Nowadays, you see divers with octopus but dive alone, learn how to use the RDP but never use, have pressure gauge but never check.

So how la?

i havent got the chance to see any diver went down all by himself / herself. atleast in a group of three buddy-ing.. but yes, i do have found a diver without octo..but still got a buddy.   never check pressure gauge???? sure or not? i think eventhough u didnt see anybody check on their gauge, who knows - u didnt notice he / she was checking his / her gauge in a glance..or atleast have a peep on it. and that is why too, the guide / DM have to remind and check the diver's air.. as for myself - since my first dive - my guide will sure turn back to me and ask my balance air..but, if the DM is so use to dive with me, he / she seldomly will ask due to they know my air consumption oledi.. still, i do check mine after 60mins for every 10mins..5mins..
 

Quote from: SeaDemon on August 24, 2007, 02:55:00 AM

Nowadays, you see divers with octopus but dive alone, learn how to use the RDP but never use, have pressure gauge but never check.

So how la?

i havent got the chance to see any diver went down all by himself / herself. atleast in a group of three buddy-ing.. but yes, i do have found a diver without octo..but still got a buddy.   never check pressure gauge???? sure or not? i think eventhough u didnt see anybody check on their gauge, who knows - u didnt notice he / she was checking his / her gauge in a glance..or atleast have a peep on it. and that is why too, the guide / DM have to remind and check the diver's air.. as for myself - since my first dive - my guide will sure turn back to me and ask my balance air..but, if the DM is so use to dive with me, he / she seldomly will ask due to they know my air consumption oledi.. still, i do check mine after 60mins for every 10mins..5mins..
 

See...again you are talking about diving with a DM/Dive Guide.

You are a licensed diver...licensed to plan your dive and dive your plan with a qualified buddy. Most of the time people do not check and fumble when asked to check their air. They struggle for their pressure gauge when asked.

Check your air earlier...don't wait for an hour. There may be a leak you and your buddy might think as exhaled air.  I check my air, as well as of my buddy's the first two ten minutes and then make a mental calculation on how much air each should have on the subsequent ten minutes.  If the numbers correspond, then I'd know when to end the dive, and if there is an emergency, I'd know how long my buddy and/or I can last.

very healthy discussion. i likeeeeee 

as a good practise, i always hold my gauge in my left hand  and fold my arms when diving and  constantly monitor my gauges, also at same time  i prevent it from scraping the sea bed or corals...most of us may know that the gauge may sometimes get snagged on corals and break them....

and mine i put it in the pocket of my BCD since assemble till i finish the dive.. purpose is same, to prevent from scraping, snagged and breaking the corals..plus more, i don wan my gauge to get scrath oso maa.. i love my gears so strong! hehehee.. 
 

Quote from: SeaDemon on August 24, 2007, 09:06:46 AM

No pressure gauge, just a depth gauge. The only way for you to know that you have no more air is when it actually runs out of air, then you yank on the lever to give you just enough air to surface from whatever depth you're at (I ran out of air at 21m) and the only other person who was diving was diving somewhere else.

see SD, how wonderful it is - if u were wit ur buddy that very moment..  as i said, u wont know wat gonna happen. its all unpredictable scene.. we as human only can plan, but sometime u oso need plan B instead.
 

And you are forgetting the fact that that was back in 1982.

Then again, if you remember your lessons in diving, from 21 meters, if you have not gone past your NDL, you can surface without a safety stop.

Do you remember that?

And you are forgetting the fact that that was back in 1982.

Then again, if you remember your lessons in diving, from 21 meters, if you have not gone past your NDL, you can surface without a safety stop.

Do you remember that?

yes..but im comparing 1982 and 2007, with buddy and alone. the things is, just imagine, if the buddy system was implemented way long ago, u should not be facing those troubles and i think u are so use to the buddy system oledi maa..if u apply all that, u wont be doing those things against the rules of being safe.. and maybe myself are so into it, bc i dive after all the buddy system around, BCD..and everything la. and i obey wat i have learned.

p/s: SD, take good care of urself..theres people still need u out there.. be safe. play safe. dive safe.
 

If i may add up more with reference to the topic, below are simple guidelines for a trouble free buddyship that i gained through my own research and studies, which I would like to share with everyone.

