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.

Field note

Ask your buddy to show you how their weights release and where their alternate gas is—not merely point at it.

Equipment and gas

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

The dive plan

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

Make calling the dive ordinary

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.

Last reviewed 2026-09. Rules and seasons change; confirm current requirements with operators and authorities before travelling.

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