The end of a dive is an easy time to lose track of your buddy. One diver starts ascending while the other is still putting equipment away. Someone stops to adjust buoyancy, and the other continues upward. At the safety stop, one computer finishes its countdown before the other, and suddenly the team is separated by fifteen feet of water. These situations are surprisingly common, usually because both divers are concentrating on their own ascent and assuming the other person is doing the same thing.
I prefer a little more coordination. We agree to ascend, stay reasonably close, and finish the dive together. That shouldn't require constant signaling or an elaborate procedure, but it does require both divers to pay attention to what the other is doing while remaining responsible for their own buoyancy and ascent rate.
Ascending Together
When it's time to ascend, I want my buddy close enough to communicate without swimming toward them. We check remaining gas, exchange an ascent signal, and acknowledge that we're both ready to leave. If someone is still putting away a camera, checking equipment, or adjusting buoyancy, we finish that before moving. If we're planning to deploy a delayed surface marker buoy (dSMB), we should also know who's handling it. I don't begin ascending simply because I've signaled that I'm ready. I want to know that my buddy is ready too.
I generally prefer to ascend facing my buddy or slightly staggered, close enough to exchange signals and observe what they're doing. The exact formation isn't particularly important as long as we're maintaining roughly the same depth and can communicate comfortably. Each diver manages their own buoyancy and ascent rate, venting expanding gas as necessary while monitoring their computer and their buddy. If my buddy pauses to make an adjustment, I'll usually pause too rather than continuing upward and expecting them to catch up.
Deploying a dSMB adds another task during an already busy part of the dive. When diving as a pair, I prefer one person to handle the buoy and spool while the other maintains position and watches the surroundings. The second diver stays clear of the line and out of the buoy's path, but remains close enough to communicate or assist if necessary. Once the buoy reaches the surface and the deploying diver has the line under control, we reestablish our positions and continue the ascent together.
For a typical recreational dive, we'll make a three-minute safety stop at approximately 15 to 20 feet. I prefer to face my buddy during the stop so we can monitor each other without constantly turning around. Our computers may not complete their countdowns at exactly the same time, particularly if one of us arrived a little deeper or spent a moment adjusting buoyancy. Provided we have adequate gas and conditions permit, I have no objection to waiting for my buddy's computer to finish.
When my computer indicates that the safety stop is complete, I wipe my flat hand back and forth over the screen, as though wiping it clean, to signal that I'm done. Once my buddy confirms their stop is complete, we check above us and begin the final ascent together. The last fifteen feet are an important part of decompression, with a substantial reduction in ambient pressure still ahead of us. I prefer to cover that distance slowly rather than hurry to the surface. After surfacing, we establish positive buoyancy and confirm that we're both comfortable before worrying about the boat, signaling, or swimming to our exit. The mechanics of maintaining depth during the stop are covered separately in How to Perform a Proper Safety Stop.
When Things Go Wrong
If my buddy is having difficulty maintaining depth, I'd rather stop and give them a moment to regain control than continue upward and create a separation problem. That assumes we're both able to hold our positions safely. Small buoyancy problems can usually be managed without much disruption, but there is a limit to how far I'll adjust my ascent to accommodate another diver. If my buddy loses control and begins rising rapidly, I won't follow at an unsafe rate. I need to maintain control of my own ascent, even if that means reaching the surface separately.
If we lose visual contact, we follow our agreed lost-buddy procedure rather than making large, uncontrolled changes in depth trying to find each other. A serious gas problem may also require changing the ascent plan. If remaining gas becomes inadequate for completing a recreational safety stop, I'll prioritize a controlled ascent over staying underwater to finish a precautionary stop. Required decompression obligations are a separate matter and need to be managed under the appropriate emergency procedures.
For me, a good team ascent is relatively uneventful. Both divers remain aware of each other, make the occasional adjustment to stay together, and reach the surface without either person having to chase the other or wonder where their buddy went.