Buddy Checks - do you do them?

[TSandM]

Have a plan for gas and deco, even on a 20' lumpsucker dive? You've been talking to Kathy. And yes, I'm sure I just said, "The whole dive is deco," and went on to tell them how much gas I had.

I probably have a little OCD, and it comforts me to go through the same procedure before every dive. And it takes what, maybe 2 minutes to go through the whole thing?

Edit to add that I find it extremely funny that Bob and I were posting at precisely the same time, and saying the same thing, down to and including using the same words!

 

[Diver0001]

With my regular buddy we both have a routine that involves self checks and watching each other as we get ready.

B- BCD. self-check. We both use BCD's that don't have a lot of bells and whistles on them so it's hard for something to go wrong. A malfunction will show up with a self test as well as if someone else does it for you. We both do them, however, which is the main thing here.

W- weights. If he forgets his weights I *will* laugh for an hour. So would he. I don't ask him where his weights are or check to make sure the buckle is on the left hand side on every dive. I'm sure he's got it by now...

R- releases. Don't have any.

A- Air. self check. Watch the other guy's self check. We both check the primary hoses as the last step and do a bubble check at the beginning of the dive.

F- All the paraphernalia gets a quick visual once-over. We will slow down and take stock of extra gear we're using if we're taking something with us that we don't usually have. Often one of us will say "can you double check this or that" or "did you check this or that"....

Dive plan gets discussed in detail.

For the casual observer our buddy check might not seem like one because it's mostly observation and not explicitly running through a kind of check list but because we're in this routine, it works for us. With a buddy I don't know as well, I'll certainy go through the steps, even if it's just visually checking things and making sure they did their self checks without standing in front of them saying "blonde women really....."

I do feel that it's everyone's right to request a formal buddy check and if I'm diving with someone who wants to check me from head to toe then I'll gladly submit. I hope everyone would. One thing I feel I have a right to check on my buddy's gear, even if they resist, is if the octopus is working. Afterall, that's as much my life line as theirs.

In the past (before I got old enough to start realizing that I am, in fact, mortal), I often skipped buddy checks (and self checks) completely, and in the process, ended up doing most of the stupid things you can think of.

- jumping off of a boat with the tank turned off
- forgetting the drysuit hose
- forgetting the inflator hose
- forgetting to put on my mask
- getting in the water with a BCD inflator hose that was separated and therefore the BCD was not able to inflate
- not making the tank tight enough and it ended up slipping out
- forgetting my weight belt
etc. etc.

R..

 

[TSandM]

Yeah -- I can't tell you how many times I've seen people start a dive with dry suit hoses not hooked up, or LP inflator hoses not hooked up (particularly people who use analyzers that hook to an LP hose) or weights forgotten, or no gauges. And some of those people have been me, which is one of the reasons I do buddy checks religiously. Now, I DON'T touch my buddy's gear . . . we just chant through the list of things to check, and each of us checks each thing and reports that it is as it ought to be.

Most of the things you find aren't dangerous, but it's almost always a lot easier to fix a problem on land, or on the surface, than it is underwater, especially here, where we wear thick, clumsy gloves.

 

[lavachickie]

I will tailor my actions to whatever level my dive partner happens to be, and to whatever comfort level they want to assume but around here self sufficiency and taking responsibility for your own sh_ t are also diving traits to be encouraged.

You have an excellent point, and the one I learned this weekend. The individual is ultimately responsible. (Because the diver you saw that everyone else said was confident comfortable but who failed to understand a simple gas check from the lead on the first dive ends up your partner on the 2nd dive, and when you call it after making a long surface swim out to a drop point because of zero viz, *bad* currents and a killer leg cramp... she decides to ditch the dive plan and go solo, leaving you to have the most graceless first surf exit alone, all the while freaking because you still feel responsible in some way to your dive partner even when she has left you hanging. Not that something like that ever happens. No, of course not. And to add insult to injury, when I blew off about this to one of the aforementioned accomplished divers, he said, "Well, she feels comfortable. She can do that." I said, "Not if it wasn't the plan she shouldn't!" This same diver the next day ended up OOA at depth, and had to air share with another diver all the way up through the safety stop, almost draining him dry at the same time, or so I heard. There were others there as backup, but what if there wasn't!?)

The problem is that new divers often are in this very sensitive spot where they don't know what they don't know. So if they glom on to a group of very self sufficient divers without someone in the group who has a mind of a mentor, then the divers learn a set of behaviors that are reasonable in the existing group that holds the skills that justify them... but they don't realize they don't have the skills (unless someone tells them) and thus co opt these behaviors and habits way too early.

 

[Sasquatch]

BWRAF and more before EVERY dive whether it is an OW student or my usual Winter MSDT buddy.

B = BCD/Buoyancy so air in air out, dumps right shoulder & left kidney.

W = Weights, have we both got them, what sort are they ie integrated, harness, belt, how do I release them, is belt on right hand release WITHOUT the loose end tucked in over the top, if you need to tuck it it in double it up and push up from underneath so it can still be released quickly .

