No formal safety check

[Neilwood]

Wow! Thanks guys! I really appreciate the help as I don’t have any friends who dive.

A few points- the second person I was paired with seemed very legit and stated he had done thousand of dives and had been a dive master. Likely, he was very independent and knew the crew so he wasn’t fussed. He did stick close to me and was always helping and helped an even newer newbie under water whose tank was out of the lower strap. Like I said, it was a muddled switch out there and I was sort of with him and the dive instructor. Going forward, when I get a more clear and less muddled dive buddy assignment, I can take charge a bit and say WAIT- let me look real quick. Let’s do our checks. If nothing else, let me see their air is working well as that’s for my benefit. If they want to get snotty, then tough cookies. We aren’t going until we do it.

Regarding checking the regulator etc, we were taught to test both parts ourselves due to covid as I certified in August. Is that what you guys are doing rather than the buddy do it? I’m not going to ask to do it as to make them uncomfortable so better I do it and then they test theirs like in class? When I DID test my back up the instructor told me that’s my buddy’s problem not mine. Lol. I was simply showing him it worked as per class!

I am also going to get there extra early next time so I CAN set up my own gear. “No thanks mate. We’ve got time. I need the practice” if anyone pushes in.
I do agree that the more you can depend on yourself the better, however. I’ve also been independent and that’s a survivor quality.

You are responsible for your safety so if you want a buddy check, ask for it. If they aren't willing or you don't feel safe - call the dive. Seriously if at any time you feel pressured to do something you don't like, aren't comfortable with or in a manner that disturbs you, feel free to call the dive. As is said a lot on these forums diving should be fun and if it isn't stop doing it. At worst a buddy check will take 1-2 minutes so what is the big hurry??? The ocean/sea/lake isn't going anywhere in the near future! Another often quoted adage on here is that it is better to be on land/boat wishing you were in the water than in the water wishing you were on land /boat - in other words don't get yourself in to a situation where your safety is at risk.

It is interesting to hear an instructor describe your octo as the buddies problem. Should your primary fail for any reason you can switch to your octo while problem solving it (mine started breathing wet near the start of a dive but still delivered plenty of air so buddy and I surfaced, discussed it, detuned it so no freeflow and continued the dive safely)

I have to say that I started out doing full buddy checks with my buddies (and still will with a new buddy) but after a few dives, you get to know them, their kit and how well they set themselves up so you end up stripping it down to the minimum as per BoulderJohn below (with each of us casting a critical eye over our own gear and theirs).

I agree with those above who said that safety checks are very often ignored, and I agree that is not good. On the other hand, it may be happening more often than you think.

On a recreational dive with buddies I know well, you may think no safety check was done, but it was. We just do it inconspicuously, scanning each other as we finish gearing up and waiting for the beginning of the water entry. We always breathe off of each regulator and check inflators on our own as a part of the gearing up process.

Technical dives are a bit more complicated, and that will be more conspicuous.

 

[Coztick]

The only thing I can think to add to the wealth of advice given already would be to secure your gear at all times.
Having your perfectly prepared rig fall from the rack, breaking a fellow divers foot or damaging yours or others gear or the boat is probably the worst mistake I've seen.
Imagine making the mistake that hurts someone so bad the trip is cancelled.
Ensuring your bcd/wing dumps are functioning too.
I witnessed a diver splash and promptly sink because her top wing dump was caught under her harness. The dm retrieved her and she reboarded, clearly frozen in panic.
Instabuddies can be great...sometimes.
I carry a 2l pony incase they aren't. I've had a few excellent, interactive Instabuddies but I've been abandoned by more. This works both ways! Tell your buddy you intend to share the dive experience and move together rather than chase one another. If they don't seem happy to have a considerate buddy, they aren't likely to be one in return. That's why I carry the pony on all single tank dives. I'm not a fan of the rapid accent in boat traffic option. My preference is solo with the group. All are told I donate my primary.

Be safe, HAVE FUN!

 

[EFX]

So if you were taught, for example, that it is absolutely necessary for you to take 3 breaths off of both your buddy's primary and his secondary regulator in order to see if the air is on, as my Director of Instruction wanted all of us in the shop to teach (only one part of about a 15 minute check), then you will be shocked when you don't see that happening on dive boats.

I've never done this but many times I have asked my buddy if his air is on. If I get a no or a long pause I reach over and check myself. A few times, oddly enough, I've had strangers come over fully kitted up and ask me to turn their air on as they're headed toward the water (it was a shore dive). I love boat operators who after announcing "the pool's open, let's line up" assign a staff person to assist divers off the boat and into the water. They almost always grab your tank valve and check if your air is on before you make that giant stride into the water.

 

[Jafo19D]

I don’t do buddy checks because 99% of the time I’m diving with an insta buddy (I only do them if I’m diving with my son). I have my own gear now which I set up myself so I do my checks before getting in the boat. Once on the boat the only checks I need are to make sure the valve is on and that there’s air in the BC.

I also don’t let people rush me and adhere to the saying of “slow is smooth and smooth is fast”

 

[David Novo]

I don’t do buddy checks because 99% of the time I’m diving with an insta buddy (I only do them if I’m diving with my son).

Do you dive with redundancy? If not, what is your plan if you get OOG (for any reason) and the backup regulator of your buddy is not working?

 

[boulderjohn]

I've never done this but many times I have asked my buddy if his air is on. If I get a no or a long pause I reach over and check myself. A few times, oddly enough, I've had strangers come over fully kitted up and ask me to turn their air on as they're headed toward the water (it was a shore dive). I love boat operators who after announcing "the pool's open, let's line up" assign a staff person to assist divers off the boat and into the water. They almost always grab your tank valve and check if your air is on before you make that giant stride into the water.

Forgetting to turn your on when shore diving is amazingly common, even with highly experienced and careful divers. Most of my tech dives are done from shore, and I cannot give an estimate on the number of times the final check at water's edge reveals unopened valves. My theory is that it has to do with the length of time it takes to get everything done. You check your valve and look for leaks right away, and then a lot of time passes before you are ready to get in the water, and at the last minute you are doing a lot of stuff in a hurry.

 

[Storker]

Forgetting to turn your on when shore diving is amazingly common, even with highly experienced and careful divers.

I've lost count of the times I've said "Damn! Would you mind turning on my gas?"

 

[Jafo19D]

But that means he/she caught it.

 

[Jafo19D]

Do you dive with redundancy? If not, what is your plan if you get OOG (for any reason) and the backup regulator of your buddy is not working?

Isn’t that what a dive knife is for?

 

[Storker]

that means he/she caught it.

That's why I always pre-breathe my reg before splashing (or wading out). If it's below freezing, just make sure to exhale outside the reg, so it doesn't freeze from the frost forming from your breath