|
|
|
you search for two minutes and then surface, look for bubbles.
|
|
|
After searching you go back to the boat and call dibbs on his equipment and the Captain erasses his name off the manifest :)
|
|
|
As a few others have said. Look for about a minute then surface to regain contact.
|
|
|
Greg - 8/11/2014 12:27 PM 
Look for a minute, then ascend...that is what I was taught as well. But in real life, I think the safest solution may be to look for a minute, then return to your exit point, then ascend. Especially if you’re diving in the ocean where waves and other boats could create a safety issue. Maybe the "look for a minute and ascend" should only be the rule for lakes and rivers. What do you think?
|
|
|
PVK - 8/11/2014 2:01 PM
Most new divers wont last a min a min seems like a hour when you are seperated I would say just ascend and make sure both you and your buddy know this pre dive
|
|
|
I can’t say I’ve had this happen(I always make eye contact, and grab hands or tie buddy line up before entering low visibility) but I would agree with you Greg, I would follow back to ascent point and wait, and that is what my dive buddies know to do as well.
|
|
|
|
From Greg: I think the safest solution may be to look for a minute, then return to your exit point, then ascend.
If that is discussed as part of the predive plan then yes. Otherwise what if your 200 yards away from the exit point.
|
|
|
According to PADI you look for your buddy for one minute then surface.
|
|
|
I’ve been diving in Hawaii... I’m not sure you can ’lose’ your buddy. #100+vis
|
|
|
Get onto Divebuddy.com and ask for a new buddy since you’ve "lost" the last one.
|
|
|
I was taught to look for a min then ascend, but I was also taught to "clank my tank" a few times as a signal. If you have a pre dive decision to exit at a certain point I would go there to ascend. Who know, maybe some other "Lost Soul(s)" will be there waiting for you.
|
|
|
well it kind of would have to fall back to minutes before entry. the plan.
|
|
|
TOS - 8/14/2014 2:46 PM
It depends on the situation, best to agree upon pre-dive. A few weeks ago - lake dive, viz under 10 ft, depth around 20-30ft - we agreed to search for a minute, then surface. After an hour of exploring we both had air left, and agreed on heading straight back - compass heading 180 - to our entry across the lake at 10-15. Trying to stay together at that viz without holding hands would have been impossible, so we each went on our own at that depth, and surfaced very close to each other once we got back.
Bottom line: Whatever you and your buddy agree upon.
|
|
|
What I want to hear are the stories of how people get separated to begin with. I’ve gone diving at night, in low viz, in strong currents, and never lost a buddy. So are people being careless or what?
|
|
|
I dive with my wife and 2 boys, something pretty drastic would have to happen in order for me to lose them but the rule for us is to search in place one minute, surface where you are and inflate safety sausage.
|
|
|
MDW - 11/13/2014 7:45 AM
Discuss and plan this with your dive buddy(s) prior to the dive. In some cases it will make sense to surface in place and regroup and others it makes sense to head back to a predetermined point, such as the last attraction, last turn or tieoff, anchor line, or exit point to either regroup at depth or surface and regroup. The key is for the team to be on the same page and do the same thing. If you have one guy surface in place after a minute and the other goes to the last attraction and waits a while, this will not work well for anyone.
|
|
|
While diving off the coast of Oahu our group got caught in some kind of under current and visibility went from 80+ft to 20ft in about a minute. The dive master got seperated from the group and we ended up serching for him. We looked for about 5 min (staying within arms reach of eachother) then surfaced. In that short period of time we had been swept a good distance apart and had to signal the boat to pick us up. After getting aboard we found out the dive master had to signal for pick up as well becasue he was swept in a different direction. Lucky for us everone kept their cool and relied on their training...except for the one minute part. Long story short I’ll always stick to the one minute rule because things can change very quickly.
|
|
|
|
As an added thought, It seems to me that when I was a "New" diver I could never keep track of my dive buddy. Regardless of the dive plan those first dives where a mix of "where the heck is he going now"? and "I can’t keep up and still see anything." I am so glad the "Slow down and observe" finally took over my dives and they became way more enjoyable.
|
|
|
|
There is one more answer to the question of losing your dive buddy... Get on line and search for a new dive buddy. Scuba Earth can help. LOL
|
|