What if...? Lost Buddies

[windapp]

* What would you do if you're in a buddy team of 5 divers and, all of a sudden, you only counted 3 other divers in your field of view?

I wouldn't be in a buddy team of 5 divers. My understanding of the buddy system as that each diver is supposed to be looking out for all of the other divers in the buddy team to assist when something goes wrong, and to see problems coming that the person they are looking after may not see. This becomes difficult in a group of three where each buddy is responsible for both of his other buddies. I think it would be impossible in a group of five.

I would break this group up into a group of two, and a group of three. There would still be a dive party of five, and there would be rules about getting sepperated from the party etc, but then nobody would be directly responsible for the safety of more than two people at once.

 

[cocoajoe]

To me this is almost a Kobayashi Maru scenario. I say almost because it doesn't necessarily have to be. There probably isn't any more important thing to get straight with your dive buddy. IMO one plan may not work for every dive. Look around, ascend and look for bubbles? Good plan for quarry dive or maybe a anchor dive. But what do you do (buddy separation) on a drift dive in 4-6' seas? Do you really think you're going to see some bubbles? And if you do (you won't) are they your buddy's or another diver?

 

[ShootingUnderwater.com]

I've experienced this scenario before. on a drift dive, carrying cameras, my buddy and I were separated and I was swept away in a swift current. Not only were there no bubbles to be found, the seas were high enough that with a fully inflated BC, I couldn't see the chase boat! And, I kept drifting further away. What do you do?

The basic rule in class was "stop" - "think" - "act" or something like that. When these things happen to me, I keep my cool, and use one of my safety items, such as a safety sausage. In the scenario above, my sausage didn't work so I used a small mirror to reflect the sun to catch the boat's attention.

 

[Kateryna]

TexasKaren68 answered exatly what I was thinking about. The point is that everyone should regulary check their buddy and group. Once I had situation: I was diving and my ear started hurt. My instructor was in few meters of me, but he didn`t look at me for few minutes and we were going deeper, so I had to endure the pain cuz I was afraid to stop and loose him. So guys, you should see your buddy all the time!

 

[Buliwyf]

I'll play. I didn't cheat and read the answers in this thread.

* What would you do if you lost sight of your buddy underwater and couldn't find him/her?
I think we agree on a time frame where if we don;t see each other in a few minutes, we safely surface and meet there.
* What would you do if you're in a buddy team of 3 divers and one buddy went left while the other went right?
Bang on tank, use flash light, something to get their attention. Might not be hard to catch up to one of them and turn them towards the other.
* What would you do if you're in a buddy team of 5 divers and, all of a sudden, you only counted 3 other divers in your field of view?
No idea. Keep the 3 divers together and look around, then follow the surfacing procedure to meet there.
* What would you do if you're diving in two buddy pairs and you lost sight of the other buddy pair?
Not a problem? I have my buddy, they have theirs. Dive goes on.
* What would you do if you got a leg cramp but your buddy didn't notice and left you behind?
Stretch out my leg to get rid of the cramp, try to catch up gently, then follow the lost buddy surface procedure.

I have no idea if these are right, I'll read the thread now.

 

[scubadada]

Lost buddy procedures need to be discussed ahead of time so that everyone is on the same page. Most of my diving is drift, some of what I say is specific. In general, when you lose your buddy, a good rule of thumb is to ascend so that there are no obstructions to vision, this often is enough to solve the problem and continue diving. The person with the flag in drift diving is never lost, it's the other divers that may be. If the ascend and look around does not work, the lost diver must consider shooting their SMB and ascending, either immediately, or with some delay. They can always be redropped on the flag if there is dive time remaining.

 

[Kairoos]

Good questions. I don't think people will like my answers, but..

* What would you do if you lost sight of your buddy underwater and couldn't find him/her?
Look around for them for a few minutes while using my DiveAlert (quack quack!) and then surface if I can't find them in time.
* What would you do if you're in a buddy team of 3 divers and one buddy went left while the other went right?
Quack, quack. It's going to get their attentions, and then I can signal to them that they're not making good decisions.
* What would you do if you're in a buddy team of 5 divers and, all of a sudden, you only counted 3 other divers in your field of view?
Swim up to someone and explain the situation, if they don't know, I'll ask the other two. The other two could have been air hogs and went to surface.
* What would you do if you're diving in two buddy pairs and you lost sight of the other buddy pair?
Depends on the dive, probably nothing, but that's just how we dive here. If our group has the dive flag, well then it's the other group's fault. If they had the flag...crap, time to deploy DSMB. The boat I dive on, people often break off and go do their own thing, especially when hunting. No big deal.
* What would you do if you got a leg cramp but your buddy didn't notice and left you behind?
Quack, quack . Unless I can reach my buddy, or get their attention another way.

Also part of it is that there's always a DM in the water, and usually two. Not my job to babysit, but if I seem something odd I will bring it up to a DM so they can worry about it.

Now I should say that I RARELY ever use my DiveAlert, but in an "emergency" situation I have no qualms about using it. The only times I can recall using it is if I don't have a lobster snare, but someone else in the group does, and I've found a lobster that they don't see. It's all drift diving where I live, so if they miss that lobster it can be a REAL pain to swim against the current back to get that lobster.

 

[Bob DBF]

First I find out if we are buddy diving or same ocean buddies. If buddy diving, use lost buddy procedure, which is to look for a minute or less, then surface without a safety stop and stay there. I might consider going back down as long as I had an SMB to mark my position for the other diver,

The most important parameters to avoid a lost buddy is to stay in continuous visual contact which means swimming side by side rather in single file, and informing your buddy of your intent before changing direction, or any drastic move. Even though I dive in low vis waters, I haven't lost anyone yet, although I have had occasions to grab a fin going out of view and shake it like a bad dog. Either they never dive with me again or they are a much better buddy.

As for calling for help, that is a spotty thing up here on the north coast, people are seasonal and there is lot remote coast where few go and cell phones don't work. Whatever rescue might take place, other than your initial attempt, is hours in the making, of course that may be why people drive down to the breakwater.


Bob
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That's my point, people, by and large, are not taught that diving can be deadly, they are taught how safe it is, and they are not equipped with the skills, taught and trained to the level required to be useful in an emergency.

 

[Buliwyf]

I've experienced this scenario before. on a drift dive, carrying cameras, my buddy and I were separated and I was swept away in a swift current. Not only were there no bubbles to be found, the seas were high enough that with a fully inflated BC, I couldn't see the chase boat! And, I kept drifting further away. What do you do?

The basic rule in class was "stop" - "think" - "act" or something like that. When these things happen to me, I keep my cool, and use one of my safety items, such as a safety sausage. In the scenario above, my sausage didn't work so I used a small mirror to reflect the sun to catch the boat's attention.

Sheesh. There's been a ton of stories like this lately. Pretty much seals the deal, I'm grabbing a small PVC tube and cramming a PLB in it before boat diving.

Got CA boat's leaving short a diver.......
Got drift divers floating away......
OUR PET'S HEADS ARE FALLING OFF!

 

[Neilwood]

This is one reason I am buying a DSMB at the weekend to complete my kit - if the proverbial hits the air moving equipment, I want to be doing all I can to mitigate the consequences.

As soon as the missing buddy scenario becomes apparent and I have passed the minute of looking, I would probably shoot the DSMB so if he decides to surface, my position is clearly marked and any boat knows there is an issue