Posted by Ken Kurtis on September 21, 2000 at 22:33:31:
In Reply to: Re: Defining Buddy/Solo posted by Frank Farmer on September 21, 2000 at 08:21:55:
(Frank Farmer wrote) Ken, why has no one addressed the fact that the buddy system is least effective with divers who need it the most: novice beginners?
Frank, I think you raise a valid point, although I think the problem is not that the system itself is flawed, but that in basic classes, we don't really teach people how to dive as buddies beyond giving it some lip service. (Like "Always stay with your buddy" and "Never dive alone", but what does it all really MEAN?)
And when we haven't taught someone to do something very well, why should we be surprised when they don't do it well?
And, from a personal standpoint, I always let it be known on any of our boats that I'm on, anyone (especially the newbie) is welcome to join me for a dive anytime I'm going in.
But I must say from my personal experiences, most buddies manage to stay together. That's not to say people don't get unintentionally seperated, but for the most part, I think the buddy system works.
(Amd just to put it in perspective, our store does about 50 trips a year, with an average of about 30 divers per trip, doing an average of 3 dives per day. That's 4500 dives a year. Some people dive solo but most dive in some sort of buddy configuration.)
Ken Kurtis
NAUI Instr. #5936
Co-owner, Reef Seekers Dive Co.
Beverly Hills, Ca.