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Jason-
As I recall the only formal training I had in the buddy system was a lot
of brain-washing ("and remember, *always* dive with a buddy") plus the 10
min's of buddy breathing in the pool. In retrospect, it seems to me that
initial dive training assumed you were going to the bahamas or some such
place to dive shallow reefs in great visibility. For that the training
was adequate. But, I immediately went out on the local dive boats to
70'-100' wreck dives and, quite frankly, scared the bejeezus out of
myself. This caused me to do a stand-down and purchase some advanced
texts which freaked me out even further. But with knowledge comes
understanding, and with understanding comes purpose. And *my* purpose is
to dive whenever I can in a fashion I feel most comfortable with. And I
feel most comfortable diving solo. Fortunately you can do that around
here without anyone giving you a hassle. Are you guys on some sort of
strict buddy regimen in the UK?
>Jim,
>
> Keyword there is trained; it sounds, for all the rec.scubi-doos
>go on about it, that it isn't a serious part of US dive training. Now I
>can't speak for clubs outside my experience, but those I have had the
>chance to dive with (Mainly CUUEG and EUSAC, two BSAC branches) have
>trained *buddy diving*. This does not mean saying - you stick together,
>it means explaining and practicing the whole two-man responsibility
>trip; including correct response to emergencies - assessing the
>situation, and returning to start a body search if neccessary.
>
> The clubs do it because *we* *will* be diving with you. No ifs
>or buts, so you do it our way to keep us happy and thankfully, BSAC a
>long time ago worked out a good way of doing most things, and one BSAC
>diver knows mostly the same ways of doing things as any other.
>
> This is why UK divers don't blink when George goes on about
>pulling your weight, doing it right and acting as a team; it's what we
>try to teach novices. Converting PADI divers is sometimes harder because
>they can't get their heads this communist conspiracy.
>
> Note I'm not even talking about Sport diving, here, this starts
>with recreational and is taken all the way through. At no stage are SOBs
>appreciated.
>
> Buddy lines are just one more tool in the divers arsenal in
>dealing with ambient conditions. Easy to use with a little briefing,
>practice and general good dive practice. Marvellous when doing simple
>underwater work, or more complex work in shitty conditions. 3m of 5mm
>line tied off to two krabs and (IME) best tied off to the BC and kept
>taught by hand, don't bother with the buoy.
>
> Back to culture shock mode.
>
> Jason
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