Well, I am finishing up my Rescue Diver and hopefully going to have my Dive Master by the end of the season. I made a promise to my son that I would be an instructor by the time he turns 12 next year, so that I can get him certified. It was a real let down that when we were suiting up to get in the water and do my dives that we had to cancel due to a lost diver. Yes, I said a lost diver.
It took over an hour to locate this diver, who when he came out of the water did not think there was anything wrong with just going off on your own and doing whatever you want to do after starting a dive with a "new" dive buddy that has never done a dive with him before.
Look people, safety is the key word here. No one wants to have to find a floating body. Everyone knows the rules. If you lose your dive buddy, search for him for no more than a minute, then surface and wait on your dive buddy to do the same. You can rejoin and finish your dive. You should not be under there alone, and even divers with Solo cards will tell you the same thing. Ensure that you cover this with anyone in which you dive. "If you can`t find each other search for no more than 1 minute, then surface” I would much rather go back down with my dive buddy than find more people to go and find him.
Some divers think that they are above the safety rules of diving, and this little story shows how one person’s stupid decision effects a lot more than just him.