Buddy system (always dive with one)

The buddy system is the practice of diving with another person for mutual safety. You must always have a partner present during every descent and ascent. This rule applies to all recreational diving from Koh Tao to Komodo. It affects how you manage your air and how you monitor your depth. If your regulator fails at 25 m, your buddy provides the backup air source.

A common mistake is failing to check your partner’s gear before the dive. I saw a diver in Cebu in 2019 lose his mask because he forgot to check his strap tension. Always perform a formal buddy check before you enter the water. Check their air gauge and mask. This takes only 60 seconds. It saves lives when things go wrong.