Trio Buddy Diving

[JeffG]

W T F??? Where did my post go?

Its interesting how some are trying to describe DIR/GUE team skills, and others that are describing Mobs (3 same ocean buddies). One of which really can't be learned on the internet and the other needs no skills whatsoever. It probably would be safer to do the dives solo.

But, I guess the mod squad needed to keep the topic "on-topic"....LOL

 

[HowardE]

mob diving is fun - diving in clear warm tropical water is also fun.

I don't see the need to be concerned with how many people are in the group when the water is warm, and the viz is great.

If I was diving in the Pacific Northwest, or maybe somewhere else with 5' of viz, I would reconsider that policy however.

 

[dlndavid]

I'm with you Howard, mob diving in the PI with the PPD was a real hoot.

 

[spectrum]

Last week in Bonaire I was 3rd member of the team for several days while my wife dealt with an ear infection. In that kind of visibility it's a no brainer as long as you have 1 chief and 2 indians.

Here at home I have called dives when we could not keep 3 divers in visual range.

Pete

 

[60feet]

As others have pointed out, a leader should be clearly designated and a communications plan agreed upon prior to the dive(s), including who to do what if one of the divers develops an issue (OOA/low on air, buddy separation/missing, etc.)

Regarding trio buddy formation/positioning, check out this thread . When milling around and above a reef in clear water with 40+ feet viz (Bonaire), as long as all 3 divers can clearly see and be within a few fin kicks from one another, then their relative positions should not be an issue. As Charlie Allen has pointed out a few times, (and I’m paraphrasing here) it is when the divers are in transit (moving towards or away from a destination or point of interest) that buddy relative positioning becomes critical. With 3 divers, Delta/triangular formation with the leader in front, or Echelon formation (see post #14 of thread above) are recommended while in transit. Single-file linear formation is to be avoided.

 

[Tandoorii]

Thanks everyone. I appreciate the reassurances and I like the "wing persons" metaphor.

 

[1_T_Submariner]

My two buddies and I try to make the other the leader. Kind of like calling Shotgun as a Teen. It works pretty well.

 

[TSandM]

You know, defining a crisp formation works very well if you are diving the top of a wreck, or marching from one place to another. But when you are cruising the top of a reef, nobody wants to dive in lockstep. I sure don't.

To dive a team of three on the top of a rich and interesting reef requires that you define acceptable separation, and that all the people in the group of three (note I am avoiding the term "team" ) have a serious commitment to staying within that agreed separation. This REQUIRES that people look up frequently from what they're admiring and check where the others are. It may require that you give UP what you're admiring to close the distance, because an inattentive buddy hasn't noticed you have stopped.

Somebody put it really well -- If you had sat above our team of three and watched us, you would have gotten the impression that we were attached by invisible rubber bands. We went this way and that, stopped and took pictures and swam and drifted, but the distance between us never exceeded a certain amount, and you would see people take action to close it if it began to do so. Maintaining our integrity as a team was one of our top priorities for the dive, but it didn't interfere with having a wonderful time and seeing a great deal -- And sharing our finds with one another, to boot.

 

[60feet]

... defining a crisp formation works very well if you are diving the top of a wreck, or marching from one place to another. But when you are cruising the top of a reef, nobody wants to dive in lockstep. I sure don't... To dive a team of three on the top of a rich and interesting reef requires that you define acceptable separation...

Through experience, we have found that, for us, using either the delta or echelon arrangement while in transit, especially at a good pace, is effective in minimizing buddy separation (by the way, we typically only have 10-15 foot viz) and ensuring quick seeing and responding to a buddy issue, if needed. We have also found that once at a point of interest, typically a reef, then positioning is typically not an issue, as long as we stay within preset distance and can see one another without having to twist/contort our bodies or turn our heads completely around (required if all 3 of us are in front-back, straight line, single file - which we have found to be very annoying and troublesome). So yes, to us, we have found that it's more than just acceptable separation distance. It also means avoiding certain relative positioning (usually just one specific) that creates blind spots, diminish the fun/joy (because of having to turnaround to look, etc.), reduces the likelihood to spot buddy issues, etc.

I've had my share of errors in trio diving, and I've learned from them. They have also made me a more conservative diver. Sometimes we do dive in lockstep over a rich reef, especially in poor viz, so it's not true that nobody does that. We have found what works for us and for our level of comfort and experience. We are keen that it may not work for all, but then some other method/style may not work for us either. That's why we say "what works for us" and what is "to be avoided" and not "best buddy positioning for 3 divers" or "worst buddy formation." To say anything in absolute terms or authorative manner would mean that we know everything about diving... we do NOT... and have not seen anyone who does.

 

[TSandM]

My apologies for my hyperbole. We sometimes dive in lockstep on walls in Puget Sound, due to visibility issues. I was thinking about tropical diving when I wrote what I wrote.