Seven Types Of Dive Buddies That Will Drive You Crazy

Do you remember what your very first Scuba Diving Experience was like? Though it was probably an amazing experience, the chances are that you fit into one of the below personalities.

Just remember, that when you’re buddied up with one of the divers below… that you were once in their shoes. 😉

Why do we need a dive buddy?

A buddy is your friend above and below the waves. Known internationally as the buddy system, it is a way of strengthening a set of safety procedures. It’s intended to improve the chances of avoiding or surviving accidents in water by pairing divers together. For example, if you were to run out of air, your buddy would be close enough to you to share their alternate air source.

Having a good dive buddy is invaluable. Like any recreational sport, diving has its risks. Humans were not built to breathe underwater and if safety isn’t considered, a serious situation could develop.

The best way to avoid the chances of that is with the buddy system.

The 7 Types of Dive Buddy

The Nervous Diver

There is nothing wrong with being apprehensive when trying a new sport but this guy takes it to a new level. You won’t ever have to worry about losing them underwater!

Generally, you’ll find the nervous diver attached to your fins and they’ll tend to stick to you like a leech. Although, you’ll spend most of the dive getting kicked in the head or getting bumped into from the side. They seem to constantly be on edge underwater and can appear on the brink of turning into a panicked diver. They may need reminding from time to time to relax and take some deep breaths.

With a little help, the nervous diver is the easiest to dive with.

The Over Talker

The Over Talker has been there, done that, has the t-shirt, and will make sure you and everyone on the boat know about it! You saw a school of dolphins on your last dive…they saw a hammerhead, tap-dancing turtles and a mermaid! BEAT THAT!

Classed as a bit of a showoff, they seemed to have dived everywhere in the world. Not only that, they were there before all the tourists came and took over the place.

The Terrible Photographer

Have you heard of the Facebook group Crapfish Photography? It’s a thing… It’s full of blurry, overexposed, and all-round epically awful photos.

Well, the Terrible Photographer’s photos belong there. They don’t have a clue how to properly use their camera, having skipped the instruction manual and decided to wing it. Add to that the terrible buoyancy and coral destructive abilities. This type of diver is oblivious to their surroundings and tends to focus on getting the perfect shot rather than diving.

Only when showing off their photographic skills at the end of a dive, will they realize that they need a bit more practice. Need a picture of a fish with no head? No problem. Foggy picture because of the sand kicked up during the photo attempt? They have it covered!

Only when they get a bit too close to a moray eel, will they realize that they need to respect marine life. Maybe it’s a good idea to point them in the direction of the underwater photography specialty course.

The Dancing Spider

The Dancing Spider is a diver that needs constant attention! Turn your back for a few seconds and they’ve disappeared!

Look up..they’re floating to the surface, doing the spider dance in an attempt to get back down. With an inability to focus on their buoyancy, this type of diver has a habit of kicking the reef, their buddy, and the guide. They drink through their air due to their constant funky movements. They can also be known as the running astronaut as they struggle to stay horizontal. However, the Peak Performance Buoyancy course should sort this one out in no time!

The Fast and Furious

And they’re off!

Distracted by “something cool”, the Fast and Furious diver will happily exceed their depth limit to chase down a turtle. Forgetting the rest of the divers and with their dive buddy barely within sight, they are a hazard to themselves!

This type of diver seems under the assumption that it’s an underwater race and must get to the finish line first. They constantly need to be reminded to stay behind the guide and stay close to their dive buddy. Most of the time, they forget they even have a dive buddy. They may benefit by doing the Advanced Adventurer course where they can go to depths of 30 meters and learn more advanced skills that may slow them down

The Sea Slug

With the pace of an asthmatic snail, this type of diver only moves quickly when getting chased by a triggerfish. They are fascinated by EVERYTHING! Just like the banded sea snake, they tend to be a bit docile and will happily spend five minutes watching for a fish to blink.

All the gear, no idea

They may have the newest dive computer, the most color-coordinated dive gear, and top of the range camera. But do they know how to use them correctly? Not a clue! drifting through the depths with more dangly bits than a satellite, this is definitely a case of all the gear, no idea.

Similar, in style to ‘The Terrible Photographer’ for health and safety reasons, they should not be buddied together. 😉

The dive buddy system is there for a reason and although it’s very likely that you’ll end up diving with one of the above dive personalities, it’s your responsibility to be a role model. Gently let them know how they can improve and the possible danger/consequences of their actions. Hopefully, they won’t be making the same mistakes again.

When diving around Nusa Lembongan most dive centers will buddy you up with someone that is at your level. However, you might be unlucky.

Dive buddies can quickly become lifelong friends. You instantly have a common interest, and can easily forge a bond over your underwater encounters.