Just when you thought you were alone
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So true DD, I look around more than most, but that's because the "man in the grey suit" has sneaked up on me to many times for me to be 100% comfortable.
Friends are different from strangers.
It may not have been BHB. I remember the video. It was shallow water. Might have been of another freediver with you the poster.
The situational awareness comment probably applies to anywhere they are not staring at. Couple weeks ago had a 5 ft reef shark come between buddy and I. We were maybe 6 ft apart. He was intently looking to the side and never saw it. I try to be aware but when I am in camera looking for critters mode I am sure I am not.
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I was once on a solo dive at my local mudhole ... something I do on a regular basis. When I got in the water there were two other divers who were gearing up, who I figured would be entering the water sometime after I did. About 20 minutes into the dive I noticed them swimming toward me. I was taking some pictures, and figured they'd just swim past. But they swam right over to where I was. Wouldn't have minded, but their fin discipline wasn't the greatest, and before you knew it there was a big silt cloud rolling over my subject. So I gave them "the look", and proceeded to swim away ... in search of something else to take pictures of. A couple minutes later I stopped to get another shot, and here they came again. Same result. WFT - it's a big site, and we're the only ones out here. Why are they crowding me? So I swam off again, and sure enough, they followed me. After a few more minutes of this I gave up and headed in ... pretty steamed. They followed me all the way in, and when I stood up to take off my fins they stood up right next to me. I was ready to lay into them about diver etiquette when this one guy gives me a big grin and said "We noticed you were down there all by yourself and thought we should keep an eye on you." I figured it'd be better to just talk to them about why photographers prefer to solo dive and why when they see a guy with a camera down there by himself they should just assume he wants to be alone and give him plenty of space.
As for that other kind of "dive buddy", I was at the same site last summer ... doing a pre-dawn dive. I like going early morning, before anybody else gets there, and having the whole site to myself. Being summer, we were in the middle of a major plankton bloom, and vis was maybe 2 to 3 feet ... which isn't much of an issue when you don't have to worry about keeping track of a dive buddy. I usually carry a macro lens at this site, and so I'm swimming along with my face just inches off the bottom, looking for small stuff to take pictures of. Suddenly I felt something grab ahold of my left fin and give it a shake. Instinctively I turned and looked back to see what it was ... but with all the plankton, my light wouldn't penetrate far enough to see. I assumed it was a sea lion, coming around to play. I'll admit to being a bit creeped out by it, because I couldn't see what had just grabbed my foot ... but whatever it was didn't come back. So after a few seconds I continued my dive, and ended it uneventfully at the usual time and place.
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
As for that other kind of "dive buddy", I was at the same site last summer ... doing a pre-dawn dive. I like going early morning, before anybody else gets there, and having the whole site to myself. Being summer, we were in the middle of a major plankton bloom, and vis was maybe 2 to 3 feet ... which isn't much of an issue when you don't have to worry about keeping track of a dive buddy. I usually carry a macro lens at this site, and so I'm swimming along with my face just inches off the bottom, looking for small stuff to take pictures of. Suddenly I felt something grab ahold of my left fin and give it a shake. Instinctively I turned and looked back to see what it was ... but with all the plankton, my light wouldn't penetrate far enough to see. I assumed it was a sea lion, coming around to play. I'll admit to being a bit creeped out by it, because I couldn't see what had just grabbed my foot ... but whatever it was didn't come back. So after a few seconds I continued my dive, and ended it uneventfully at the usual time and place.
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
In the spirit of sometimes clueless dive buddies I will offer myself. Was doing a shore night dive in Halkidiki, Greece with a DM. First time she and I had dove together. After we turned and started back I realized she was right next to me. So I moved over a bit not to crowd her. Then she was right next to me again. This went on a few times before I looked over and realized she wanted to air share to stretch her air supply. So I lent her my other reg and we continued on for another 10 minutes before she went back on her air.
When we chatted afterwards she explained that she had grabbed a not quite full tank and had underestimated my SAC rate and over estimated the amount of air left and did not want to cut my dive short.
When we chatted afterwards she explained that she had grabbed a not quite full tank and had underestimated my SAC rate and over estimated the amount of air left and did not want to cut my dive short.
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You are far, far, FAR more polite then me Bob!
It depends ... when I feel like it I can be the most impolite person you've ever met. But in this case, it was the big cheezy grin that got me ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
dumpsterDiver
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This one (at the one minute mark).. always cracks me up. He was on a deep solo dive 90 miles offshore.. all alone..
I probably shouldn't laugh with what little air I have (at 50 plus feet) when snorkeling.
I probably shouldn't laugh with what little air I have (at 50 plus feet) when snorkeling.
Caveeagle
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Sorry, but I don't think 100' underwater is the place to F***ing around with people. Especially people you don't know. You have no idea what there current state of mind is, and what might set them off, or freak them out.
So you think that's ok with your buddies? Well, some other diver see you (our your cute video) ...thinks it's funny and pulls that crap with some random person who freaks out and gets hurt. Ever have a case of mistaken ID on the surface? I had a woman rub up next to me in a jewelry store, and grab my left cheek before realizing I was not her dude. (off topic, I guess.) .... this kind of 'grab ass' has no place in an arena where we are supposed to be putting safety first!
Sorry, but pull that around me and you might get more than the finger.
So you think that's ok with your buddies? Well, some other diver see you (our your cute video) ...thinks it's funny and pulls that crap with some random person who freaks out and gets hurt. Ever have a case of mistaken ID on the surface? I had a woman rub up next to me in a jewelry store, and grab my left cheek before realizing I was not her dude. (off topic, I guess.) .... this kind of 'grab ass' has no place in an arena where we are supposed to be putting safety first!
Sorry, but pull that around me and you might get more than the finger.
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