Tips for diving in pairs !
Are you an autonomous diver? Some safety rules must be taken into account for your partner and you. Discover our various tips for safely diving in pairs!
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No more instructor or diving guide to manage your settings, you're the master of your actions under water! From now on, you'll have to organise and plan your dive yourself. Because diving without supervision involves following certain rules to maintain a good safety level for your partner and you. Subea gives you some tips for a successful pair dive!
Pre-dive briefing
No matter if you already know your partner, a briefing is essential. DoN4t forget that he may be the one who'll have to help you: so take advantage of this discussion time if you want to have peace of mind and fully enjoy your dive. Don't hold back, don't be afraid and say what you think! You probably know by now that you need to go over the dive beforehand on the boat, since communication becomes more complex under water. It's therefore important to avoid any misunderstandings if you want to avoid surprises under water. There is a saying among divers that goes : "I say what I do and I do what I say". Before the dive, you will already havetraced out your dive profile in your mind: what direction? what parameters (depth, time, decompression stop...)? etc...
Partner, who are you?
There are several points to clear up: When was his last dive? How is his health? Does he have any particular problems? What signs does he use? etc... Of course, this is a non-exhaustive list of the various questions to ask before diving, but it's a good way to start. For example, if your partner has ear problems on the descent, start your dive by stopping regularly to see if everything is going well. Similarly, if you quickly get chilled, report it. The cold is often overlooked, but it can be a factor in serious accidents. You shouldn't hesitate or feel embarrassed to shorten a dive if you encounter difficulty or discomfort.
There would be many other examples to discuss, but we can sum up by saying that you must never underestimate the importance of specific information and feedback. Make sure to neglect nothing and be humble in an environment that isn't natural to us !
Equipment
Take a look at your partner's equipment before diving and look carefully to see how his instruments are placed. Make an overall check of his equipment to know it in case you have a problem once under water: what type of BCD is he using? What inflation system, where are his purge valves? Does he have an SMB? How is his computer configured? etc... These are essential details for effective communication and assistance.
Submerged...
Take the time that you need to set up, to do a buddy check and to follow the sequence you've planned. It's important that you communicate regularly under water to know if everything is going well, and you should always remember to keep a proper distance between yourselves. Finally, be sure to share and respect what you observe. Enjoy this dive within the limits that you set before diving. Once back on the surface, nothing beats a little debriefing over a hot drink. It's an opportunity to recall the dive and to look forward to the next one.
This list of tips isn't exhaustive.
If you're interested in diving in pairs, it's better to do so within an association or commercial structure that can support you in this new stage!
Article co-written with
Anne, retail assistant at Decathlon Village in Bouc-Bel-Air
I'm a retail assistant in the diving department of Decathlon Village in Bouc-Bel-Air. I started diving 5 years ago and it immediately got me hooked ! So I decided to get my certifications quickly. I'm currently FFESSM (French Federation of Undersea Studies and Sports) Level 3 and Nitrox certified.