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In a message dated 98-06-02 01:14:23 EDT, Jsuw@ao*.co* writes: >I'm curious about other's opinions on this issue. Let me define a qualified >buddy as being one equally qualified to do the dives you choose to do. Is >the >qualified buddy so hard to come by that diving alone is preferable? Why do >you or don't you dive with a buddy? Is a buddy a help or a hindrance? The past year or so Ive been helping on one of the local dive charter boats. Mainly I do this to offset the cost of the sport. Often I am asked to dive solo to set the hook. There is always a 90% ready diver on deck and at least one person watches my bubbles--or so I'm told. When I set on a somewhat "deeper" wreck..90 to 130 ish fsw...I do not have time to surface and then return for "my" dive as opposed to on a shallow-er wrek. As a result I often perform my entire dive alone. When I am at a shallower location often my buddy is a somewhat less experienced diver than myself (0 to 10 or so dives for them as opposed to my whopping 180+ dives_ yes I know thats a paltry number ) so its like less team member and more tour guide for me. I dont mind having a buddy, and would welcome anyone who wanted me for a buddy as long as they did not indicate an obivious deficiency or willingness to perform some extreme subaquatic stupidity. I do recognize that regular buddies make better teams and better diving as a whole, however I have yet to meet someone who is willing to match my dive schedule, and to demonstrate the same committment to team diving that I do. When I dive with a buddy it is as a close strict team, not as a "same ocean buddy"--where my buddy goes I go and we plan and execute the dive as a team. I make it clear to the buddy that He is running the dive_ as much_ as I am. Anyone can call the dive at any time, no questions asked. I will counter him when it is obivious that we are going to violate our dive plan--ie penetration, turn pressure, max depth,etc -- or when I am uncomfortable about any unplannable varible--the vis may turn or current may shift and I'll just decide, this aint worth it. After all I want to have fun too. The best group of divers I personally know are three brothers who all dive similar rigs and all have a similar attitude above and below the surface. They definately have a better time of it and it shows in their results<lobsters bottles,china etc> Unfortunately they are infrequent customers to the boat; financially this can be a tough endeavor as you may well know. When I started diving there just reached a point where the club I dive with just decided I no longer "needed" a buddy. There was no formal meeting or ceremony,one day I was just diving alone. I realize now that this is "typical northeast strokery". I cant really say how or why it happened, when I started diving with the club they were very protective and the "leadership" made sure to buddy up the "newbies". I would not recommend diving solo now because I feel there is more to be gained from diving as a team. However I do dive solo and feel that anyone who is not comfortable enough to dive solo is not fully developed as a diver. Please take note that i feel that being _comfortable_ enough to do a thing is not the same as doing it, even once. I feel every diver needs to be confident that they can do a given dive alone, as they may be asked to by circumstances beyond anyones control. At the same time the dive team needs to temper its confidence so that confidence does not lead it to do things which are unsafe--i.e. no guideline, staying too long fiddling for that lobster, swimming down current/ not calling the dive in the presence of too strong a bottom current, etc. Commentary is welcome, in any manner one wishes to provide it. Cheers, Al Marvelli aka KybrSose@ao*.co* -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
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