What Makes a Good Dive Buddy?

[Bogie]

Diving with a Good Dive Buddy offers an added safety margin and a more pleasurable dive. Solo diving is taboo even though many divers participate in solo diving (that's another subject). Diving with a Bad Buddy Divers actually lowers the safety margin and degrades the pleasure of the dive.

I am starting this thread for everyone to contribute their ideas on what makes a good dive buddy and to share experiences with good dive buddies and bad dive buddies. I have dove with both types of buddy divers.

I'll start.

I think the first criteria for a good buddy diver is that he/she is a competent independently skillful diver.

When I dive with someone who does not ask about a safety check, can't put on their fins, does not know how to safely enter the surf, and descends like an iron anchor, I know that I have to watch them to make sure they are safe and that I can expect little or no help from them. I will during the dive check on their air and keep a keen eye on them. I always have in the back of my mind, if they have trouble how am I going to get them to the surface safely and to the shore on their feet.

My regular dive buddy is very competent, safe, courteous, and knowledgeable about buddy diving etiquette and safety. I have total faith in him and it is a pleasure to dive with him. We both have confidence in ourselves and each other.

Please add your ideas and experiences regarding "What makes a Good Dive Buddy"?

Some ideas: pre-dive, entry, communication, dive plan, equipment, competence, experience, dive formation ,skills, certification, courtesy etc..

 

[Akimbo]

A boat

 

[krawlings]

Your right a boat does help
I think a good dive buddy is a person you feel comfortabel diving with . You have complementery interests. you can rely on them as they rely on you to be there ..
You help yor buddy inprove his / her skills and knowlage as he/ she will do the same for you .AND MOST OF ALL HE/SHE WILL NOT PUSH YOU OUT OF DIVEING IN YOUR COMFORT ZONE AND SKILL LEVEL. Safty is allway first

Dive Safe
KEN

 

[Codiak]

Diving with a Good Dive Buddy offers an added safety margin and a more pleasurable dive. Solo diving is taboo even though many divers participate in solo diving (that's another subject). Diving with a Bad Buddy Divers actually lowers the safety margin and degrades the pleasure of the dive.

Good topic for basic scuba, though your solo diver comment is miss leading as it's not taboo... it's just not fit for this forum.


To me I like a buddy who:

1. 1. Is relatively the same skill level
      When diving for fun I perfer not to have to teach class. Likewise I don't don't want to feel like I'm completely dependant on my buddy. Discussing scuba, why this or why that, hey that's cool and can you double check my dive plan is a far cry from "can you do this for me" or "I didn't know that!"
      
      I have a friend who I dive with from time to time: dive numbers 16-25, 80-88, 140-150, and 210-220... when we first started diving he had 200+ dives and 10 years experience, his ability over mine showed and I felt like a leech. The gap quickly closed as I took more classes and dived for more frequently. When we did the 210-220 dives I'd scheduled the dive for a wreck at 120feet. Turns out the dive operator wouldn't let him dive since my buddy lacked the deep training. Yes he had AOW and thought he was good to go, the dive-op corrected him.
   2. Can easily communicate with you
      Be sure you can communicate. If you have difficulty on the surface it'll be worse below. I speak english with a bit of pigeon spanish and was assigned a buddy who didn't speak either... it was not a fun dive for either of us. It's a safety thing folks... it's a fun thing too!!! Part of diving is discussing what you saw and "Did you see that ray at 59feet, wasn't that cool?" Half the dive experience occurs during the surface intervals
   3. Same goals for the dive
   4. Sticks Like Glue
      A distracted buddy taking photo's 30 feet behind you is NOT a good buddy. Likewise, YOUR not a good buddy for letting it happen!
      
      My wife doesn't dive, many times I'm left with pickup buddies. Personally I like to explore but I reset my expectations in these cases to "just blow bubbles" and let my "buddy" lead... got a camera, no worries I'll help find interesting shots. Need to stay shallow? No worries."I'll be on your left side the entire dive"
   5. Understands Gas Management
      You know that 500psi your suppose to be on the surface with? Guess what it's probably not enough, and it's certianly not YOUR air... it's your BUDDIES.
   6. Sticks to the dive plan
      If I can't trust you to follow the dive plan, how can I trust you in an emergency?

All these items apply to BOTH buddies as it takes two to tango.

 

[tight rope walker]

I like a buddy who,
1) carries my gear
2) Buys my lunch
3) agrees with everything I say
4) washes my gear
and finally, the most important of all, 5) generally throws himself in harms way, of course to protect me.

I have a lot more important criteria, but I do not want to scare off any potential buddies.

