If you or your buddy runs low on air during a dive, communicate and ascend together.

How should you respond if you or your buddy runs low on air during a dive?

• A. Ignore the situation and continue diving
• B. Surface immediately
• C. Communicate the situation and ascend together if necessary
• D. Panic and swim to the surface

Answer: (C)

In the event that either you or your buddy runs low on air during a dive, the appropriate response is to communicate the situation and, if necessary, ascend together. Effective communication is crucial in diving for ensuring safety. By informing your buddy of the low air situation, you can devise a plan to ascend safely, which is typically done in a controlled manner. Ascending together allows both divers to monitor each other's buoyancy and ensure that they are ascending at a safe rate, which is important for preventing decompression sickness. Additionally, ascending together allows the divers to stay close in case help is needed. The situation must be handled calmly and deliberate actions taken rather than ignoring the problem, which can lead to dangerous outcomes, or panicking, which increases the risk of accidents. Surfacing immediately without a planned ascent could lead to rapid ascents that can cause serious injury. Therefore, the correct decision prioritizes communication and safety throughout the dive experience.

Outline

• Hook: A real-life moment when air gets tight, and choices matter.

• Core idea: The right move is to communicate and, if needed, ascend with your buddy.

• Step-by-step plan: recognize, signal, decide, and act together; keep buoyancy in check; use your air-sharing tools if trained.

• Signals and safety: simple communication, controlled ascent, and a safety stop when possible.

• Common mistakes to avoid: panic, ignoring the situation, or separating from your buddy.

• Real-world touchpoints: mental prep, practice scenarios, and keeping things calm underwater.

• Closing thought: teamwork under pressure is your best gear.

How to respond when air gets tight: talk, plan, and rise as a team

Let me explain it straight: when either you or your buddy starts running low on air, the smart move isn’t to pretend nothing’s happening. It isn’t to sprint for the surface, either. The right move is to communicate the situation and, if needed, ascend together. That simple idea—keep talking, stay together, and move with purpose—can make the difference between a smooth, safe ascent and a risky situation.

Why that answer makes sense

Here’s the thing about air management. It’s not just about numbers on a gauge; it’s about keeping your partner in the loop. When you’re in a two-person team, you’re not just diving solo with a backup bottle. You’re a unit. If one of you is short on air, you both need to know so you can adjust the plan together. Communicating early allows you to choose the safest path—whether that means a conservative ascent with a safety stop or a direct ascent to surface if conditions call for it.

Plus, ascending together helps you watch each other’s buoyancy and breathing. It’s easier to stay together when you’re both aware of each other’s status. And if something unexpected pops up—sudden currents, a snag, or gear snag—staying close lets you lend a hand quickly rather than scrambling apart.

The step-by-step playbook you can actually use

1. Recognize and confirm

• Keep an eye on your air gauge and your buddy’s gauge. If either of you notices the number dropping to a level that worries you, it’s time to act.

• Don’t wait for a dramatic signal. A calm, quick acknowledgment like, “I’m low on air,” sets the stage for the plan.

2. Communicate clearly

• Use simple, agreed-upon signals to confirm the situation. If you’re trained to share air, signal that you’re ready to exchange air if needed.

• Say the plan out loud in a single breath: “You okay? We’re good to ascend?” Even in a busy environment, a short, direct chat reduces confusion.

3. Decide together, then act

• If you’re both fine, you might keep the current plan. If not, decide to ascend together.

• Do a controlled ascent. Keep an eye on depth, ascend slowly, and avoid rushing to the surface. A gradual rise helps prevent decompression issues and makes it easier to monitor each other.

4. Use air-sharing tools if appropriate

• If you have an alternate air source and training to use it, switch over as needed. This is the moment where gear and training meet practical safety.

• If you don’t have to share air, that’s okay—your buddy can monitor your status while you both ascend. The goal is to stay coordinated and calm.

5. Watch the ascent and consider a safety stop

• Once you begin the ascent, keep your movements smooth and controlled. Stay close enough so you can respond if the other diver needs help.

• If you’re still deeper than about 5 meters (15 feet) when you decide to stop, a brief safety stop of 3 minutes is a common precaution. If you’re near the surface, you might skip the stop, but do so only when it’s safe to finish the ascent calmly.

6. Post-ascent calm-down and review

• After you surface, take a breath, sip some water, and talk through what happened. Review what worked and what could be done better next time.

• If you’re in a training group or on a guided trip, share the experience with an instructor or guide so you can learn from it together.

What not to do (and why)

• Don’t ignore the problem. Pretending nothing is happening can let the situation worsen and reduce your options.

• Don’t panic. Panic makes you breathe harder, waste air, and lose track of depth and position.

• Don’t leave your buddy behind. Separating at depth removes the safety net you’ve built with your partner.

• Don’t surface without a plan. A rushed, unanticipated ascent can import a whole set of risks, including rapid breathing, barotrauma, or decompression stress.

A quick mental model you can carry with you

Think of air as a shared resource you protect together. If one person signals a problem, the other person steps into a “we’re in this together” mindset. That mindset guides your signals, your pacing, and your choices about when to rise. It’s not drama; it’s practical teamwork.

A few practical touches you’ll notice in real-world settings

• Signals matter. The scuba world has a few standard signs for air issues and for “let’s ascend.” If you and your buddy have practiced them, you’ll move faster and with less doubt when it counts.

• Buoyancy control isn’t optional; it’s essential. When you’re handling low air, you’ll want to stay neutral or slightly positive to stay with your buddy and avoid smashing into the reef or getting knocked into a bad current.

• Subtle gear checks save lives. Before you even enter the water, do a quick nozzle-to-nose check: regulator, tanks, gauges, and what you’ll do if air is running low. The BWRAF-style pre-dive checks aren’t just for beginners; they’re good habits for everyone.

A little digression that helps make it feel real

I’ve seen this play out on a few underwater trips. Once, a buddy signaled low air during a calm, shallow section of a reef. We kept the plan simple: we confirmed, then ascended together, staying close to the reef edge so we never lost contact with the bottom. It didn’t need drama—just clear talk and a deliberate pace. Another time, a newer diver hesitated, and the other teammate stepped in with a calm, guiding voice and a quicker ascent plan. The outcome was better because they communicated early and moved as a team. The scenery stayed gorgeous, and no one felt rushed or scared. That’s what proactive communication does—it preserves the moment and keeps everyone safe.

What you can practice now to be ready

• Run through a buddy-air scenario in a pool or calm open water with a qualified instructor. Practice the signals, the calm verbal checks, and the air-sharing steps if your program includes them.

• Do mini-resets during your surface interval: talk through how you’d handle a low-air scenario on the next session. A quick mental rehearsal helps when the real thing happens.

• Review your equipment with your buddy: check your SPG, confirm where your alternate air source is, and confirm your planned ascent profile for common depths you train at.

Final takeaway

When air runs low, the best move is to communicate the situation and, if necessary, ascend together. It’s a straightforward rule, but it hinges on calm minds, clear signals, and steady teamwork. You’re not just two divers; you’re a team with a shared goal: reach the surface safely, with both of you intact, and with a story you can learn from together.

If you keep that approach in mind, you’ll find these moments become routine rather than alarming. You’ll be ready to handle them with the same confidence you bring to any other aspect of your training. And you’ll enjoy the water even more, knowing you’ve got the capacity to manage real-world challenges—together.