The buddy system

Never dive alone

Every freediving death is a solo dive. All of them. The buddy system isn't etiquette — it's the difference between a blackout and a funeral.

buddy    within arm's reach at the surface
watch    eyes on the diver, always
meet     at depth, ascend together
recover  know the surface protocol cold

What a buddy does

You watch the last ten meters like the dive depends on it. Because it does.