Instabuddy vs. Dive Safety

[Soloist]

The one time I had an insta-buddy the owner operator adamantly insisted everyone dive with a buddy regardless of experience, equipment or certification. Considering the lackadaisical methods exercised on that particular dive boat I can see why. So insta-buddy is offensive? Perhaps the term “indeterminate compulsory helpmate” is more inclusive and would make everybody feeeel better.

 

[TMHeimer]

Hoag,

I assumed nothing, did not state an opinion. Finding something to be offensive is a statement not an opinion.

Some mention being paired with an ''insta-buddy'' like they've been handed a death sentence, the highway runs in both directions.

I respect your opinion.

Rose.

Oh my goodness. It's just short for "instant buddy". What's NOT offensive today?

 

[jadairiii]

I find the term ''insta-buddy'' somewhat offensive, you are just as much an insta-buddy to your new partner as he/she is to you.
Rose.

You are correct, we are all "insta-buddies" at one time or another.

But by my count I have saved 2 "insta-buddies" lives and rescued 2 more (there may be a few more "technical saves" out there). All of which was directly related to complete inexperience. I have learned from every experience, and now treat insta-buddies completely different than I used to. I now assume the worse and by doing so, always enjoy the dive.

Just recently I "rescued" about 5 divers and none of us ever got wet. I saw them preparing to dive in some very poor conditions, but looked deceivingly mild. I stopped and explained why this day would be much better spent watching football than diving. They listened, had they not, best case, would have been lost gear and a long, long walk back, but there was a good possibility of injury or death

 

[TMHeimer]

You are correct, we are all "insta-buddies" at one time or another.

But by my count I have saved 2 "insta-buddies" lives and rescued 2 more (there may be a few more "technical saves" out there). All of which was directly related to complete inexperience. I have learned from every experience, and now treat insta-buddies completely different than I used to. I now assume the worse and by doing so, always enjoy the dive.

Just recently I "rescued" about 5 divers and none of us ever got wet. I saw them preparing to dive in some very poor conditions, but looked deceivingly mild. I stopped and explained why this day would be much better spent watching football than diving. They listened, had they not, best case, would have been lost gear and a long, long walk back, but there was a good possibility of injury or death

An instabuddy can of course be a diver who is more experienced and better than one's self. SB members rarely talk about good instabuddies because they are no risk to you and may be of help. Bad instabuddies are more often mentioned because that is where the "discussion" lies. Plus like bad news, it is more appealing to the public (like on the daily News Hour shows).

 

[jonhall]

There's a chance (whether instabuddy is right or wrong) that your instabuddy isn't comfortable with you and so wants to be near the DM.

Ha ha! Exactly. This thread got me thinking more about what others think about me.

I'm realizing as I do so is that every community I visit seems to have their own standards of safety, some pretty lax, whereas I'm more into the Human Factors in Diving perspective.

I'm a vacation diver - we try to schedule trips to places where we can dive as opposed to planning out a trip strictly for diving only. In general, most of my type of diving is with ops that have slightly different protocols for how they run dives and a variety of divers of different levels/abilities. Can't say I've ever come across a group on a boat I've been on that was more into the Human Factors camp, although I have been a few places where groups of like-minded divers, such as rebreather divers, have scheduled their own trips, DM's, and dove as their own small group.

I like a well thought out dive plan, even if it is a simple rec dive, with a brief and de-brief after. Since I'm usually traveling alone, I'm at the whim of the dive operator with regards to a buddy. So, my question is this: how do folks tend to handle this situation? And are there ways to find like minded divers thru social media (e.g., safety oriented groups on FB)?

