Being of Sound Mind...

[offthewall1]

As new divers you have a tendency to defer to those around you who are supposed to be more experienced. You are taught to listen to dive operators because they know their area best and if they tell you something, they know what they're talking about.

DONT BELIEVE THE HYPE

On my recent journey to a very well known and traveled to carribean destination, diving with a very experienced operation and crew, I discovered that sometimes those who are supposed to know... are more like Schultz... "they know Nothing."

The seas were rough (8-10' swells) and I do have to give props to the crew for taking us out in those conditions. They knew our group could handle it and they went where other boats on the island didn't dare venture these few days. The problem was that they insisted on having a tag line (AKA drift line) off the back of the boat... and for some unknown reason insisted that to reboard the boat, we come up as a group, hold onto the tag line, remove our fins, hand them to a divemaster in the water, then climb up the ladder.

On the first day, we quickly dubbed the tag line - the TANGLE line as it wrapped around everyone almost to a person... goat caught on peoples knives as they climnbed ladder, made one guy trip and fall onto the deck, while untangling herself another diver had her face smashed by the ladder... etc... etc...

Now being an Instructor and a person who dives routinely in these conditions, I advised against the use of the line in advance and I also advised against it's use in the future... but they insisted this was best. personally I just waited for everyone to get back on the boat and I exited last by grabbing the low rung of the ladder, removing my fins and walking up... no tangle... no injury. The divemaster gave me crap for not following the program and I laughed in her face.

The boat Captain and the divemaster had a discussion and the next couple of days the tangle line was gone... and people reboarded the boat without incident.

So just keep in mind... when you go diving. If something doesn't look right... it may not be right. Dive Safe... Dive Fun... Dive Long & prosper...

 

[fdog]

Well.

I, however, have found the tag line to be an excellent way to place myself into a boarding configuration without being thrashed over the head, or, being yanked up and down through the water column.

Like all techniques, it may not occasionally be the right thing to do, but <shrugs> it has been about 99% of the time.

All the best, James

 

[Rick Inman]

The divemaster gave me crap for not following the program and I laughed in her face.

Their boat. Their rules. Even though you proclaim to know more and better than them, laughing in their face? You're lucky they didn't toss you off the boat - and justifiably so.

If you don't like their protocols, don't dive with them. As an instructor, are you really sending the right message to the less experienced divers on the boat as to how to treat the crew?

I would suggest sending them an apology letter.

 

[TSandM]

I've found a tag line very helpful in maintaining position with respect to the boat, without having to swim hard, or take the risk of getting too close to someone going up the ladder.

In calm water, you don't need it, but in current, it's awfully nice.

It just takes being attentive and careful to avoid entanglement in line.

 

[Prostar]

As a rule, I never hand my fins off in rough seas. I have been knocked off the ladder enough times and found my self too far to kick back without fins.

As for the tag line, I have appreciated it already in strong current situations.



TSandM, you slipped that one in while I was typing. Can you hear an echo?

 

[lmorin]

,,,,,,,
Like all techniques, it may not occasionally be the right thing to do, but <shrugs> it has been about 99% of the time.
......

Right. But, I think the point of the OP really concerned the other 1%. Implicit in the post is that, under the conditions of that particular dive, there was a better way to return to the boat than following a procedure that was almost certainly appropriate for the other 99%.

I, for one, never hand my fins up to the DM. I always slip my hands through the straps and carry them up myself, one hanging from each forearm. Safer, easier and it also means that I do not have to wait while the DM completes some other task.

 

[Bobyjimmie]

My dad always taught me, you can be right as rain but if you look wrong (arguing with the boat operator/owner and laughing in their face) you are wrong. Way to represent the dive community proffesionally.

I agree that dive operator shouldnt have taken you out again and by posting this in the new diver forum you may be giving off the wrong idea to newer divers how to behave on someone elses boat. As for the tag line, it has its place like everything else does.

 

[rawls]

What were you doing out in 8-10 foot seas...You all shouldn't have needed a current line...You shouldn't have been out there in the first place...Good gracious...Agreed...this thread would be best not put in this forum...

 

[Damselfish]

So just keep in mind... when you go diving. If something doesn't look right... it may not be right.

Ignoring details of the example one way or another, I think this idea is what the OP was trying to express to new divers? It's been said often before in other ways and is a very good thing for new divers to hear. A new diver could assume a DM is more experienced and always right and should be obeyed - when in fact they may be very short on common sense or just doing what someone told them to do.

Of course being a jerk about something is counterproductive, but if someone insists you do something you consider a problem, silently obeying like sheep isn't the best idea either. If someone had gotten injured and came here complaining they got injured because the DM insisted they do something against their better judgement, but they did it anyway because that's what they were told, they'd be getting slammed for not taking responsibility for themselves.

 

[caseybird]

8-10 foot seas. Sure.