What to look for (or look out for) in an Insta-Buddy?

[moosicman]

As many of you know I am going to Cozumel in mid December. There will only be 3 of my party diving, my fiancee's best friend and her boyfriend, and me. Since I am the third wheel, I will have to get paired up with an intsa-buddy on the ship with Blue Angel. Here is my question: what should i look for (or look out for) in an insta-buddy? I've seen one or two pieces of advice in different places, but I for one could use a comprehensive thread to look at and tell what I may need to know, in order to feel safe and cozy! Thanks for all of your valuable input!

[NitroWill]

Just talk to the charter ahead of time and tell them you are a new and inexperienced diver and you would like to get paired with accordingly. They will pair you with someone who can help you and it may even be one of their divemasters.

[moosicman]

ok, that i can do, but beyond that, anyone else have any other advice on what to look for?

[DougNR]

Well, depending on how the other pair feels about it, you might be better off as a team of three rather than going for an insta-buddy at all. At least you have time to discuss plans and procedures in advance which may more than offset the negative aspects of the odd number of members.

More to your question though - I do tend to shy away from those that tend to talk themselves up too much. To me this is actually a sign of inexperience, and might indicate someone unwilling to listen to advice from Divemasters or other with more actual experience.

Have a great time in Cozumel. I look forward to hearing about your trip as my wife and I are considering spending some time there ourselves.

Doug

[cummings66]

It's hard to tell you what I look for, so many things come together to form my decision. I look for how they carry themselves, health, attitude, how they relate to others, how they talk about stuff, and that's before we talk about scuba. I'll talk there briefly but I don't ask them their qualifications unless I honestly need to know. It depends on the dive. I won't take a diver with 5 dives down to 100 feet for example.

It's a feel thing, do I feel comfortable with them. I have good instincts and will dive with anybody that I feel isn't going to hurt me. I can read a person pretty accurately and I do so at a distance and then approach those I think I might want to buddy up with before the DM assigns people. I like to buddy with those that share interests other than scuba if I can.

Basically, here's the deal. Talk to them. Do you feel comfortable with them or not? If so then buddy up.

For what it's worth, I've got a good buddy I dive with that broke every rule I had save one, he was a new diver and needed a buddy and I like diving with new divers. He was a loudmouth that seemed to have an answer for everything even when he clearly had no clue what he was talking about, he voiced his opinions all the time, was loud, cussed, smoked, you name the vice and he had it. There was absolutely nothing about him that would make me buddy with him other than I had a feeling about him which I could not explain. He's a much improved diver now, still has many vices and such but his diving has improved greatly and we get along fine. I ignore every other word and we're gold. I consider him a friend now and we dive together all the time.

I say that because even those that put you off can turn into a good buddy, they're just rough around the edges.

[fireflock]

In Cozumel? look for the guy who is the Dive Master. Buddy with him/her if you can and toss a little extra in the tip jar. It will be well worth it.

Some ops will let you do this - I imagine others might not.

Rich

[JugglingMonkeys]

Can you make a three with your two friends?

[CaptainRon]

Make a team of three.....You will be responsible for watching out for two others, but you will also have two watching out for you.

[Zenagirl]

We have a good friend whose wife doesn't dive, so we're often a group of 3. We all figured out within a few dives exactly how to function as a team, and we're far more comfortable this way than forcing him to find an insta-buddy.

However, on our liveaboard trip this summer when a diver had to be airlifted out on the first day by USCG helicopter, our friend buddied with the single diver that was left. They paired all week and it was a good match, but we did tell him in the beginning that he could dive with us anytime he wanted.

[Splitlip]

Who is saying you must buddy with a stranger? The operator?

I am with the majority here. A familiar three man buddy team, although challanging, is better than teaming up with a stranger.