Challenging Poor Buddy Skills -

[Soakedlontra]

Sorry Rich but I disagree. Tank bangers may be for getting attention to look at fish or hey look what I can do or hey lets go this way but if your dive buddy is having a serious problem requiring your attention they'll be far too busy to snap their tank banger. If you want to be good dive buddies and not just SOBs, then make your dive buddy plans in advance. Dive X far apart in side to side formation making eye contact every X seconds, etc.

I agree with ChillynCanada. Every time I tried to make noise underwater to get the attention of my buddy it never worked unless my buddy was right next to me...Maybe with a "foghorn" you can produce a decent audible sound underwater.

One time my buddy and I did this test: we took turns in pretending to be out of air and then we separated each other to a distance that we thought we were able to swim. We started off with a distance of 25 feet. It turned out that we had to reduce it several times until it got down to 10 feet!:depressed: Well, that day we learned at lot: our assumptions about distances and swimming without breathing air underwater crumbled like a castle made of cards, I will never forget it!

I wonder what would happen if all the recreational divers in the world did this simple test...

 

[drrich2]

Dive X far apart in side to side formation making eye contact every X seconds, etc.

This seems to be the model many advocate. I wonder what percentage of real world recreational dives are done this way? It'd be interesting to know.

I imagine it varies a lot by site; vacation divers in high viz. guide-led conditions will be prominent in the Caribbean; I imagine the typical dive boat group heading out for wreck diving in the Great Lakes will be different.

Richard.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Richard, in my experience very few real world warm water recreational divers do that kind of buddy diving. But for those that are seeking a way to ensure that their buddy skills are going to to be what is needed in a buddy emergency, then that's what's necessary. SOBs might be there if you need help but also they might not be.

 

[TSandM]

In the peculiar little niche of the diving world where I live, virtually ALL diving is done either side-by-side and checking frequently, or single file with light contact. It's not that hard to do.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Not talking hard to do, talking don't want to do. A buddy pair I was diving with last week, explaining a morning dive I missed "the viz was so bad that we all had to stay within reach of one another and no one could stop to even take a picture or would lose the group. NOT THE TYPE OF DIVING WE LIKE TO DO!"

I knew exactly what they meant as we'd been enjoying our dives together as independent SOBs that would individually find wonderous little fish and creatures and then do our darnedest to get each other's attention for viewing and or pics.

 

[Pullmyfinger]

Same here.

In the peculiar little niche of the diving world where I live, virtually ALL diving is done either side-by-side and checking frequently, or single file with light contact. It's not that hard to do.

 

[drrich2]

Richard, in my experience very few real world warm water recreational divers do that kind of buddy diving. But for those that are seeking a way to ensure that their buddy skills are going to to be what is needed in a buddy emergency, then that's what's necessary. SOBs might be there if you need help but also they might not be.

Your first sentence here confirms what I thought; I wanted a 2'nd opinion to back it up. The reason is, some new divers spend time on the forum trying to get a sense of how real world diving on charter trips goes. I'm not arguing against side-by-side diving (it's usually not what I do, but for the diving I do, usually not required, either). But I don't want a newbie to get the idea that this is how things are usually done everywhere, then go get on a dive boat in the Caribbean thinking this is what's going to happen with an insta-buddy.

When people are told one thing but see another in real world practice, it can cause confusion.

Richard.

 

[Foxfish]

We don't often have that problem.



Come to Perth and you can enjoy this kind of visibility as well. Just be aware we're now the shark attack capital of the world! :shocked2:

I like my buddy to be close enough so that I can see him/her. I may have to screw my head around or turn around. I get really annoyed if someone darts into a cave without first indicating that is where they are going.

My weekend buddy shown in the photo was excellent and a pleasure to dive with. He was the sort of person that you felt would be easy to discuss a problem with if one ever did occur.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I often travel without a buddy. But sometimes one of my friends (a newer diver) comes with. Our ongoing battle as buddies is that I keep expressing the importance of EACH of us having visual contact with one another but she seems to believe there is some safety in diving along looking at my butt. She claims she feels more secure being able to see the whole of me. Meantime I'm always cranking my head around or peering between my legs to ensure all is well. The convos during surface intervals are not always pleasantries. In any event, I think we've finally managed to get her out from behind me and understanding the point of diving within a kick's reach, eye contact, etc., while still each enjoying the dives and the company. Its been a struggle though especially since my preferred way to dive is so independent. T'would be even more irresponsible of me to encourage that in a new diver though, wouldn't it?

I hear you Richard.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I've noticed some people take issue with the 'follow the leader' approach, if the leader doesn't look back at them periodically. How important this is will vary with the type of dive and the divers involved, but for those it troubles, do you carry any sort of noise-making device?

When a buddy & I shore dive in Bonaire, as a matter of standard procedure we use tank bangers. And take extra, so if someone joins us, we can stick one on their tank, too (my buddy is a people person, and apt to have a friend come along). While my buddy and I have some familiarity with each other, I don't have that with a stranger, and I want to know they can get my attention if need be.

As has been discussed on other threads, situational awareness is not (and for some of us probably shall never be) a strong point for everyone.

But if your concern is that you can get in an emergency and your buddy won't see you, though you're sticking close, at least in more benign conditions with good viz., seems like a noise maker could help mitigate the issue somewhat.

Richard.

Tank bangers can be a reasonable tool if used sparingly ... but ...

(a) they are generally a crutch for people who are too lazy to develop decent buddy skills
(b) people tend to overuse them, which is highly inconsiderate to any other divers in the water who may not be part of your buddy group
(c) when you have a group of divers overusing them, you'll spend more of your dive looking around for the noise-makers than you will looking at the marine life
(d) if your buddy has a problem that makes him feel even moderately task-loaded, the chances of him thinking to whap the banger to get your attention aren't good

There are few things about diving that I find truly annoying. Being around people who are constantly whapping their tank happens to be one of them ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

---------- Post added November 24th, 2013 at 05:47 AM ----------

This seems to be the model many advocate. I wonder what percentage of real world recreational dives are done this way? It'd be interesting to know.

I imagine it varies a lot by site; vacation divers in high viz. guide-led conditions will be prominent in the Caribbean; I imagine the typical dive boat group heading out for wreck diving in the Great Lakes will be different.

Richard.

Based on my experiences in popular vacation spots, vacation divers in high vis, guide-led conditions don't dive as a buddy team ... they dive as a herd, concentrating almost exclusively on the herd leader ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

---------- Post added November 24th, 2013 at 05:51 AM ----------

I often travel without a buddy. But sometimes one of my friends (a newer diver) comes with. Our ongoing battle as buddies is that I keep expressing the importance of EACH of us having visual contact with one another but she seems to believe there is some safety in diving along looking at my butt. She claims she feels more secure being able to see the whole of me. Meantime I'm always cranking my head around or peering between my legs to ensure all is well. The convos during surface intervals are not always pleasantries. In any event, I think we've finally managed to get her out from behind me and understanding the point of diving within a kick's reach, eye contact, etc., while still each enjoying the dives and the company. Its been a struggle though especially since my preferred way to dive is so independent. T'would be even more irresponsible of me to encourage that in a new diver though, wouldn't it?

I hear you Richard.

My typical response to anyone who insists on chronically diving single-file is "OK ... you take the lead" ... it usually takes one dive for them to understand why this is not optimal ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)