How to Be a Good Dive Buddy (Without Becoming “That Diver”)
Updated: May 21
There are few relationships in life built on more trust than scuba diving buddies. One minute you’re discussing fish identification and snack preferences, and the next you’re voluntarily jumping into the ocean together wearing 40 pounds of equipment while breathing compressed air.
Friendship evolves quickly underwater.
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.
Whether you’re a newly certified diver or a seasoned bubble-blower with thousands of dives logged, here’s your humorous — but surprisingly accurate — guide to being the kind of dive buddy people actually want to dive with again.
Rule #1: The Buddy Check Is Not Optional
Yes, we know. You’ve done this a hundred times. Yes, your gear is probably assembled correctly. No, “vibes” are not an acceptable replacement for a pre-dive safety check.
The buddy check exists because human beings are wonderfully capable of forgetting incredibly important things. Like turning on air tanks. Or clipping in weight pockets. Or remembering where they put their mask five seconds ago.
A proper buddy check takes a few minutes.
An improper buddy check can lead to interpretive underwater panic dancing.
Take the time.
Rule #2: Stay Close Enough to Actually Be a Buddy
If your buddy can’t find you because you’ve rocketed 200 feet ahead chasing a turtle, congratulations — you are no longer a dive buddy. You are now a marine wildlife with fins.
Good buddies stay aware of each other’s location, pace, air consumption, and general comfort level. Diving isn’t a solo sport performed near another person “technically.”
And remember:
Constantly kicking your slower buddy in the face with your fins = rude.
Swimming directly over your photographer buddy during the perfect shot = criminal.
Vanishing entirely and reappearing 15 minutes later like an underwater magician = unacceptable.
Maintain visual contact.
Nobody enjoys playing “Find My Diver” underwater.
Rule #3: Air Consumption Is Not a Competitive Sport
There is always one diver who surfaces proudly announcing they still had 2,400 PSI left.
Cool. Amazing. Congratulations on apparently photosynthesizing underwater.
A good dive buddy doesn’t shame others for air consumption. People breathe differently based on experience, fitness, anxiety levels, depth, currents, excitement, and whether a shark unexpectedly appeared five minutes earlier.
The goal is not “winning air.” The goal is surfacing safely without sounding like Darth Vader halfway through the dive.
Rule #4: Communicate Like a Functional Human
Underwater communication is already weird.
We’ve all agreed that:
A thumbs-up means “go up.”
A flat hand wobble means “sort of.”
Pointing excitedly at things is universally acceptable.
Wild arm flailing generally means “something has gone terribly wrong.”
Good dive buddies communicate clearly and frequently. Check air. Confirm direction. Ask if your buddy is okay. And if you accidentally signal “shark” when you meant “look at this tiny shrimp,” prepare to lose credibility for the remainder of the trip.
Forever, possibly.
Rule #5: Don’t Touch Everything
Coral is not underwater furniture.
Marine life is not waiting to cuddle you.
And absolutely nobody needs to see you attempting to ride a sea turtle for social media content.
A good dive buddy protects the environment and avoids becoming “that tourist” divers complain about afterward during lunch.
Take photos. Admire respectfully. Float calmly like the majestic ocean potato you were born to be.
Rule #6: Equalize Early, Equalize Often
Nothing ruins a dive faster than pretending your ears are fine when they are very clearly not fine. Your buddy does not want to watch you ascend unexpectedly while making the facial expression of someone regretting every life decision that led to this moment.
If something feels wrong:
Signal it.
Slow down.
Fix it before continuing.
Good dive buddies would rather spend an extra minute descending slowly than spend the evening discussing their barotrauma over tacos.
Rule #7: The Post-Dive Debrief Is Sacred
Half the fun of diving happens after the dive.
This is when divers:
Dramatically exaggerate fish sizes
Debate what species they definitely saw
Compare photos
Re-live near-perfect buoyancy moments
Pretend they weren’t slightly startled by that barracuda
A good dive buddy participates enthusiastically in the post-dive storytelling tradition. Even if your buddy’s “massive shark” was actually a medium-sized tarpon.
Support their journey.
Final Thoughts: Be the Buddy You’d Want to Dive With
At the end of the day, being a great dive buddy comes down to awareness, communication, patience, and mutual respect.
Also snacks. Never underestimate the value of a buddy who brings snacks.
The best dive buddies make you feel safer, calmer, and more confident underwater. They help turn ordinary dives into unforgettable adventures and stressful moments into manageable ones.
And if you’re lucky, they’ll also help you remember where you left your fins.
Again.
Do you have any tips to share? Leave it in the comments below!
Happy and safe diving!
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