And for the record, I have a partner, not a buddy.... that does not include my drinking buddy.

 

[Teamcasa]

A good buddy can and will communicate clearly, without any trepidation, their ideas and concerns. A good buddy can anticipate problems and will point them out.
A good buddy will be there when and if I need them.
A good buddy will go over the dive and point out where we can improve as a team without making me feel stupid. (Unless I deserve it.)
A good buddy will not push the dive past our limits. This includes the dive plan, conditions or training limits.
A good buddy makes the dive pleasant.
A good buddy can navigate.

I'm married to my buddy

 

[tight rope walker]

And has a boat

And a condo on a remote island, of my choice.

 

[TSandM]

My definition of "good dive buddy" is mutable.

I have recently done a couple of dives with a very new diver (less than 20 dives). She's highly motivated and enthusiastic. She can handle her own gear. In the water, she is ALWAYS there (often close enough to kick ). She stays right where I ask her to be. She's excited about the things I can find to show her. After the dive, she's bubbling with the excitement of what we saw, and what progress she can see she is making. She's a wonderful dive buddy, for that kind of dive.

I have done many dives with buddies where I slotted in (or they slotted in, depending on who was from where) seamlessly. The dive proceeded without issue. Communication was effective, efficient, and clear. The pace was satisfactory to all parties. Everybody had the needed skills to do whatever needed to be done. Those dives are fun.

I have done some dives with people where, when I got in the water with them, it was immediately apparent that we were on the same page. Nothing required effort. The pace was natural; the communication was mostly sharing great stuff we found, and we got excited about the same things. The dive was not only effortless, but it was joyful.

And I have one buddy with whom diving is dance. We have done so many dives together that we blaze through the planning and checks, to get to the water. Once there, we generally have exactly the same ideas at the same time. Communication often consists of looking at one another -- messages passed, received, returned and understood, without a signal or any discontinuity in the dive. On those dives, the diving itself becomes background -- I don't have to spend any thought on "situational awareness" or technique, because it's just THERE.

The minimum is someone with the skills to do the dive, the confidence to do the dive, the willingness to remain part of a team and devote some part of their attention to remaining in proximity and communication with the rest of us, and to staying within the limits we planned. The maximum is . . . amazing.

 

[Teamcasa]

To me I like a buddy who:
Is relatively the same skill level
When diving for fun I perfer not to have to teach class. Likewise I don't don't want to feel like I'm completely dependant on my buddy. Discussing scuba, why this or why that, hey that's cool and can you double check my dive plan is a far cry from "can you do this for me" or "I didn't know that!"

While I'd agree with you when I'm on vacation at some expensive location, however, I disagree somewhat when I'm just diving locally. To me, not much matches the thrill of watching and helping a new diver experience our local dive sites.

I also like diving with highly skilled divers. I'm not to old to learn a new trick or two although I have been accused of it!.

I'm not a fan of diving with the know-it-all, my way or the highway types. I dive purely for my pleasure and expect that of my buddy's.

 

[Herk_Man]

My definition of "good dive buddy" is mutable.

I have recently done a couple of dives with a very new diver (less than 20 dives). She's highly motivated and enthusiastic. She can handle her own gear. In the water, she is ALWAYS there (often close enough to kick ). She stays right where I ask her to be. She's excited about the things I can find to show her. After the dive, she's bubbling with the excitement of what we saw, and what progress she can see she is making. She's a wonderful dive buddy, for that kind of dive.

I have done many dives with buddies where I slotted in (or they slotted in, depending on who was from where) seamlessly. The dive proceeded without issue. Communication was effective, efficient, and clear. The pace was satisfactory to all parties. Everybody had the needed skills to do whatever needed to be done. Those dives are fun.

I have done some dives with people where, when I got in the water with them, it was immediately apparent that we were on the same page. Nothing required effort. The pace was natural; the communication was mostly sharing great stuff we found, and we got excited about the same things. The dive was not only effortless, but it was joyful.

And I have one buddy with whom diving is dance. We have done so many dives together that we blaze through the planning and checks, to get to the water. Once there, we generally have exactly the same ideas at the same time. Communication often consists of looking at one another -- messages passed, received, returned and understood, without a signal or any discontinuity in the dive. On those dives, the diving itself becomes background -- I don't have to spend any thought on "situational awareness" or technique, because it's just THERE.

The minimum is someone with the skills to do the dive, the confidence to do the dive, the willingness to remain part of a team and devote some part of their attention to remaining in proximity and communication with the rest of us, and to staying within the limits we planned. The maximum is . . . amazing.

Well... ya... but you're like, tapped into the collective. The rest of us aren't diving with voices in our heads.