1. Define a Comfort Zone. Max depth, time, activity level and water conditions should be within the comfort zone of the lesser on the divers, even though a more experienced of fit buddy may be restricted by them.

2. Select Compatible Activities. Planned buddy activities do not need to be identical, but they should be complimentary. Sightseeing or photography go well together, close up photography and spear fishing do not.

3. Build Cooperation. Avoid the leader-follower syndrome. Share responsibilities and duties so that each diver can take on aspects of both leader and follower

4. Plan Together. Every dive plan should include the dive’s purpose and activities, direction and route, cutoffs for depth, time, air consumption, and how to change the plan.

5. Limit the group. Buddy groups can include up to four divers, no more. Threesomes, foursomes are safe and effective if each buddy fulfills his/her responsibilities to the others.

6. Check and Double Check. In addition to pre-dive buddy checks, you should also share your experiences after diving and observe each other for difficulties.

7. Learn to communicate. Regardless of what form of underwater communication you use, hand signals, slates, underwater voice units, the key is to agree beforehand which you will use and how.

8. Stay Together. The keys to staying together are to dive side by side, stay on the same side as much as possible, head in an agreed upon direction and stay aware of each other.

9. Monitor Air Consumption. No two divers use air at exactly the same rate. End the dive based on the air supply of the person with the least air.

Basic, Simple but Effective!!! We may lacking of doing all these, but as one big family It is suggested that we keep on reminding each other on the above said so that we could minimize the risks in every activities down underwater. Last but not least, I hope everyone should taking notes on this and lets dive through education.

I'm nobody but I am your buddy. Cheers all! 

Quote from: ery on August 24, 2007, 05:42:18 PM

If i may add up more with reference to the topic, below are simple guidelines for a trouble free buddyship that i gained through my own research and studies, which I would like to share with everyone.

1. Define a Comfort Zone. Max depth, time, activity level and water conditions should be within the comfort zone of the lesser on the divers, even though a more experienced of fit buddy may be restricted by them.

2. Select Compatible Activities. Planned buddy activities do not need to be identical, but they should be complimentary. Sightseeing or photography go well together, close up photography and spear fishing do not.

3. Build Cooperation. Avoid the leader-follower syndrome. Share responsibilities and duties so that each diver can take on aspects of both leader and follower

4. Plan Together. Every dive plan should include the dive’s purpose and activities, direction and route, cutoffs for depth, time, air consumption, and how to change the plan.

5. Limit the group. Buddy groups can include up to four divers, no more. Threesomes, foursomes are safe and effective if each buddy fulfills his/her responsibilities to the others.
  Correction: Buddy should'nt be more than one person. (Thanks Seademon for highlighting this)
6. Check and Double Check. In addition to pre-dive buddy checks, you should also share your experiences after diving and observe each other for difficulties.

7. Learn to communicate. Regardless of what form of underwater communication you use, hand signals, slates, underwater voice units, the key is to agree beforehand which you will use and how.

8. Stay Together. The keys to staying together are to dive side by side, stay on the same side as much as possible, head in an agreed upon direction and stay aware of each other.

9. Monitor Air Consumption. No two divers use air at exactly the same rate. End the dive based on the air supply of the person with the least air.

Basic, Simple but Effective!!! We may lacking of doing all these, but as one big family It is suggested that we keep on reminding each other on the above said so that we could minimize the risks in every activities down underwater. Last but not least, I hope everyone should taking notes on this and lets dive through education.

I'm nobody but I am your buddy. Cheers all! 

Sounds like a cut and paste job but thank you. But I disagree with the "glowed" point. You CANNOT have more than one buddy. Someone must have the sole responsibility of checking on you.  Not three or four people at the same time.

You have got a point there GURU! 
Those were the research I took from "Tod Welle". He might be wrong and so do us.

At least having the courtesy to do the research and share with others would be good,
instead of condemning others. Cheers! 

Well, we can just f*** it can't we? Cheers.

cheers bro! 

help..help..pening already.
 

Ery,

You been doing a great job bro ... I am learning a lot about buddy system from your write-up.

There are always room for improvement in diving & making it safer for all.

It boils down to us as divers & to know our limits ...to push our limit higher by continuing our diving education & do the dives.

I am use to dive on my own(alone) & I do my very best to keep a look out for divers around me.

Thanks for the guideline.