There’s something magical about shore diving. No boat schedules. No seasick tourists feeding the fish. Just you, your buddy, and the humbling realization that carrying scuba gear across a beach is basically CrossFit with worse footwear.

A good dive buddy can make a dive unforgettable for all the right reasons. A bad dive buddy? That’s how stories begin with phrases like, “So there I was…” and end with someone buying apology drinks afterward.