Arrogance and humility among divers

[MXGratefulDiver]

Most photographers are diving solo, even if part of a buddy team.
That is not criticism, it is merely a reflection of reality.

Not necessarily, although the first thing I noticed when I started carrying a camera is that my buddy skills were not adequate to both photography and buddy diving ... and I had to put some effort into developing a whole different set of techniques for keeping track of my dive buddy. The dive buddy also needs to adopt additional techniques for maintaining the integrity of the team. It works well for teams that are used to diving with each other ... and not at all with pickup buddies.

I wrote an article about it some years back ... The Photographer's Dive Buddy

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

There was a marvelous post in a similar thread years ago. I would love to be able to link to it, but I will never find it. I hope this summary will work to illustrate.

I can't remember the circumstances exactly--the writer was a very experienced diver, and he was at some kind of conference. During a lull in activities, a person sitting next to him asked him some questions about what he was doing, and the guy started talking about his diving. The person to whom he was speaking seemed interested, so he started going on and on and on, explaining this and explaining that, feeling quite proud to be able to demonstrate his expertise on the subject.

Eventually, the next phase of conference started as the emcee announced the next speaker. It turned out to be the guy he was talking to--he had never even asked the guy his name, and he was shocked to discover he had been explaining diving to Dr. Richard Pyle, one of the world's most famous divers.

So what is the moral? The poster regretted that he was so eager to talk about himself and his diving that he had not shown enough interest to ask the other person about himself--not even to get his name. If he had done that, he would have shut up and taken advantage of that rare opportunity to talk to someone of that caliber. Was that arrogance, or was it simply enthusiasm?

... reminds me of the time I met John Chatterton ...

In my case it was simply that I like to talk ... and later that evening I joined him and his wife and a few other folks for dinner, and people were remarking that I was unusually quiet ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Steve_C]

I usually carry a camera but am not a serious photographer. More into fish ID. It is not unusual that I get an instabuddy that is less experienced and they would like me to lead the dive. In our briefing I explain one of our special signals. I point at the bottom and circle my finger a couple times. That means we are stopping here, I am going to be looking for something or taking a picture. I will not be watching you for the next two or three minutes. I will not be wandering off. It is your job to stay nearby so we do not get separated since I will not see you wander off. So far has worked great.

 

[gypsyjim]

Not necessarily, although the first thing I noticed when I started carrying a camera is that my buddy skills were not adequate to both photography and buddy diving ... and I had to put some effort into developing a whole different set of techniques for keeping track of my dive buddy. The dive buddy also needs to adopt additional techniques for maintaining the integrity of the team. It works well for teams that are used to diving with each other ... and not at all with pickup buddies.

I wrote an article about it some years back ... The Photographer's Dive Buddy

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Your essay does point out the pitfalls of attempting to buddy with a photographer, when you have to train, or retrain buddies to dive with the photographer, but you are correct.

I have seen several teams involving photography that operate very well as a buddy team, but it does require good communication, and much closer attention to the team than most of us are used to.
I have witnessed far more poor team skills when a camera is involved, than I have good buddy skills in that situation.

The failure of the typical buddy team when a camera enters the situation is at least part of what led to the development of the Solo Certification, according to introduction to the Solo training I recently took.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I've never taken a solo course, despite having many hundreds of solo dives under my weightbelt. When the course initially came out I got ahold of the manual and read it ... and discovered that there was nothing in there I hadn't already picked up in other classes, or by simply diving. I'm not suggesting that the training is worthless ... I'm sure it's valuable to most of those to take it. But it's more a packaging of already available information that's presented in a targeted fashion than it is anything new or unique. But the same can be said for other highly-touted classes ... GUE Fundies, for example ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I usually carry a camera but am not a serious photographer. More into fish ID. It is not unusual that I get an instabuddy that is less experienced and they would like me to lead the dive. In our briefing I explain one of our special signals. I point at the bottom and circle my finger a couple times. That means we are stopping here, I am going to be looking for something or taking a picture. I will not be watching you for the next two or three minutes. I will not be wandering off. It is your job to stay nearby so we do not get separated since I will not see you wander off. So far has worked great.

Communication and predictable behavior are the key ... as is a dive buddy who takes your briefing seriously. Very difficult to develop in an instabuddy situation, although it does sometimes happen ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[gypsyjim]

I've never taken a solo course, despite having many hundreds of solo dives under my weightbelt. When the course initially came out I got ahold of the manual and read it ... and discovered that there was nothing in there I hadn't already picked up in other classes, or by simply diving. I'm not suggesting that the training is worthless ... I'm sure it's valuable to most of those to take it. But it's more a packaging of already available information that's presented in a targeted fashion than it is anything new or unique. But the same can be said for other highly-touted classes ... GUE Fundies, for example ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I have no count for my own solos, but I like to periodically take some training, as a refresher, and the chance to do the SDI Solo with John Ball fit that bill.
In addition, the class provided me with a card to show anyone should they question my training and certification to do so somewhere down the road.

 

[mdb]

I have no count for my own solos, but I like to periodically take some training, as a refresher, and the chance to do the SDI Solo with John Ball fit that bill.
In addition, the class provided me with a card to show anyone should they question my training and certification to do so somewhere down the road.

I much prefer solo diving for the peace and solitude (except when diving with my sons).

I do not have a solo diving card. Perhaps I should.

 

[gypsyjim]

I much prefer solo diving for the peace and solitude (except when diving with my sons).

I do not have a solo diving card. Perhaps I should.

That was my thinking.

 

[boulderjohn]

've never taken a solo course, despite having many hundreds of solo dives under my weightbelt. When the course initially came out I got ahold of the manual and read it ... and discovered that there was nothing in there I hadn't already picked up in other classes, or by simply diving. I'm not suggesting that the training is worthless .

The solo diving courses--at least the PADI one I know--takes key ideas from certain advanced courses and puts them together in one package for the diver who has not taken those classes and is interested in solo diving. If you have already taken those advanced classes and done the associated dives, there will be nothing in the solo class that is new for you.