Scubaflier: I knew somebody would find that it was my fault somehow. You ask about my responsibility in this dive. We discussed and agreed to our plan. Our plan was to go to 50ft, stay at 50ft and follow the shore line on our right until 1500 PSI and then to ascend to 30ft until 1000 PSI, then do a safety stop. We were doing exactly our plan, as I was taught to do.
I had been on the boat the day before, with others as well as him, having just met him that previous day. He was my buddy for 2 dives the previous day. Afterwards, he had said he enjoyed diving with me. He also agreed to buddy up and dive the next day as nobody else planned on diving that second day. So, we were buddies as we boarded the boat. We were both in agreement with that. I would never dive as a solo. So, in response, I never got on the boat as a solo.
You ask why I didn't go with a buddy . Apparently you seem to have numerous buddies that you can pick and choose from. Be happy in your situation. I don't have that luxury and I was 600 miles from home on a trip, happy to be able to be diving. Your "too much of a hurry comment" just seems assinine and totally irrelevent. You also seem to assume that no one wanted to go with me. He wasn't the first to tell me that they'd dive with me again. I'd get all the facts before you jump to conclusions. So much for your self examination comment.
Lastly, I don't need anybody to hold my hand. If I did, I wouldn't be diving in the first place. What I do expect is that when somebody agrees to buddy up, that's what they should do and accept the responsibility. That's what every other buddy does. I would never intentionally leave somebody on their own. I don't care if they have 5 dives or 500.
As far as diving with the guy from Spain, diving with him after his drinking is your choice. I would never do it and that would be my choice. You are just adding more risk which also says something about your diving style. I think I've found 2 people that I wouldn't dive with.