Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde dive guides

[Landau]

Using “Body language like a traffic cop” seems appropriate to me for divers who aren’t following the guide or staying with their buddy.

 

[johndiver999]

Using “Body language like a traffic cop” seems appropriate to me for divers who aren’t following the guide or staying with their buddy.

I tend to scream at buddies in an attempt to communicate. Sometimes it works, other times maybe not.

However, the intent of hand signals underwater (and body language and eye contact and body positionsing) is ALL useful as a means of communication. If the guy was not making obscene gestures and simply was "overly dramatic in his gestures" I don't think I could get too offended by it.

If I were leading a dive and told people to swim over open bottom at a specified depth (or simply said stay at my level) I would be quite unhappy if some people arbitrarily fail to follow that guideline. Racking up more deco or consuming more gas can easily screw up a pretty well orchestrated dive plan, especially if other people follow the lost sheep's behavior.

 

[Maolli]

Using “Body language like a traffic cop” seems appropriate to me for divers who aren’t following the guide or staying with their buddy.

Do you think 5 meters (or less) separation in clear water is too far? Or expecting promised long bottom times to be adhered to?

Getting slightly ahead and below the guide was "out of line" pun intended but again the way I was communicated with is the issue. Not offensive simply over the top.

 

[Maolli]

Racking up more deco or consuming more gas can easily screw up a pretty well orchestrated dive plan, especially if other people follow the lost sheep's behavior.

In this situation we were swimming towards the wreck the guide was at about 7 meters I was a bit lower. Not racking up any significant Nitrogen load at those depths.

 

[johndiver999]

In this situation we were swimming towards the wreck the guide was at about 7 meters I was a bit lower. Not racking up any significant Nitrogen load at those depths.

Do you have issues with authority figures?

 

[johndiver999]

If you choose to dive in situations where you are not running the dive, the vessel and the dive plan and instead abdicate all these responsibilities to "professionals" and jump in the water with a bunch of foreign tourists, you can't be so surprised that you are treated as one.

I have not done a dive from a charter boat in over 10 years, except this summer for one tank - as a foreign tourist.

I too had a hard time playing follow the leader, staying a satisfactory distance from my instabuddy, not dropping down an extra 10 -15 feet to film a fish under the stern for 20 seconds, etc. However, I had pity on the DM who was herding cats and I was a lot more feline than not.

I've lead many hundreds of dives, it is just so much safer, efficient and less stressful if customers make a diligent effort to follow the plan. Hand gestures need to be clear and dramatic to ensure communication.

 

[Landau]

Do you think 5 meters (or less) separation in clear water is too far?

Not necessarily, but the OP says “5 - 10 meters”

 

[Maolli]

Not necessarily, but the OP says “5 - 10 meters”

Obviously I don't recall the precise distance but whatever it was, we weren't that far apart. Nothing to raise alarm bells.

 

[Bubblesong]

Obviously I don't recall the precise distance but whatever it was, we weren't that far apart. Nothing to raise alarm bells.

Only one time i needed a buddy, my first stage blew off, and all my air was venting in a couple minutes, my buddy was close enough to tug his fin for help, for which I’m glad i didn’t have to chase an oblivious “same ocean buddy”, who had a ten meter head start on me.

 

[Maolli]

Only one time i needed a buddy, my first stage blew off, and all my air was venting in a couple minutes, my buddy was close enough to tug his fin for help, for which I’m glad i didn’t have to chase an oblivious “same ocean buddy”, who had a ten meter head start on me.

I'd never be more than a couple of minutes from a buddy. Depending on the depth I might be a meter or two away on a deep wreck to as many as 10 meters on a shallow reef dive.

I don't know maybe 10 meters is considered unsafe by many no matter the conditions.