Buddy spearfishing: How to do it?

[cdavis]

There has been a great discussion of a spearfishing BO in freediving stories. It reinforces the need to buddy dive while spearfishing, but we all know that can be a real challenge. "Same ocean." like I used to do does not cut it. But, how do you actually do it? How do you apply the ideal to your particular kind of spearing and your spearing buddies? Many spearos haven't really tried it and don't have a good idea of how to make it work. Here is how I do it in my conditions. How about some others give a detailed description of how they do it in their conditions. (hmmm. just read this over. Ok, no off color comments please.)

My conditions are clear water, enough to see the diver on the bottom and often the fish as well. We do one up, one down, the spotter keeping an eye on the diver down. Generally another diver is in the boat, following those in the water. This serves both safety and efficiency purposes. The spotter can often follow the fish better than the diver and offer other support that results in more fish in the boat and less cripples. The boat driver provides an immediate out for the fish, safety support if needed and eliminates the fatigue of long swims to get to the fish. The hard part is learning to work together, but getting it right is worth the effort. A good buddy, who can work with your style, is a real pleasure to dive with and nets more fish. Being the first boat driver of the day takes discipline, as well as a real gentleman. After a while, being driver becomes a welcome break.

Even this system isn't perfect. Its very easy to get distracted when the fish are thick or when other things get crazy. I nearly lost a buddy to a combination of no boat driver, long dive and a very aggressive shark that delayed his surfacing and then hassled me while my buddy was enjoying a near BO. Maybe somebody out there uses this system with even better safety?

Connor

 

[Bill McIntyre]

Connor,

All I can say for sure is that there are a few reasons why your system wouldn't work very well where I dive in So Cal.

Due to the reduced visibility and kelp, its rare that we can see the diver on the bottom. My buddy disappears down into the kelp, and about the time I am worried about him, I look up and see him on the surface nearby. If I couldn't even see him come up, what are the chances I could have done him much good if he didn't come up?

And as far as following with the boat goes, take a look at the kelp bed in the background of this photo. If a boat tried to follow through it, the out drive or outboard would be constantly fouling, the engine would be overheating, and the guy in the boat would be gunning the engine in reverse to get the kelp off of the water intake. That wouldn't do much for the availability of white sea bass, which will often bolt if a bubble escapes a wet suit or snorkel or if your ears squeak when equalizing.

Many times its very hard to swim though the kelp, much less get a boat through it.

I can't offer a good alternative, but just wanted to show why what works in some areas may not work in others.

 

[irtrogdor]

that's a great system, although if don't have a boat you could replace it (and the driver) with a float & stringer. but having one diver floating and one diving is a good rule.

 

[Bill McIntyre]

Taking Connor's system a step further, I believe that New Zealand competition rules require one gun for two divers. That way the guy on the surface has nothing else to do but watch his buddy and wait for him to bring the gun up, and of course he has nothing in his hands to impede helping his friend.

 

[chrismar]

Taking Connor's system a step further, I believe that New Zealand competition rules require one gun for two divers. That way the guy on the surface has nothing else to do but watch his buddy and wait for him to bring the gun up, and of course he has nothing in his hands to impeded helping his friend.

Not 100% on that, the North Island Champs were standard one up, one down with the man on top attached to a short 4m floatline. Nationals was a little different, but I believe functionally the same. I'm pretty sure that the suggestion would have been tried/mooted, but my money is on it getting shouted down because divers want to use their favourite gun.

I've personally done the one gun between two and I don't really mind it. A friend has started running a spearo course round here and I believe the one between two setup will be standard.

