What do you appreciate (and hate) in a dive buddy?

[NudiLover]

Since I'm a single diver, I often have to scrounge for buddies. I usually get whatever is left over. Sometimes it's a really great bud, but usually a dud or worse. I've had a few experiences with dive buddies from hell.

That got me to thinking about my own dive-buddy skills. I don't want to be someone else's dive buddy from hell!

So, my friends, give it to me! What do you especially appreciate about a dive buddy--and what do you really hate?

NudiLover

 

[String]

Someone who talks to you on the surface so you know what to expect below.

Someone that will actually be a buddy, ie someone who WONT vanish into the distance on their own UNLESS theyve specifically told me.

The type of dive depends on what i want in a buddy. If im abroad and its a shallow dive on a reef of some sort and theres a PADI style cattle group following some self appointed leader (cant you tell i HATE this sytem!) then im not that fussed if theyre not that attentive provided they stay in the general proximity of me.

If its a UK dive with standard no group diving as an independent pair, cold water, low vis or deep i expect a lot more such as agree air check signals, checking each others guages, staying close and so on.

In short, i want someone who talks and briefs in the surface and sticks to what was said. I dont want some self centred lunatic who changes plans at a moments notice and forgets to tell anyone.

 

[diver_paula]

Nudilover,

I dive with new buddies all the time. The thing that irks me most is when a buddy wants to dive slightly above and behind me. So they can get keep an eye on everything! LOL I end up spending a good portion of my dive looking back to see if I still have a buddy.

I agree with String that a good new buddy is someone that does a thorough buddy check prior to the dive. Discusses a plan before submersing and sticks to the plan unless during the dive it's communicated and agreed to change.

Paula

 

[d33ps1x]

Calm
Not a motor mouth
Low maintenance
Good sense of humour

 

[R_Deluca]

Calm
Not a motor mouth
Low maintenance
Good sense of humour

You should practice what you preach!

 

[d33ps1x]

You should practice what you preach!

And here I was complimenting you. :Wizard:

 

[JimC]

- Compatable dive goals
- Environment aware (silt, coral, etc)
- Team aware
- Saftey aware
- Able to plan and execute the dive

 

[neophytediver]

Same interests. Same hand signals. Safe general attitude towards diving.

On the negative side, my first buddy on my first dive in the Gulf really pee'd me off. He was totally into doing his own thing. Hunting for various things, sticking his hands in dark holes looking for things. He dove a computer, I didn't and when it was time to go (according to tables) he wanted to stay. Being a good little guppy I promptly cussed him through my reg and made for the anchor line. He soon fell in line behind me.

Learned a lot from him, like what not to be like. Since that experience I'm quick to put my buddies needs before mine as long as safety allows.

 

[love2godeep]

NudiLover, I'm in the same situation as you are. Because most of the dive buddies I've drawn have been real jerks, I have more on the negative side than the positive. But on my last dive experience, I was the only diver at the resort, so I got to do six dives with a dive instructor! He was awesome--thoughtful, helpful, tactful, and always ready to go the second mile. I felt totally spoiled!

On the negative side, here are some things I've really hated in dive partners:

1. The fellow who bragged about his hundreds of dives. It was a night dive, and Mr. Expert silted up the bottom so badly we couldn't see a thing. Back on the boat, he loudly accused me of having done it.

2. The guy who didn't listen to instructions from the divemaster. I was faced with choosing between sticking with the buddy (and going against the DMs instructions), or staying with the DM and losing the buddy. I stuck with the DM, and back on the surface the buddy complained that I didn't stay with him. (Yeah, I reminded him of the DMs instructions, and he kind of hushed up). I found it interesting that he never made any effort to stick with me.

3. Which brings me to the third point. Most often, I've ended up with dive buddies who expect me to follow their agenda. I end up with the responsibility of keeping track of them while they do their thing.

But having read this thread, and a few others about dive buddies, I can see that some of these situations could have been improved by more communication at the surface before the dive. As I've usually been the more inexperienced diver, I've been kind of reticent to take the lead in pre-dive communications; but from now on I shall do so, if necessary.

 

[ScubaTexan]

Patience and understanding. Is that too much to ask for?

Actually, I agree wholeheartedly with Paula. I like for my buddy to be within fair distance of me so that I don't have to keep looking back for them. By the same token, I don't want someone that's going to be so close, I keep getting tangled up with them. My last dive buddy kept swimming up underneath me. Very awkward.