On Wed, 5 Feb 2003 18:35:50 John Nitrox <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>Okay, before reading the current discussion,  my notion of the ideal dive
>buddy was a small woman (but big enough to use an 80) in her 30s or 40s
>with big hair, water resistant eye make-up, low sac, who has a good
>personality, gets along with my wife, takes photographs, moves slowly, is
>slightly more risk adverse than I am, and is an amateur naturalist with 10
>or more years of diving experience, and who has never needed
>assistance,  has a hard time imagining ever needing it, and is curious
>about the wine list and the cuisine.

Boy, that sure is some Superr Woman you've dreamed up ;-)

>Now, I see there are things I have left out. My ideal dive buddy also is
>a Water Safety Instructor, knows C.P.R., carries little hard candies for
>surface intervals, can swim two miles in fresh water in an hour without
>fins, mask, or snorkel, can and will snorkel for six hours with
>enthusiasm, and can freedive to forty+ feet.  Also she should show up on
>dives once in a while to give perspective and interest to pictures.

Ok, got that wrong .. you need Wonder Woman :-)

>I'm curious who other people ideally want as dive buddies and am
>always interested in refining my preferences.

Mine are pretty basic - ideally he would have to be tall & handsome (the
later for uw model purposes of course ;-)), gives me space uw (I'm more
than comfortable with within-eyesight-range as I don't dive in places where
a buddyline is required due to bad viz), can entertain himself while I'm
taking piccies (have the patience of a saint) and always on the alert for
the unusual that he would know I would stampede over others to get a photo
of ;-).  There's probably more if I think real hard but why strain my
brain .. I'm more than happy with the above :-)

>BTW, I have no idea why the women who fit the bill would be willing to
>dive with me, but, hey, it's happened, and surprisingly often.  Ain't
>life grand!

Because you're a nice guy, who would help anyone in need, and it's fun to
share the experience of new territory uw.  Well, it's been that way for You
& I every time we've met up for a dive :-)
Viv