Good and Bad Buddies

Choosing a Buddy

There are many divers out there and many potential buddies. What you will find though is that all good buddies are divers but not all divers are good buddies. A good buddy is a very subjective view and depends mostly on the requirements of the person looking for a dive buddy. Coming from a family of divers I was always lucky enough to have a number of people to choose from and as we learnt in very similar ways we found ourselves as natural buddies for each other.

I think the main requirements for a diving buddy are:

• ·         Communication
• ·         Experience
• ·         Qualifications
• ·         Awareness of Personal Limits
• ·         Shared Goals and Interests

Communication

Communication is a very personal need and often changes as your experience and comfort levels change. As a newly qualified Open Water Diver the level of communication is required more often and in more detail of everything you are each doing. As you progress this communication between familiar buddies might become a knowing nod. The most important aspect of communication that both divers are aware of the type and level of communication that each of you need and that they are willing to accommodate their buddy even if the level of communication is more than they are normally used to.  The willingness of a diver to accommodate a fellow diver is often a positive sign of their ability as a buddy.

Experience and Qualifications

Qualifications aren’t everything and experience doesn’t mean a good buddy (or sometimes even a good diver). When it come to a buddy team it doesn’t matter if the divers are equally qualified or experienced as long as the dives they plan are to the level of the lowest qualification and least experienced member of the team. Within this no diver in the buddy team should feel pressured or forced to dive beyond, or even to the limit of, their experience. A good buddy and buddy team should encourage each diver to dive within their limits and to slowly grow their experience at a sensible rate.

Awareness of Personal Limits

Any good diver and good buddy should not only be aware of the limits of their buddies but more importantly their own personal limits. The only diver who can make you dive beyond your limits is yourself and no qualified diver should go on a “follow me” dive which they are unable to finish independently at any point. If either buddy were to dive beyond their limits then at that point they are not only putting themselves in trouble but also placing a burden on their buddy and putting them at risk as well.

Shared Goals and Personnel Interests

The most important aspect of any buddy team is a shared interest or goal. It is no fun diving in a team where you aren’t getting what you want out of your diving and after all we all dive for fun. A goal or interest can be anything for exploring wrecks, fish spotting or underwater photography. It is often possible to accommodate different dive interests within the same diving plans and so as long as everyone is happy then this is often the easiest aspect of a buddy team to meet. It is also the reason why many buddy teams eventually part ways as interests and goals change, especially if one of the divers wants to take their diving in a whole new direction which my require more equipment or training. So enjoy every buddy team you dive with while everyone is gaining from the group but don’t be afraid to find a new set of buddies to help you explore your next level of diving.

These are the aspect that I always consider when selecting a dive partner or when diving with someone new. As a dive instructor you don’t always get to choose your buddy but at least you can be aware of the type of diver and buddy they are. The other side of a buddy team is you as a diver and buddy. I always look at myself and my buddy and the type of team we make and what we each offer to the team.

  

                       

The triangle of diver experience is a simple tool to work out what you at least, if not others offer to any buddy team. No matter where you currently sit in the triangle it is not a problem as long as you are trying to move up the triangle and dive within your limits and the limits of the buddy team.  The strongest team is obviously 2 Self-Reliant Divers working towards a common goal but that doesn’t mean other teams cannot be successful if working well within their limits. Below are my description of each of the levels of divers, what they offer to the buddy team and how to achieve this level.

New Diver with Limited Experience

This can be an Open water or Advanced Open water Diver (or equivalent levels) who has a few dives under their belt and is still enjoying the wonders that scuba diving can offer. They can offer a new light on diving and an unbounded excitement for every new experience they have underwater. They should still be striving for a greater understanding of the subject from courses and more experienced divers around them.  In a buddy team they offer enthusiasm and excitement and a spare reg and a tank of air to their buddy when they needed it, more than this and they are often putting themselves in more danger than they realise but if they dive within their limits then this should not be a problem.

Diver familiar with Air Sharing Techniques

This is a diver with more experience in the water and their surroundings and has begun to develop a greater awareness of those around them. They may be an Advanced Open water diver or a newly qualified Rescue Diver. They are more comfortable with the techniques or air sharing and can help their buddy with basic problem solving.

Diver Able to Self-Rescue

A diver trained in basic rescue techniques with some reasonable diving experience will fit into this group of divers. They are able to deal with most problems for themselves before the cause any real issues and in the case of an emergency they can solve the problem themselves though it may need the interaction of another diver to supply air. They offer a good stand point as a buddy as their experience and skills means that you can real get on with enjoying the dive. Most rescue divers fit this group.

Experienced Diver able to Aid/Rescue another

This group of divers can make great buddies as their greater level of experience can be a great asset on any dive and when a problem arises they can resolve it before it escalates, either for themselves or others.  Most Divemasters and Instructors fit this group along with more experienced Rescue divers.

Self-Reliant Diver

A self-reliant diver is the pinnacle of being a dive buddy. They are a very experienced diver with the skills and equipment to complete any dive they do totally by themselves. This allows them to be an excellent buddy as they are able to fully aid another diver without issue to themself. A buddy team of multiple self-reliant divers can offer the perfect mix of diving experience. Very few divers, even instructors, meet this requirement. The investment in skills and equipment to reach this level can be extensive but well worth it. This should be the aim for all divers to achieve, however even if you fall into this group you don’t know everything and should not stop striving for improvement.