The Buddy System for San Diego Spearfishers: Rules That Save Lives

Every year, experienced freedivers and spearfishers die preventable deaths in California waters. The cause is almost always the same: shallow water blackout, and the victim was almost always diving alone. San Diego’s coastline sees a steady stream of these tragedies — divers found face-down at Sunset Cliffs, at La Jolla reefs, and offshore at Point Loma. The buddy system for San Diego spearfishers is not optional etiquette. It is the single most important safety rule in the sport, and deviating from it even once can be fatal.

What Is Shallow Water Blackout?

Shallow water blackout is loss of consciousness caused by hypoxia (low blood oxygen) during ascent from a breath-hold dive. Here’s the mechanism:

1. Before the dive, the diver’s blood oxygen is normal
2. During the dive, oxygen is consumed by working muscles
3. Increasing depth creates pressure that keeps blood oxygen artificially elevated
4. As the diver ascends, pressure drops — blood oxygen suddenly drops with it
5. The drop is rapid and provides no warning sensation — the diver feels fine one moment and is unconscious the next
6. The unconscious diver inhales water and drowns

Shallow water blackout is insidious because it feels like nothing is wrong. Divers report feeling comfortable and capable on their last breath before it happens. It is not preceded by the strong urge-to-breathe sensation most people expect. It is silent, sudden, and — without a buddy — always fatal.

The Non-Negotiable Rules

Rule 1: Never freedive alone. Not once. Not ever.

This applies at Point Loma kelp beds, at La Jolla shore entry, at Tourmaline in calm 15-foot water, and in your neighbourhood pool. There is no depth at which freediving alone is safe. Experienced divers die in shallow water. If you don’t have a buddy, you don’t dive.

Rule 2: One diver down at a time. Always.

The watch-one-dive-one protocol means exactly what it says. While you dive, your buddy is at the surface watching every second of your time underwater. Not resting, not looking at their phone, not checking their speargun. Watching you. This is the active role of the surface buddy.

If both divers descend simultaneously — even briefly — no one is watching. If one blows out at 20 feet on the ascent during those 60 seconds both divers were underwater, there is no one there to respond. This is how “buddy dives” end in drowning deaths.

Rule 3: The surface buddy watches the entire dive.

The most dangerous moment is the last 15 feet of ascent — when blood oxygen drops most rapidly. The surface buddy must be watching the diver as they approach the surface. At the first sign of unusual limpness, slowed movement, or unconsciousness — go.

Rule 4: Agree on maximum bottom time before every dive.

Before each dive, agree verbally: “If I’m not back at the surface in 2 minutes, come get me.” This establishes a specific trigger for buddy intervention, not just a vague sense that something might be wrong.

The Rescue Response: What to Do When a Buddy Blacks Out

Speed is everything. A freediver who blacks out has 2–3 minutes before brain damage begins.

Immediate steps:

1. Dive — go down immediately, don’t hesitate
2. Grab and ascend — grip the diver under the armpits and kick hard to the surface. Do not attempt to remove their mask or mouthpiece underwater.
3. Break the surface — get their face above water
4. Tilt and tap — tilt the head back (open the airway), give a firm sternal rub. If no response:
5. Give 2 rescue breaths — 1 second each, check for chest rise
6. Call for help — signal your dive flag, call out to nearby divers or boaters, get someone calling 911 and USCG Coast Guard (VHF channel 16)
7. Continue rescue breathing at 1 breath every 5 seconds while getting the victim to shore or a boat

Do not leave the victim alone. Do not wait to see if they recover without rescue breathing. Act immediately.

Buddy Communication Protocols for San Diego Conditions

At busy San Diego sites like the Point Loma outer kelp or La Jolla on a weekend, boat traffic, surface chop, and other divers create a challenging environment. Establish clear protocols:

• Signal for OK: Surface and give the OK signal (hand on top of head) after every dive — the buddy responds with OK before the next dive begins
• Float proximity: The buddy should be within 20 feet of the dive float at all times during active diving
• Float light: Night diving requires a lit float so the surface buddy can always identify your float position
• Whistle: Carry a whistle accessible without diving down — a surface emergency signal audible over boat noise

Finding Dive Buddies in San Diego

The San Diego Freedivers club, San Diego Underwater Hunters Association, and various diving Facebook and Instagram groups facilitate buddy connections. Formal freediving courses (AIDA 2+) include rescue training that makes your buddy genuinely prepared for an emergency rather than just a witness.

Check the Element app conditions score before every San Diego session and use high-score calm days for your buddied dives. Stress, exhaustion, and difficult conditions all increase blackout risk. Dive smart, dive with a buddy, and let the score guide your decisions.