I'm excited to be going diving this weekend. The water in South Florida is still warm; the weatherman is reporting clear skies; and I won't be sitting behind a desk! However, in my enthusiasm to get wet, I don't want to overlook some basic things that could save my life, my buddy's life, or simply work to make our weekend more enjoyable. To that end, I'm already thinking about the diving. Here are five things I plan to do before and during the dives to help ensure we have the best dives possible:
- I'm going to listen to the dive briefing and understand what is being said. Before we hit the water, we'll discuss what route we'll take and try to anticipate any problems we might encounter. This way, both my buddy and I will be extra aware of what issues might arise, how to deal with them, and how to return to the boat.
- I'm going to make sure my gear works by going over it the night before -- and again in the morning. More importantly, I'm going to look over my buddy and his gear before we get in the water, so I'm absolutely certain, for example, how to ditch his weights, and where his purge valve is.
- Prior to getting wet, we'll agree on hand signals to use -- especially ones that indicate stress, discomfort, or panic -- and I'll look for them throughout the dive.
- During the dive, I'm going to enjoy the fish and the marine environment, but I'm also going to keep an eye on my buddy, making sure he's nearby and diving safely.
- If I see my buddy exhibit pain, fatigue or stress -- or if he calls the dive before I'm ready -- I'm not going to complain that he's ruining my dive. Instead, we'll abort the dive together, perform a steady, slow, controlled ascent together, do our safety stop together, and head for the boat. Together.
That's the Top 5 things I'm going to keep in mind in terms of buddy diving this weekend. Have I forgotten something? Is there something I should add to my list?
