A guy lost on Boracay

The single most annoying part of diving has got to be the buddy system. How can you enjoy diving if you’re constantly checking on your buddy and staying close, never stopping when you want or having to stop when they do? Really, I dislike it. I want to go look over there, or around here, or whatever.

Whats the purpose of diving if you cant explore? Whats under this ledge? I don’t know and neither will you.

I understand the local operators obviously know the highlights of each dive site— or do they? Every really interesting thing I’ve seen was found by me, not something pointed out. I found a blue ringed octopus once and the nesting spot of a baby scorpion fish that was always eating (a sight to see). I found a colony of super tiny black spotted clown fish that never grew and were in a coral on the aft of the ship where no-one ever went. How did I find those? By mucking around exploring on my own; only in the general area of the group, sometimes not even that. I know its a strong safety issue, c’mon, lets be realistic about this…no two people have the same underwater interests.

4 Responses

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1. 

   Chad

   JD has it right. It’s more or less an unwritten law in diving. Choose your partner. We try and keep couples together unless they are inexperienced, a little nervous, and need an experienced partner.

   @Angel: Without knowing the specifics of the dive and how many other people were diving,etc… there’s no telling why he said that. I know it’s something I have never heard or would say. It’s your money. It’s your dive. You are there to have fun.

   I would have jumped with another buddy team or went with the lead on the dive and tagged along. Or cancel and re-schedule your dive. Too easy.

   Jun 12, 2009 at 3:57 PM

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2. 

   angelofdeathisme

   i asked that to my instructor when i was taking the open water:
   angel: sir, can i choose buddy coz i dont really like the german advance diver i dive with, he’s out of o2 after 20 minutes and i wanna roam around see some sharks with my remaining 15 miunutes?
   instructor: in every sport theres a negative side, and this is the part u cant choose a buddy…
   angel: Fuck

   anyway, been awhile i havent visited your page… i hate that u hate crab! its my fave food! ask chad how much i’d kill for crab! are u serious with krispy kreme franchise? i still wish though you’ll go for andoks, so i could get free food in case i get hungry and broke when i visit

   Jun 11, 2009 at 2:24 PM

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3. 

   Chad

   Sucks with rotating dive buddies. Stick with the photographers, they go slow and like finding shit.

   Jun 9, 2009 at 5:59 PM

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4. 

   JD

   @ Angel: wow…. that’s ummm…. well, lemme know what shop that was so I can advise people to avoid. Correct me if I’m wrong Chad, but DM’s and above are SUPPOSED to try looking for who would make good dive partners – in the shop and even on the boat headed out. The only way he could be correct is if its inexperienced divers trying to buddy up. Like entry-level Open Water divers with only a handful under their belt…. then it becomes a safety issue.

   But if he actually said “in every sport there’s a negative side, and this is the part u cant choose a buddy…”, that would be shitloads of bad publicity for him. It’s just not true to apply across the board.

   Crablegs are good, that nasty mush inside is disgusting to me. In hindsight, I cant recall ever seeing anyone eating it unless it was ‘stuffed crab’… but like I said, my first time was also my last.

   Jun 12, 2009 at 1:18 AM

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