DevonDiver
N/A
I asked one of the divemasters - who will be my buddy. "I will", she replied. OK then, what could be better?
Having received that reply, what did you do then to ensure that your buddy procedures would be effective during the dive?
Did you plan the dive together?
Did you discuss your expectations; buddy spacing, communication, signalling, support etc etc?
Did you agree contingencies, limits etc?
Did you do a comprehensive pre-dive buddy check?
YOU aren't following the buddy system if you didn't.
Were you expecting, or relying, upon your buddy to do it for you?
Did her status as a DM mean that you expected her to take all responsibility for you... to the extent that you neglected taking action to pro-actively implement proper buddy procedures from the off-set?
Do you expect that from every buddy?
However, during the dives she often deserted me.
Again, how can this happen if proper communication of expectations had occurred before the dive?
Is this a case of your buddy willfully ignoring predetermined and agreed parameters?
Or is it a case of having no predetermined and agreed parameters?
In one instance in the very same moment I tried to signal that I am low on air and must ascend, she made a fast descent of some 4 - 5 meters to see something in the wreck. I had to decide whether to follow her down or ascend on my own.
1) Why wait until you are "low on air and must ascend" before signalling? Perhaps she'd have been more observant and cautious if fore-warned of your air consumption?
2) You had to make a decision - take personal responsibility. Does that shock you? It seems as though you expected her to do that for you?
She was already onboard when I was still swalowing samples of the waves and waiting for my turn to grab the ladder.
I don't see a link between the order that people 'board the boat' and a failure of the buddy system. As a trained, competent diver - surely there is an expectation that you can float at the surface whilst waiting your turn to climb the ladder.
To me, and please forgive my honesty, it seems as though you are misconstruing a lack of supervision or customer service as a failure of the buddy system.
The buddy system is about mutual support, within pre-define parameters. It's not about being wet-nursed.
The same thing often happens everywhere with strangers as your buddies.
If that's a definite trend for you - then perhaps the root cause needs to be investigated. Either every diver you meet is incompetent, or you are failing to create the circumstances that you want/need.
Or.. you have unrealistic expectations of the buddy system.
As per my first comment - what actual actions do you take to ensure the creation of the circumstances that you want/need?
how on the earth is it possible to implement it on a dive boat full with strangers and unpredictable divemasters?
It's easy to predict something that been determined in advance.
The buddy system doesn't start when you get in the water... it starts when you have a (nominated) buddy and a nominated dive site. It starts with mutual dive planning and communication of expectations.
The PADI Open Water course describes, and trains, precisely how the buddy system is to be implemented. You were taught dive planning as a team? Buddy checks? The need to 'plan your dive and dive your plan'? An individual's failure to utilize that training is not a failure of the system itself.
To point a finger at your buddy/s and say they are guilty of not doing that... when you don't do it either.... is unfair and self-deceiving.
It seems, again forgive my honesty, that you expect the buddy system to happen - but place all responsibility for that happening on your buddy.
... under these circumstances it is highly probable to end up as a solo diver.
If you don't take pro-active steps to ensure a buddy system, then you won't benefit from having a buddy system.
That doesn't make you a solo diver, just a bad diver.
A solo diver - in the context of mindset - is one who is highly pro-active in ensuring a pre-determined outcome on a dive. That is light-years away from what you describe in your post...
It seems to me that a SDI Solo Diver certificate is a must-have to dive with tour operators and without your own buddy.
Personally, I think an OPEN WATER certificate is a must-have. More importantly, actually utilizing the skills and procedures taught on that course is a 'must-have'.
Implementation of the basics is where the failure often lies. It is illogical to view advanced scuba training as a solution to weak basic skills.
Don't view a solo diver certification as an alternative for proper use of foundational scuba diving skills. If you can't buddy-dive effectively, then you sure-as-heck won't solo dive safely.
In that respect, solo diving isn't the answer. What may be more beneficial is to conduct remedial/development training that emphasizes team/buddy skills. Something like the GUE 'Fundies' course is a far more logical solution to the deficit that you are experiencing.
How do you handle this problem?
I describe it here: How to Dive with 'Insta-Buddies'
A solo diving course is not the solution.
That's just a quick-fix, lazy option, to avoid admitting that you are not properly applying the basic principles and procedures that you were taught at Open Water diver level. Blaming everyone other than yourself for a failure that you have equal responsibility in allowing to happen... and have absolute capacity for resolving, using your existing training and knowledge.
It takes TWO sloppy divers to make a bad buddy pair. It only takes ONE contentious diver to steer things towards an acceptable level.
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