NAUI Scuba Diver
18 Continual Improvement
responsible person that you are entering the water and, if
appropriate, inform him or her of your dive plans.
Buddymanship
The buddy system increases the fun of diving. The
buddy is an extra set of eyes and hands that can provide
assistance, if needed (figure 2-5). A thorough pre-dive
buddy check as well as a conscientious and observant
buddy during the dive can help prevent a mishap or an
accident. Nevertheless, a buddy team is no place for a
dependent relationship. In that event, only one of the
team members has someone who can provide assistance.
The other might as well be diving alone.
Each member of the team should be a self-reliant
buddy. He or she should be capable of diving safely and
conducting the planned dive. As a team member, you
should feel confident in your own ability to engage in the
dive activity, and so should your buddy. In buddy diving,
you are accepting the responsibility of trying to assure
a safe and comfortable dive for you both. Your buddy is
doing the same. You are not giving up responsibility for
your own actions and safety.
A large part of being a good buddy is a matter of
courtesy. You should behave towards your buddy as you
would want them to behave towards you. For the buddy
system to work, both divers must be committed to its
principles. There are several techniques that will help you
perform as a team.
As we have already discussed, you should plan the
dive together, agree on its parameters and objectives, and
conduct a thorough pre-dive buddy check. During the
dive, follow your plan. The optimal buddy team position
is shoulder-to-shoulder, and you should maintain the
same position relative to one another. You should consistently
be able to glance to one side and see your buddy.
If you fall behind or drift above your buddy, it can cause
an anxious moment when you turn up “missing.” If you
want to change position, signal your buddy of your intentions.
Decide who will be the nominal leader for the dive.
If you will want to change leader, decide on a predetermined
signal during your dive planning. The leader has
the responsibility to not out-swim the other team member
and to allow time for any activities, such as photography
or fish watching. The other team member should
remember to keep up and get the leader’s attention and
signal before stopping. Communicate with one another
frequently and especially prior to changing direction or
halting progress.
Threesome teams should be avoided if at all possible.
It requires an exceptional team member to keep track
of two divers. It is also common to become complacent
about one’s responsibility to the others and inattentive to
the whole team. One diver is likely to be forgotten. Too
often a threesome finishes the dive as a twosome and a
missing, solo diver. Maintaining position relative to your
buddies is even more important and that much more difficult
in a three-member team.
Follow your dive plan. It is unwise to significantly
alter the plan in the midst of the dive. Changing the dive
changes all of the parameters you and your buddy had so
FIGURE 2-5. Every buddy needs somebody they can lean on.