Lost buddy prevention

[Wibble]

This forum is for new divers and those considering diving. According to his profile, the OP does not have 24 dives yet. What do you say we keep advice at that level? He probably does not want to be buying an $1,800 canister light just yet. Also, if you were thinking of explaining how to play that light along a cave wall, that could be premature as well.

You don't need an expensive cannister torch; a cheapo Chinese knock-off will do (you need the narrow beam, say 6 degrees)

It's just a common courtesy, especially when diving in darker, lower visibility waters where you can lose visual contact with your buddy in moments.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

You don't need an expensive cannister torch; a cheapo Chinese knock-off will do (you need the narrow beam, say 6 degrees)

It's just a common courtesy, especially when diving in darker, lower visibility waters where you can lose visual contact with your buddy in moments.

I don't even think that much. Many shops rent lights too.

In my neck of the ocean, and I understand yours as well, lights are a necessity for diving during the day. Even if you are solo diving.

 

[CanadaDan]

In low vis my stepdaughter and I stay close enough to bump fins as a reassuring sign. We’ve even done a dive holding hands in a limestone rich environment (2’ vis at best).

 

[wildbill9]

IMHO this is a two part question. How stupid is it? #1 very stupid. Period. How dangerous is it to lose your buddy? 5 unless you do something stupid (well other than losing your buddy), after very minimal time you head to the surface which hopefully was already discussed prior to the dive with your buddy.

 

[rx7diver]

That doesn't require much of a change. The outside buddy just moves a little further forward. The outside is likely the leader, spending relatively more time scanning ahead while the inside is more focused on checking the wall.

Yes, all kinds of solutions are possible. When I was buddy diving vertical walls in Army Corps of Engineers lakes in MO/AR (dark water, sometimes very poor viz) or in Grand Cayman, my dive buddy was my GF-turned-wife. We held hands. Both of us were able to see the walls unobstructed, no problem. There was no planning involved. Nothing formal. We simply worked this out. Easy when you've spent a lot of time diving together, and you have similar diving styles.

rx7diver

 

[alex_can_dive]

Thanks, all, for the responses. I guess we won't be using the line then. It does seem hazardous.
We each have a small light that can do strobing, but where we dive, lights aren't strictly required. (And honestly, I'd hate it if someone showed bright light on/around my eyes)

 

[TMHeimer]

Maybe I'm a little dense, but before I start reading the posts---
Are we voting on how stupid or dangerous buddy separation is or how stupid or dangerous lost buddy prevention is?
I assume the former.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I'd hate it if someone showed bright light on/around my eyes)

We all do. That's why we shine our beams on the bottom

 

[rx7diver]

... There was no planning involved. Nothing formal. We simply worked this out. Easy when you've spent a lot of time diving together, and you have similar diving styles.

At the risk of belaboring, let me add that you and your buddy really should have an agreed upon plan for what to do in the event of buddy separation--rather than pretend it won't/can't happen because of this or that technique or gear.

My GF-turned-wife and I were trained by the same hardcore dive instructor (though a couple of years apart), so our response to this kind of thing (buddy separation) was ingrained in us. We never had to discuss it.

I posted on SB several years ago about my first buddy separation when diving with an unknown buddy. This was on a deep wreck off of either Grindstone City or Port Sanilac (IIRC, without digging out my old log books). She was an experienced deep diver. I was still relatively new to deep. We were both in doubles. Limited visibility on the wreck. We were meandering along the rail when I paused to scrutinize something. Paused a little too long (probably a bit narced), because when I looked back up, she was gone. I couldn't see her at all. I remember thinking, "Hmm, we didn't discuss a plan for this. I think she'll be back, though."

I hovered in place for a moment or two and then she meandered back o where I was. Okay? Okay! Dive continued, no beats missed!

A plan would have been better, though.

I had another buddy separation a couple of years later, that really should not have been possible, on a much deeper, much more serious dive ("Kamloops", Isle Royale MI). That one was scary. I think I posted about that one, too.

Bottom line: Train so that buddy separation is less likely, but have a plan in case it should happen.

rx7diver

 

[alex_can_dive]

Maybe I'm a little dense, but before I start reading the posts---
Are we voting on how stupid or dangerous buddy separation is or how stupid or dangerous lost buddy prevention is?
I assume the former.

I meant to ask how stupid it'd be to use a line to connect our D-rings to prevent separation.