At what point do you leave your buddy?

[b1gcountry]

That's a good question...

I don't know, but at 90', I think its safe that he isn't that impaired from narcosis. Much deeper and it becomes a tougher call. I can only say that if you are going below conventional limits, you are more likely to know how your teammates are likely to act, so hopefully that gives you a clue...come to think of it, I have heard of buddies doing more in-depth okay checks like giving rock/paper/scissors, and having to respond with the sign that beats it. IE instead of 'OK' -> 'OK', going 'PAPER' -> 'SCISSORS'. This obviously wouldn't work with an insta-buddy.

Tom

 

[underwasser bolt]

years ago i was caught in a heavy fishing line; I was in a VERY bad way, bound beyond reason. At 500 psi is was still cutting line (as was my buddy) and I sent her to the surface. She at first refused, but eventually complied. I made it to the surface with far less than 200 psi. closest i have ever come to dying while diving, and I was diving a very easy dive. Go figure. But it was time for my buddy to abandon me on that dive; i saw no sense in both of us dying. 15 years and 2 kids later, she is still my dive buddy, and we both still remember that dive.

 

[TSandM]

Joe Talavera once wrote an excellent article that's appropriate to this discussion ...

Oh, Bob, thanks for linking to that. As with all Joe's articles, it's very good, and I can hear his voice while I read it. Joe's a huge loss to diving education.

Tom, just for your database on narcosis, as a novice diver, I had at least two really ugly episodes in the 90 to 100 foot range, where I basically hallucinated and just about panicked. Narcosis is very individual, and I think it really hits people who are new, because they just don't have any past experience to evaluate what they are feeling and thinking against.

 

[redrover]

He wasn’t in trouble and taking off - you weren’t abandoning a distressed buddy to his own devices. My impression was he ditched you. You’re in a dilemma; go along with a game plan you don’t want to or let them be responsible for their own actions/choices.

I’m in favor of reassuring you; you did what was best for you. Had you not been comfortable going it alone, you’d have really been in between a rock and a hard spot.

I’ve run thru this a number of times myself and Bob said it very well; “I disagree with those who say you are obligated to stay with your buddy. If the two of you have made a dive plan, and one diver proceeds to break the plan, you have no obligation to that person. They are diving outside the "contract" ... and in both my case and Tom's, doing so exceeds the risk we were willing to take to do this dive.

No one is obligated to remain with a dive buddy who is diving in a risky manner. At that point, your dive buddy has made a conscious choice to be a liability. As the old cliche goes ... if you saw someone jumping off a cliff, would you feel obligated to follow him?”

It was hard for me to come to grips with the fact I simply could not be all things to all people let alone include myself. The problem I have with ‘stick to your wingman Maverick’, twice as deep as you wished, to bring them back, repeatedly, is; you thought out what you need to be within your acceptable level of risk. The reason is irrelevant, it is your prerogative. There was no discussion at 30’ to descend deeper, he just took off. Apparently choosing to dive with others and unconcerned who they might be, as is his prerogative, and is responsible for that choice. And, well within your right to have adjusted your level of risk to accompany him.


My diving experience is very limited to my location and suspect ‘shallow’ is somewhat subjective to circumstances. I consider shallow at BOW recommendation max with intent around 30’. In your case the clear demarcation of a reef to a drop, would have clearly been the Max of shallow for that dive.

Nice story underwasserbolt.

 

[Jim Kerr]

Oh, Bob, thanks for linking to that. As with all Joe's articles, it's very good, and I can hear his voice while I read it. Joe's a huge loss to diving education.

Did he die??????

 

[TSandM]

He left teaching, and as far as his regular buddies know, left diving as well.

 

[Jim Kerr]

He left teaching, and as far as his regular buddies know, left diving as well.

TSandM,
Thanks, glad to hear Joe is still with us but sad to hear he's left the diving community. Met him once, nice guy.

 

[b1gcountry]

Tom, just for your database on narcosis, as a novice diver, I had at least two really ugly episodes in the 90 to 100 foot range, where I basically hallucinated and just about panicked.

Now that you mention it, I seem to remember you telling this story once...I had forgotten.

Tom

 

[nereas]

You need to get yourself a nice, bright HID light. Then all you need to do is shine it at your buddy and then he/she cannot fail to notice you!

 

[z3r0c00l]

Yeah just blind him and he will have no choice but to stick with you.