Diving against time or air limits normally?

[LivBlue]

All things considered like depth, temp, conditions, ect as not something I'm asking about in this question. (As I know they can make a huge diff in how long air last)

Are dives normally taken with a time limit in mind such as, being down for 35mins or meet back at the boat at 4:35pm, or head back to shore in 15 mins or is it more like...
Dive down and compare routinely and stay as long as the group has air?

I ask because I'm a few weeks out from starting class. And I've been on here reading a lot and it seems people get pretty stressed out over their buddies amount of air left. I get why so I'm not asking that. But what I'm getting at is lets say the average human diver gets 45 mins of air out of a tank (totally made up umber I have no idea what an average would be) wouldn't most dive operations with a DM plan to dive appox 30 mins and surface? Just so air under normal conditions couldn't even be an issue?

As I've never been on a dive of course I worry I'd be the air hog and make my whole group have to surface, or if instabuddy paired I'd be the one who would hit 500psi and he'd still have 1500 and could be disappointed that he could have staid longer.

Anyway long story short for the most part while diving with an operation should you be worried that you might run outa air before they'd typically want you back or have lead you back to the pick up/surface anyway?

Thanks in advance for info

 

[Cave Diver]

As a new diver, air was typically my limiting factor for how long a dive was. Now it's food.

Relax, and don't worry if you have to surface earlier. I'd much rather a buddy who called a dive early because they were getting to their limit on gas than one who tried to push to the very last and we end up with an emergency on our hands.

 

[EastEndDiver]

If you are going to start a class soon,I am assuming you are not certified, just relax and listen to the instructor.Don't worry about what could happen down the road.Enjoy the class ask your instructor any questions you might have throughout the entire class.Diving is a fun activity don't burden yourself at this point with any uneccesary "worrying".All things will fall into place as you start to learn,all questions will probably be answered by your instructor and if you have more questions ask him thats his job .Go into the class with the idea of having fun and enjoying yourself.

 

[soltari675]

I find that my air seems to be my limiting factor most of the time. And that's ok. Your dive buddy will be much happier surfacing because you are low on air, than they will surfacing while sharing air because you never told them you were low. Some operations like the one I just went with in Florida will just have your surface on your own when you get low if you are comfortable doing that. On others, your buddy will surface with you. But again, that's ok. It was still a good dive.

 

[Bubble_Boy]

Patience, all will be answered soon

 

[LivBlue]

Patience, all will be answered soon

Ha that's crazy talk! Forums are for worrying about everything

 

[xyrandomyx]

I'm only a little less of a beginner than you, but I can answer from my limited experience:

I've been on dives where the plan has been a time limit and air limit. So, something like 'start heading back to the boat after 45 minutes or when the first person in the group reaches 70 bar'. I've been on others where the plan was to follow a specific route, which would take a certain estimated amount of time -- those were shallow shore dives and even for an inexperienced diver like me air was not a limiting factor. I've been on one where the plan was to swim around near the boat until the first person got cold (we were there to see seals, there's not much else to sea in the area) -- again a shallow dive, so we were sure that cold would end the dive before air.

So, um, I guess there really are lots of variations on planning a dive. But all of them are going to take air into account (I'd hope no-one actually plans on running out).

Being a beginner diver, I'm generally the biggest air hog in a group. I always let the others know this. No-one's had a problem with it at all. If they did, I give them ample opportunity to make another plan before we get in the water.

 

[scubajim 1]

Measure your dives by enjoyment not time. I'll bet you surface with a huge grin after every dive and that's what's important!

 

[sumpdiver]

Technical diving has a saying that anyone can call the dive at any time for any reason with no negative consequences .

 

[Insta-Gator]

First thing you need to grasp in your class is that all dives have a dive plan. The dive plan is to be clearly understood by everyone on the dive. So, the plan needs to include both time limits (you'll learn about this) and air limits. If you're the first one to turning pressure (amount of air (psi) at which everyone agreed to turn back toward the exit point) then that is perfectly ok and expected. Enjoy. It's going to be a lot of fun (if you don't worry too much )