 

[Marwan]

we have good viz so do one up and one down, it took some time to perfect it but now we are always following that routine religiously...the one up also doesnt go down until he sees an ok sign from the ascending diver...
the 2 divers one gun i think is probably more effective saftey wise, but we all know , you each like your own gun, and not everybody is comfortable with the same setup, so i dont think we'll be using this system...so far one up and one down has been ery effective.. we also dont push ur limits on account that theres 2 of us,

 

[Pastor]

In bad vis it can be difficult to use a buddy system. For example when diving in 1.5m vis at a depth of say 5m can you really know where your buddy is? You can't see each other, if a fish swims overhead can you know for sure you wont hit your buddy? Just an example of a difficulty but it shows that diving with a buddy is not an answer in itself even if you are sharing one gun.

 

[jome]

In addition to the "dead man switch" idea I proposed in the thread this originated from, how about this.

The divers use a "shaker" or something that makes an audiable noise. When you start your dive, you flick it once "click" - meaning starting my dive. When you're up and ok, you flick it twice, signalling "I'm ok, you can go ahead and start yours".

No 2 clicks or more than 2 clicks means trouble.

Would the noise disturb the fish?

This way you would know the status of your buddy without having to be in viewing distance of him. Then you would agree that you stay within let's say 100m of each other - a distance short enough to sprint in case of emergency in time to hopefully make a difference.

Of course keeping a constant visual contact and active supervision is always better. It is just my general feeling that not many people will have the mental discipline to follow this, no matter how much you preach...

I'm just throwing around ideas, haven't tried how it would work in real life...

 

[cdavis]

Ideas are all good, especially if we can thrash through enough of them to provide ways to buddy dive in difficult situations (like kelp, etc).

Using a sound clue is an interesting idea. Sound is kind of iffy underwater, but from experience, I know that divers can hear another yelling (!!!SHARK!!!!) underwater from quite a distance. Maybe something else would carry better.


My feeling is that much of buddy diving is mind-set. In my conditions, it really is easy to buddy dive, as well as more productive, yet few spearos do it. Like Marwan said, it takes practice. With thought and experimentation, we ought to be able to come up with things that work in really difficult conditions, like Bill's.

 

[azapa]

This wave of consciousness is really going somewhere. I am trying to push the two person team (be it with one gun or not) spearing here.

Giving the OK sign alone is not enough, the buddy surface diver should wait at least 30 seconds after seeing his partner surface. There have been several reported BO's after giving the OK sign. In and Ideal world the two divers should wear dive watches, and be of similar level, therefore depths, downtimes, breathe up times would be similar. Pie in the sky maybe, but if we don't shout about it at a grass roots level it will definitely never happen.

 

[LGHT]

Ideas are all good, especially if we can thrash through enough of them to provide ways to buddy dive in difficult situations (like kelp, etc).

Using a sound clue is an interesting idea. Sound is kind of iffy underwater, but from experience, I know that divers can hear another yelling (!!!SHARK!!!!) underwater from quite a distance. Maybe something else would carry better.

Maybe an air horn. Not sure if they are waterproof, but during a football game this weekend a guy blew one a few rows away and wow those little things are freakin LOUD!! :vangry

 

[Bill McIntyre]

In and Ideal world the two divers should wear dive watches, and be of similar level, therefore depths, downtimes, breathe up times would be similar.

And that is where it gets hard to comply. Its hard enough for me to find someone to go diving with me, much less one who is my mirror image. I'd prefer that all my dive buddies be much better than I am, but then I wouldn't do them much good.

And then we have to consider that our diving ability when calm, rested, with a proper breathup, is much better than if we are watching out best friend sink.

I recall reading of a case when a young man blacked out in Hawaii and was on the bottom at a depth that would ordinarily be easy for his dive buddy. The water was clear and the guy on the surface could see his friend on the bottom, but with his heart pounding and his respiration rate racing, he couldn't get down to save him.

 

[LGHT]

And then we have to consider that our diving ability when calm, rested, with a proper breathup, is much better than if we are watching out best friend sink.

I agree it's hard enough trying to relax and get in the correct mindstate to dive without having to always be on a clock. Sometimes I can only stay down for 30 seconds and other times I've been able to get up to 2 minutes. For me it's all about how I feel at that moment or day and it changes often. I have learned most importantly if it doesn't feel right than don't push it.

