Pre-Dive Buddy Checks: A Simple Habit That Saves Lives

As part of their training, all divers are introduced to pre-dive buddy checks. It is a fundamental safety routine, typically remembered using the acronym BWRAF: Buoyancy, Weights, Releases, Air, Final checks. Over the years, divers have come up with all sorts of memorable phrases to help recall it, some printable, some not.

Despite how basic this process is, its importance is sometimes underestimated.

In my early diving days, particularly when diving with holiday operators in warm, clear waters, the need for thorough buddy checks was not always strongly emphasized. It was not until I joined Kilmarnock SAC, part of ScotSAC, around 25 years ago that I truly understood their value and the culture of safety behind them.

There is a world of difference between holiday diving and diving in Scottish waters. Conditions are more challenging, visibility can be limited, and the margin for error is far smaller. In these environments, good habits are not optional, they are essential.

One of the biggest risks in diving is complacency. After logging many dives, it becomes easy to rush through checks or assume everything is in order. That is when mistakes happen.

I was reminded of this during a pool training session not too long ago. I completed my checks with a trainee and entered the water first, as is standard practice. Everything seemed fine until I submerged and found myself struggling to breathe properly.

The issue was simple but serious. My tank valve had only been slightly opened. My gauge showed a full cylinder, but I had not paid close enough attention while taking my test breaths before entering the water. Fortunately, I was in a shallow pool, so there were no consequences beyond a shaken confidence.

That moment brought back memories of two similar incidents from earlier in my diving career.

On one occasion, I had only logged a handful of dives when an instructor leading me suddenly began gesturing frantically and pointing behind him. I had no idea what he was trying to communicate. Moments later, he signaled that he was aborting and made a rapid ascent.

His tank valve had also only been partially opened. It appeared fine on the surface, but at depth, the restriction meant he could not get enough air. That left me alone at around 10 meters, still a beginner and unsure of what had just happened. It was not a comfortable situation.

Years later, during a liveaboard trip in the Red Sea at the Brothers Islands, I witnessed a more serious scenario. The group consisted of experienced divers, and due to strong surface currents, we carried out a negative entry to descend quickly below the current.

We dropped rapidly. At around 8 meters, I noticed one diver kicking hard back toward the surface. His air was not turned on. He could not breathe and was unable to inflate his BCD. On that dive, the risk was very real.

Thankfully, in both cases, the situations were resolved without injury. But they could easily have ended differently.

What stands out to me from these experiences is not just the oversight itself, but how quickly things can escalate, even for experienced divers. In both incidents, neither diver attempted to access their buddy’s alternate air source. It is a stark reminder that when panic sets in, even well-practiced training can fall away.

These moments reinforced a simple truth for me. Buddy checks are not a formality. They are a critical safety step that should never be rushed or skipped.

No matter how experienced you are, no matter how many dives you have logged, the risks do not go away. If anything, familiarity can make them easier to overlook.

Take the time. Check properly. Check each other.

It is a simple habit that can make all the difference.