owe him....
I heard that on Kung Fu.
And you know if you saved his life, you owe him....
I heard that on Kung Fu.
DjDiverDan
Contributor
I have gone to Cozumel as a single many, many times, and I understand your frustration. In my early years of diving, early 1990s, I used to go down to Cozumel alone whenever I found really cheap airfare for a long weekend. I was using Fantasia Divers - no longer in existence - because I was introduced to them by my Dive Shop. The Dive Shop owner was friends with Fantasia's owner, an American ex-pat from Texas. When Fantasia contracted to provide scuba excursions for some Cruise line, I, as a single, would regularly get buddied up with bad buddies - divers who sucked air, couldn't control bouyancy, didn't pay attention, etc. the problem was solved when I quit using Fantasia Divers and sought out a better Dive Op. I still on very rare occasions get buddied up with someone else, but as long as it's not a Cruise Ship Passenger, these almost always work out OK. When they don't, I simply tell the DM after the first dive that I'm NOT going to be that person's buddy, and I tell him why.
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Or use an op that will evaluate your skills and desires and place you on one of their many boats with divers of similar skills and abilities. Find an op where you can dive your NDL not someone else's PSI/BAR.
Mike
Contributor
If you can't find a decent insta-buddy, I'd just pretend buddy with the divemaster, he won't really be your buddy, but if you do your best to stay next to him during the dive, if something happens you can always force your emergency on his attention that will be divided amongst the group.
Midge907
Contributor
That is more or less of what I do. Most operations i've been out with have not required specific buddy groups which is the way I prefer it, just usually stay close enough to someone (anyone) while under that may be able to help if something goes wrong. Usually after seeing people get set up on the boat, or talking to people you have a decent idea who you will want to be around once in the water. Are you even sure your dive outfit requires specific buddy teams??? As mentioned just stay close to the D/M, and let the low on air people get transported to the boat as you continue your dive.
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