What is a recommended practice for diving with a buddy during night dives?

Maintaining constant visual contact with your buddy during night dives is essential for safety and effective communication. In reduced visibility conditions, including at night, having a clear line of sight to each other helps ensure that both divers can monitor each other's well-being and react promptly in case of any issues or emergencies. This practice minimizes the risk of becoming disoriented or lost, fostering a safer diving experience.

While splitting up to explore more or diving at a greater distance apart may seem appealing for maximizing the dive experience, these approaches significantly increase the risks involved, as they reduce the ability to assist or communicate with one another effectively. Using only hand signals might limit communication since visibility may be poor and could lead to confusion if divers cannot see each other's signals clearly. Therefore, maintaining visual contact is the best practice for buddy diving at night.