R = Releases, how many, what type and where are they, REMEMBER underwater the viz maybe 2/3 m, maybe a current and other factors which could make things difficult if you are not familiar with you and your buddys equipment.

A = Air Is it on (it happens) how much have you got, breathe off both regs whilst looking at SPG, note WHERE buddys alternate is AND how it releases in the unlikely event.

F= Final, mask, fins, SPG and anything else you need for the dive, torch, slates etc.

This buddy check is done by me and my buddy whoever it is before each dive.

REMEMBER most problems occur due to DIVER ERROR.

It takes as long to do the check as it takes to read this post. I guess I'm a little surprised that some divers choose to either not do a buddy check or abbreviate it to the point where they're just looking at their buddy's set-up and equipment from across the deck.

 

[TSandM]

lavachickie, your experience isn't just one of not doing checks. It's one of diving in a culture where different behaviors are acceptable.

At this point in my career, I think I'd call myself an fairly experienced diver, and I dive with people with more dives and more experience than mine. And none of us would abandon someone to do a surf exit alone. On a rare occasion, we have allowed a diver to return to shore alone when there are two other team members, the water is calm, and the exit is very simple (for example, one of our local training sites). It's part of the culture that the team goes in together and comes out together.

It's bewildering at best, and dangerous at worst, to find yourself diving with a group of people whose values and philosophy don't match your needs.

 

[kathydee]

I have one question, what's a "BUBBLE CHECK"???

Cheers,

Bubble Check = Leak check.

A check, usually done just below the surface, to see if there are any bubbles leaking from the valve assembly of your regs. Because it is hard to see behind I generally check you and you check me.

Bubble Check

Our Bubble Checks usually go like this: At the surface we don masks, regs and float face to face with our buddy. Then we submerge our faces and quickly scan our buddies hoses, gauges, regs, wings, entire equipment, for any sign of bubbles (leaking gas).

Next we take turns rolling onto our back till our cylinder valves are underwater, while once again our buddy submerges their face and looks for bubbles on our rig.

The whole check takes about a minute. It's a great way to ID equipment issues that need solutions--before they become problems.

 

[boulderjohn]

Bubble Check

Our Bubble Checks usually go like this: At the surface we don masks, regs and float face to face with our buddy. Then we submerge our faces and quickly scan our buddies hoses, gauges, regs, wings, entire equipment, for any sign of bubbles (leaking gas).

Next we take turns rolling onto our back till our cylinder valves are underwater, while once again our buddy submerges their face and looks for bubbles on our rig.

The whole check takes about a minute. It's a great way to ID equipment issues that need solutions--before they become problems.

Here are two different ways to do roughly the same thing. The first is almost identical:

1. Diver #1 backs into diver #2, with thanks deep enough to be fully underwater. Seeing no leaks, diver #2 says "OK" or taps diver #1 on the head. Diver #1 turns around and sinks to shoulder level, raising arms, while diver #2 looks over the equipment setup for any problems and checks the gas level. Switch divers. This is often followed by a modified S drill, breathing off alternate underwater to make sure diaphragm is OK.

2. Both divers submerge a few feet. Diver #1 does a 360 degree helicopter turn while diver #2 looks for problems. At the end of the turn, diver #2 signals OK and then gives OOA signal, initiating full S-drill. Then switch.

 

[Diver0001]

And to add insult to injury, when I blew off about this to one of the aforementioned accomplished divers, he said, "Well, she feels comfortable. She can do that." I said, "Not if it wasn't the plan she shouldn't!"

I totally agree with you.... There *are* people whose idea of a "buddy" is "same ocean, same day." I, however, am not one of them. Either you're diving solo (which I don't have a particular problem with) or you're diving in a team. Abandoning your buddy is *extremely* uncool!

This same diver the next day ended up OOA at depth, and had to air share with another diver all the way up through the safety stop, almost draining him dry at the same time, or so I heard. There were others there as backup, but what if there wasn't!?)

This isn't sounding to me like a diver who is "comfortable, so she can do that." The way you're describing it, I'd say it sounds more like someone who doesn't have their diving under control.

The problem is that new divers often are in this very sensitive spot where they don't know what they don't know. So if they glom on to a group of very self sufficient divers without someone in the group who has a mind of a mentor, then the divers learn a set of behaviors that are reasonable in the existing group that holds the skills that justify them... but they don't realize they don't have the skills (unless someone tells them) and thus co opt these behaviors and habits way too early.

Words of wisdom.

R..

 

[IRBoarder]

Dont really do buddy checks. Ill check and recheck my gear several times to ensure I dont miss anything. I'll also do a quick scan of a buddy, if I have one just to get an idea of their rig and scan for possible problems that may occure because of their setup/gear. If a buddy mentions that they would like to perform a formal buddy check, I'm more then happy to take the 30 seconds to help, but I would rather check and recheck myself to ensure that my gear is correct.