No Buddy now what ?

[Barry_Calgary]

Thanks for all your responses, I generally am an organized safety concious type of person and wasn't particually looking forward to diving with some-one I don't know. However that doesn't seem to be an issue for the most part and I guess as long as I remember I am responsable for my safety not any-one else I should be OK. The lack of experience on my part is the one thing I am concerned about.
I have been reading the other topics on this forum and hopefully will learn from other divers mistakes and or experiences.
Luckily in my case I am going to the Dominican in March and one of our friends who is joining us on the trip is going to take his PADI certification prior to the trip, he has been listening to us talking about our diving experiences so far and decided that he would like to get certified. He will now have to get his open water certification while on vacation, at least I won't be the least experienced on the boat now LOL.

[freewillie]

Instabuddies are not the worst thing in the world. If it is instabuddy or not diving, then I'd go with instabuddy anytime. This is also assuming the two divers are experienced divers.

New divers often benefit from diving with other more experienced divers. If you and your friend are both relatively new divers you might consider hiring a private DM as well.

I know we stress the importance of self reliance, and even with basic OW cert you should be able to plan your dive and dive your plan. However, for beginners having a more experienced diver is often recommended to increase the marging of safety. Unless you feel very comfortable with a brand new diver as your buddy then a private DM will solve your instabuddy problem and will also increase the safety for you and your friend.

Even experienced divers may hire DM for new dive sites. After reading about the accidents that happen in the Monterey Bay area and some of the challenges associated with certain beaches I would definitely get a DM for my first dive if I ever have the pleasure of diving up that way. Nothing like having a local show you the ropes.

Have fun.

[DivemasterDennis]

To Barry_Calgary and others, I would add a few comments about preparing to dive with an "insta-buddy." Talk to them before the dive, share with them your certification level, when you were last diving, how many dives you have, and what you hope to do on this dive (Photos, no photos, cover a lot of ground, or move slower and have more time for intense observation, etc) You should elicit the same information from them. Be sure to let them know important stuff about your equipment- weights, releases, etc, and learn the same from them. Discuss a dive plan- depth time, activities, even if you are with a group. Go over a few hand signals, or if you have a slate and/or they do, make that known. A little conversation can lead to sharing a lot of information, and the start of a friendship and "buddyship." You and they should share any hesitation, anxieties or concerns about the dive. Of utmost importance is to establish you "buddy zone." How close will you stay to each other, checking often on each others location. The first 3 years of diving I had inst buddies as much as I had a friend for a buddy. I always followed this pattern, and no one ever objected. It made for comfortable diving with minimal surprises. SO go make new friends and buddies, and happy diving!
DivemasterDennis

[cardzard]

Attend any ScubaBoard event there is ALWAYS buddies and most end up to be great friends.

[sayang]

I've definitely been in your situation - it's never posed a problem. There are usually other solo divers, or a DM will pair up with you. I've also done a couple of dives in a trio which has it's own benefits - like someone else mentioned though, extra awareness is necessary and settling on a formation in advance/ picking a lead diver may help.

Definitely not something you need to worry about.

[farsidefan1]

Please go back and read Divemaserdennis post 3 times and consign it to memory. I had one insta buddy (a photographer, go figure) that informed me just before we hit the water that his idea of a good buddy is one that stays in the same ocean and let's him do his own thing. No biggie. I just stayed relatively close to the DM after explaining the situation. I would never pass up diving due to lack of a buddy. I just change my profile. Shallower so I can CESA if needed, and just dumb it down a bit (don't do this till you are very comfortable in the water and have taken time and effort to learn solo techniques and some redundant gear) Of course I am usually diving in clear warm water with a group, although at Cocoview I have gone solo night diving several times. I only do this because I am EXTREMELY familiar with the area and I stay within guidelines I have set for myself when diving solo,

[Searcaigh]

On most of my overseas dive trips from my current location I usually end up with an instabuddy, I have had a few bad encounters but mainly good encounters.

When I dived with one operation at Puerto Galera in the Philippines, I was on a boat with 7 other photographers, the instructor and DM told me it was like herding cats. My buddy and somebody else's buddy were usually within vision

Locally if none of my regular buddies are available I dive solo, most of the dive centers here know me and are quite happy to let me do my own thing but it is different when I travel, although within a couple of days the dive operator I am with usually is fairly happy for me to do my own thing, although I have yet to find any operation that has a pony bottle that I can side sling as a redundant air source.

Divemaster Dennis's comments are spot on, experience shows when watching people gear up etc., and stay within your own comfort zone.

[Bob DBF]

Glad to hear you have the buddy problem solved.

Hi All, If I go on vacation without a fellow diver to be my buddy is it commonplace to ask fellow divers on the boat if I can Buddy with them even though they already have a buddy ? So then there would be Three of us ?
Thanks,
Barry

The problem with "joining" a buddy team is that it does not magicly turn into a three man team, that takes communication, time, and work. The usual is that you would "tag along" which makes you a solo diver next to a buddy team. It can work out fine or you could look around and find yourself alone, be prepared. Granted this could happen with an instabuddy, but you probably spend more time on the boat ride out bonding than you could with an established buddy team.



Bob
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I may be old, but I’m not dead yet.