The phrase “Two heads are better than one” is never truer than when you engage in diving. There are multiple reasons why it makes perfect sense to have a buddy even when you’re diving in Cebu, which is known to be a completely safe place.

Buddies are:

A must when you are a beginner. Novice divers are always paired with an experienced or expert diver including an instructor when they are already in open waters. It does not matter how much time you spend on training in swimming pools, the seas and oceans are an entirely different playground, so to speak. There, you have to deal with currents, presence of different marine creatures, weather conditions, etc., which can seriously affect your diving experience.

Safety. Again, many things can happen to you when you are underwater: loss of oxygen, cramps, feet getting caught on nets or tight spots, or strong currents that can steer you away from your dive spot. While a buddy cannot 100 percent guarantee for your safety – YOU ARE STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN – they can significantly decrease your worry, provide you comfort, and, most of all, look out for your safety.

Hopefully, by now, you understand why a diving Cebu buddy is awesome. What we have to talk about is how to choose one. I have some pointers right here:

Ask help from the dive shop. This is especially true if you are diving alone, or you just do not know another person who dives. Dive shops have experts and instructors they can recommend. Besides, nobody else knows the open waters in the area than they do.

Find someone you can communicate with. Your diving buddy should be able to talk to you properly inside or outside the water. You have to bear in mind that everything from here on out will be about great communication. Fortunately, in the Philippines, particularly in Cebu, many of them are excellent English speakers, and some have learned at least basic foreign languages. They can also teach you some signs you can do underwater for different scenarios.

Trust your gut. There is no amount of experience and skill that will ever overshadow the kind of potential personal relationship you can have with a diving buddy. You will be making memories with this person, so you want to ensure that he is worth it.

Ask yourself these questions: How does he act in front of you? How about when he is with other instructors? What kind of assistance can he provide to you? Does he offer you encouraging words or assure you that he will keep you safe throughout the dive?

The last thing you want to encounter is someone who can compromise your safety. He may leave you on your own devices when he sees something good, or he may force you to do things that may still be beyond your capability.

Having a diving buddy is part of the whole experience, so while it is necessary, pick the right person to share it with.