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Thats just evil! And depending on your buddy potentially dangerous - Both for you and for your buddy..
The one time we were three insta-buddies and the one behind me disappeared so I grabbed the first insta-buddies fin, and he spun around with huge eyes... all I could do was point. But I thought it was normal cause thats what my instructor did to me... as long as I wasn't ready for it Eventually the other insta-buddie surfaced.
I have grabbed hands of buddies or signaled to hold hands in poor conditions in kelp diving. In bad Vis with surge or current, or if a huddy is in trouble. I have also held hands with both men and woman. Whenever there is a need to not get lost or out of trouble.
Anyway, she was on my left and behind me which was one of the positions we learned in our class.
I am quite surprised that you were taught to dive this way. One of the universal characteristics of scuba masks is that they limit peripheral vision. Most of us can't see much to the side, and nothing behind us, when we are diving. If a buddy is behind you, the only way you can see him is to turn around or look under your legs. That's very irritating to have to do.
Dive buddies should stay within the space that their buddy can see by a simple head turn. This is really a fairly limited space, and every diver should know what it is. The only exception, in my mind, is where you can use high intensity lights to communicate (as in caves, or our low viz conditions in the Sound). There, you can use the position and movement of a diver's light to assess where they are and how they are.
The very worst position for a dive buddy is behind and above. That person is essentially invisible to the diver in front.
I touch my dive buddy very often ! I just can't help myself ! I only wish we went SCUBA diving often ! I'm a lucky man though cause she got certified for me - but then enjoyed it too !
Here's a story from this week's diving to add to the answer to the original post. We were diving in Akumal Mexico on a recreational reef dive, profile 80 feet ascending to 60 feet, 40 minute bottom time. My buddy was my wife Debbie, but in our group of five we had a third diver with us. Near the end of the dive, just about time to ascend for a safety stop before climbing back on the boat, we were at 60 feet near the top of a "reef mound," when two southern stingrays were seen in the sand off the end of the reef, about 35 feet below us. The local DM was at about 40 feet, having started his ascent with the other couple, when I called to his attention the stingrays. As I then looked back, our "third buddy" had started down toward them for a photo. ( we hadn't seen any so far during the week) I pursued, caught up at about 74 feet, and literally pulled him to a halt before he could continue. We had been deep a long time on the dive, and his intent was clear and clearly not appropriate. He realized pretty quickly his error, and was cool about the whole thing, and he was pretty low on air. I think that is a situation when it's ok to touch your buddy.
DivemasterDennis
Touching is absolutely fine AND should have been discussed during the pre-dive planning with your buddy. I can't afford a ticket to perfect world so buddies in good vis are not always an arms length away, nor do they scan to look for you every 5 seconds. There are times when you stop to take a photo op and your buddy continues for a short distance. If you see a good photo op coming up, touch your buddy and let them know.
Jim had mentioned about staying away from DMs with tank bangers. I respectfully disagree. Having control of a group of 6 divers or 4 or 8 is easier when you have a tank banger. I don't remember the last time I saw 6 divers in a row all within an arms length and all going in the same direction. Some will stop to look, some will stop to take photos and some just plain don't listen. If the DM is aware of your location and you get a little to far away or distracted for the DMs liking, there is nothing wrong with getting that diver's attention with a tank banger rather than having to swim after them. In addition it is a great tool to get the entire groups attention when you need it. I don't expect the entire group to be looking at me the entire time because they are diving to see sea life, not me.
Please remember that there are training standards, books, videos and reality that are designed for Perfect World and then there is reality. We need to balance all of it.
I generally do not like unnecessary contact, but the diving, I do not mind silk. I use it with my little dive group. Now if they need my attention, they usually tow a FIN or click on my shoulder.
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Originally Posted by Tigerman
Eventually the other insta-buddie surfaced.
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