Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde dive guides

[DutchDiverDude]

I'd never be more than a couple of minutes from a buddy.

This way of thinking worries me a lot.
I want my buddy to be aware of where I am, and capable of immediately intervening if something happens. Not that it is needed a lot (it shouldn't), but my buddy is my 'safety belt'. I need him to be there for the rare chance that I need help. That's the sole reason we dive in buddy pairs. Things DO happen underwater, even if not often. A friend recently had a diver in his group where a LP hose ripped during a dive, and I've had a HP hose failure just this week.
Even a minute is a LOT in an unexpected out of air situation. "a few minutes" is seriously not OK. I wouldn't do a 2nd dive with someone that just went their own way without communicating with their buddy.

I've dived with one experienced diver that doesn' t do well with authority. He was complaining about everything the guide said and did, and behind their back ridiculing their 'strictness' or rules. He clearly did not understand the implications of his behavior. I'm not saying you are like this, but without further context we get a very one-sided view that does sound a lot like it. We won't be able to judge based on only your messages. I hope I am wrong.

Usually you get a choice: dive unguided or with dive guide. If you go with the guide, you follow the guide. If you don't, then there are pre-discussed rules for the dive that they expect you to follow (direction, depth and time most likely).
The guide is responsible for all divers. Especially if one guide is guiding more than 2 buddy pairs, it's easy to lose track. Help the guide by being predictable and following the instructions. There is a dive briefing for a reason. Stick to it. If the dive guide goes in front, then you go behind him. Be a good buddy and communicate about what you'd like to see. If the guide says the dive is over, then the dive is over.
If you expect to get more time out of your tank, discuss BEFOREHAND with the dive guides on what options there are for extending the dive in such situation. Just ask it ever time during the briefing.

Good luck

 

[lizardland]

Is "a couple of minutes away" for real or just a turn of phrase? That's a hell of a long way away. Far enough away that it's a solo dive. If you need help then that's going to be the longest two minutes of your life. More than likely the final two minutes of your life.

 

[hammet]

Not to be antagonistic, but has the OP considered maybe the DM had tried to get your attention several times before he had to "raise his voice" to you guys?

 

[Mobulai]

A long-hose away is acceptable (if you have a longhose), more than that is too far/too late for my taste

 

[Maolli]

Is "a couple of minutes away" for real or just a turn of phrase? That's a hell of a long way away. Far enough away that it's a solo dive. If you need help then that's going to be the longest two minutes of your life. More than likely the final two minutes of your life.

Just a phrase. Whatever it takes to swim as much as 10 meters. Even a catastrophic equipment failure would leave sufficient gas to cover the distance.

 

[Maolli]

Not to be antagonistic, but has the OP considered maybe the DM had tried to get your attention several times before he had to "raise his voice" to you guys?

It's possible. It was just me though. There was only one other diver in the group on that particular dive where I got low and ahead.

 

[Maolli]

In that case I would say the actions of the DM were justified.

There are plenty of divers who have gone missing on such drift dives - and I suspect a common feature of such accidents is that the divers involved 'did not agree' with the boat rules, and found the staff enforcing such rules (stay together and surface as a group) to be 'bossy and arrogant'.

No matter how experienced the diver - if it's their boat it's their rules.

Cheers
Rohan

Back at the shop I was told apologetically that the dive should not have been cut short like that. It is not their policy and the long dives justify the higher cost compared to their competitors.

 

[Wants2divemore]

Just a phrase. Whatever it takes to swim as much as 10 meters. Even a catastrophic equipment failure would leave sufficient gas to cover the distance.

Still too far in my opinion.

If you're behind your buddy and you're both swimming the same direction, 10 meters is a long distance to make up when you're out of air. Also, what if you get entangled in something and your buddy just keep swimming off because you're 10 meters behind them? Lastly, you mentioned one of the dives was a drift dive. Currents can be different 10 meters apart and maybe your buddy gets pulled differently than you.

I could come up with many other scenarios where 10 meters apart (even in great visibility and no current) is too far apart for a buddy pair.

I'm not trying to sound preachy, but so far it sounds like you haven't completely thought through the ramifications of your behavior underwater. While in general scuba is safe, there are a lot of things that can go wrong outside of our control. Situational awareness is one thing we can develop to make diving safer.

 

[Maolli]

Still too far in my opinion.

If you're behind your buddy and you're both swimming the same direction, 10 meters is a long distance to make up when you're out of air. Also, what if you get entangled in something and your buddy just keep swimming off because you're 10 meters behind them? Lastly, you mentioned one of the dives was a drift dive. Currents can be different 10 meters apart and maybe your buddy gets pulled differently than you.

I could come up with many other scenarios where 10 meters apart (even in great visibility and no current) is too far apart for a buddy pair.

I'm not trying to sound preachy, but so far it sounds like you haven't completely thought through the ramifications of your behavior underwater. While in general scuba is safe, there are a lot of things that can go wrong outside of our control. Situational awareness is one thing we can develop to make diving safer.

The 10 meters separation was not on a drift dive. 10 meters is 5-6 diver lengths and I don't feel that is too far in calm, clear waters.

 

[DutchDiverDude]

The 10 meters separation was not on a drift dive. 10 meters is 5-6 diver lengths and I don't feel that is too far in calm, clear waters.

We occasionally practice 15m 'out of air' swims along a 15m line in our local quarry during practice dives.
This is with full mental preparation, knowing exactly what will happen and what you need to do, and an instructor's octopus about 2 inches from your face during the entire swim. Yes, it's bad vis, cold water and more gear than in Mexico, but still an applicable comparison.

Most of our club's divers find this exercise stressful, and many don't always make the full 15m.
I can tell you, 10m is WAY too far for safely tackling out of air situations, especially if your buddy is minding his own business, probably looking away from you and swimming in another direction.

All I hear you saying is:
"I don't feel like wearing a seatbelt in the car is necessary. I never wear it and never had a problem with it."

Safety is not the absence of accidents. Safety is being equipped and prepared to deal with incidents so that they don't become accidents. Just because you haven't had an accident doesn't mean you're diving safely. It's just that you haven't been in a situation where proper training and mindset was needed to keep you or your buddy alive.