It sounds as though you're looking to dive with a certain type/level of diver as opposed to the variety of divers one tends to come across. To find others with your interests, you can probably find a local club in your area if you haven't already. Of course ScubaBoard allows you to meet divers - there are several who have hooked up when traveling to the same location. SB also has planned trips (as long as a pandemic doesn't cancel/postpone them.) This would lead you to

I take it you're indicating that being at the whim of the dive op when you get an instabuddy isn't the route you prefer. I agree. Although I'm fortunate to have a traveling dive buddy, I have had 28 boat dives in the last 8 years where I was paired with another diver. Interesting what others shared, but in my experience (warm water, good visibility), the pairing occurred about a minute or 2 before entering the water most times. I generally share one piece of information which is that I'll donate my primary if you need air. If after the first of 2 dives I see something way out of order, I may say something to the diver, but I may also do that with someone who wasn't my buddy. I would guess I'd feel differently about a more detailed discussion with an instabuddy if I were diving in low viz or a wreck. I pretty much look at it like I get who I get as an instabuddy, and because I'm pretty confident, I'll keep an eye on them, but I am going to enjoy my dive.

 

[flyingdesigner]

OP here... I've been following with interest. Thanks for all of the comments. It is helpful to get multiple points of view.

 

[Jafo19D]

This is why I avoid group and DM led dives. I have had the best dives with people who like to look at everything. It helps me to slow down and relax. Best dive I ever had was with a macro photographer. We spent 45 minutes on what was likely a 20ft X 20ft section of reef and I saw more life variation on that dive than I had in others to that point. I got to work on buoyancy, trim, and my buddy skills watching him. I even got to point out things to him that I otherwise would have missed.
Ditching a buddy is a good way to get someone hurt who is not expecting to be left alone. It's one thing to tell them you'd prefer not to dive with them and let them find another buddy. Ditching them? One of the most selfish things that can be done.

He was the one being selfish. It's not like we were doing an underwater sprint w/out looking at stuff. He stopped at everything, looking at stupid crap. And not just staying behind but descending much more than the rest of us; the DM gave me the WTF signal because on one occasion this clown ignored him when signaled to come up. I'm not wasting my air and valuable diving time for a clown like that.

 

[flyingdesigner]

Op again...

I, also, don't mean instabuddy as a pejorative and I've certainly been on the learner/newbie end of that situation. There have been instances where I've been paired with more experienced divers who don't seem interested in much of a plan, which doesn’t feel great, and there are times when I've been paired with very new divers where I've though, hell, if I'm the most experienced of us this might not be good. However, rescue diver class has made me feel like I can handle things that go south better. And, as soon as I can, I will pursue solo training.

It's true, though, that I wish there were a way to find more like minded divers. I've found some here in Chicago, which is great, but I was thinking more nationally and internationally for when I'm traveling alone. It would be great to know that there were folks or shops that were likeminded.

Maybe I'll start a FB group for seriously protocol and safety oriented divers. If anyone is interested, DM me.

 

[David Novo]

He was the one being selfish. It's not like we were doing an underwater sprint w/out looking at stuff. He stopped at everything, looking at stupid crap. And not just staying behind but descending much more than the rest of us; the DM gave me the WTF signal because on one occasion this clown ignored him when signaled to come up. I'm not wasting my air and valuable diving time for a clown like that.

Just out of curiosity, can you define "stupid crap" in less "opinion-based" terms?

Where you diving on a wall or near the bottom?

 

[David Novo]

Op again...

I, also, don't mean instabuddy as a pejorative and I've certainly been on the learner/newbie end of that situation. There have been instances where I've been paired with more experienced divers who don't seem interested in much of a plan, which doesn’t feel great, and there are times when I've been paired with very new divers where I've though, hell, if I'm the most experienced of us this might not be good. However, rescue diver class has made me feel like I can handle things that go south better. And, as soon as I can, I will pursue solo training.

It's true, though, that I wish there were a way to find more like minded divers. I've found some here in Chicago, which is great, but I was thinking more nationally and internationally for when I'm traveling alone. It would be great to know that there were folks or shops that were likeminded.

Maybe I'll start a FB group for seriously protocol and safety oriented divers. If anyone is interested, DM me.

Not saying that it is the only way, but there is already one diving agency focused on this: GUE.