 

[Pastor]

And then we have to consider that our diving ability when calm, rested, with a proper breathup, is much better than if we are watching out best friend sink.

I recall reading of a case when a young man blacked out in Hawaii and was on the bottom at a depth that would ordinarily be easy for his dive buddy. The water was clear and the guy on the surface could see his friend on the bottom, but with his heart pounding and his respiration rate racing, he couldn't get down to save him.

Bloody good point Bill. It might be easier for the more dedicated freediver to do this but less so for "many" spearfishers. Personally I like the idea of the freedivers safety vest. It will be on my shopping list when it becomes available.

 

[sciencemike]

The rattle cans you can buy for scuba are audible at 75 feet away. I know i have heard them that far away. But with the vis only 15 feet and the sound coming from everywhere, if you find your lost buddy go buy a lottery ticket. And im sure that WSB can hear them at 500 feet. Not to mention they will click every time you invert for a dive or right youself on the bottom.

The kind im talking about...http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/scubagear_1973_432240

 

[Erik]

. Personally I like the idea of the freedivers safety vest. It will be on my shopping list when it becomes available.

+1! Mainly so that I can keep solodiving

 

[azapa]

+ 2 on my "have to buy list" for a year already..

 

[Pastor]

+1! Mainly so that I can keep solodiving

Exactly matey! I am genuinely scared when I'm in close proximity to another hunter. There is often no way to tell exactly where your buddy is even with the best will in the world. I really want my buddy away from me in shallow water. In bad viz even when diving deep it will be impossible to see the whereabouts of your buddy so once he/she is down, so if it does go pear shaped where do you start looking? I don't want to dive tethered to the surface. The freediver safety vest has so many advantages, to me, for spearos they will be as essential as your mask.

 

[sciencemike]

Exactly matey! I am genuinely scared when I'm in close proximity to another hunter. There is often no way to tell exactly where your buddy is even with the best will in the world. I really want my buddy away from me in shallow water. In bad viz even when diving deep it will be impossible to see the whereabouts of your buddy so once he/she is down, so if it does go pear shaped where do you start looking?. . .

Agreed. I have this buddy with a freggin cannon. More than one time he has had it pointed at me loaded. It really gives me the chills to think of that one. He also insist on loading it on shore before going into the water. Is there a general hunting training class that i can get this guy for xmas?

Whatever happened to the watch that had the texting between buddies, and the buddy direction finder on it.

 

[settingsteel]

Good thread, but seems we are going around in circles...Since amphi's tragic incident, I have decided to go with the 1u/1d buddy system...PERIOD.

we understand each others limitation (eg approx. down time/dive)
we discuss our style, likes, dislikes, etc. (and reach a sound conclusion)
we know what to do if SWB occurs
have a clear plan in case of a tragedy
In lo vis we use a line/ sm.float or buddy partially submerges too
on top we have a larger float (omer atoll, boogie board etc)
carry a whistle (that works)

I seldom dive beyond 50', after a dive at that depth I chilax on top for about 3-4 min., in that time my partner is practically done with his segment. In deeper dives its recommended to do a breath up for about
5> min. after your dive, so what is the deal with not being able to use the 1u/1d method?
Also communication/understanding is important, if in shallower water 30'< I see a nice fish and didn't get him I know I could tell my bud and I'd go down again while he watched over me
I think the safety vest would be great, but not as a substitute to buddying up.

Since I have switched over to this method I have lost 2 dive buddies, that although agreed, did not practice what they preached- guess they really weren't dive BUDDIES

Our life is to valuable to lose over some freakin fish, choose your buddies wisely, they might very well save your life some day.

One last note, I read some place that freediving was the most dangerous sport, claiming more lives than car racing, base jumping, bungee jumping etc....something to think about