Australian diving guide
The Australian Dive Buddy Checklist
A concise pre-dive conversation covering equipment, separation, gas, navigation and the point at which either diver turns the dive.
A buddy check is most useful when it exposes different assumptions. Divers may use unfamiliar releases, different computers, long hoses or integrated weights even when both are experienced.
The conversation should be specific enough that either diver can act without inventing a plan underwater.
Confirm cylinder pressure and gas, releases, inflation sources, weights, alternate gas and computer settings.
- analyse and label Nitrox
- agree minimum and turn pressure
- check valves are fully usable
- identify cutting devices
- confirm SMB and reel ownership
Agree leader, route, depth, time, separation procedure, ascent reference and reserve. State personal limits or concerns before entering.
- who leads and who navigates
- where the turn occurs
- lost buddy duration
- low-on-gas signal and response
- surface pickup or exit
Either diver can end the dive for any reason. Saying that aloud reduces the pressure to justify discomfort underwater.
Frequently asked questions
Do experienced divers still need buddy checks?
Yes. Familiarity with one's own equipment does not create familiarity with a new buddy's setup or assumptions.
What is the best buddy-check acronym?
Use the current method taught by your agency, but make sure it covers releases, air or gas, buoyancy, weights and the final equipment check.
What should happen after separation?
Agree the procedure before the dive and follow local/operator rules. A common approach is a brief search followed by a controlled ascent, but the exact plan must be understood in advance.