Computer instead of Dive Table?

[triton94949]

Not to be anal, but if the divemaster wants me to follow his profile, I know I will feel the need to confirm everything using the tables....just to be sure...

If you have the luxury of a divemaster leading your group, then all you need to do is stay close to the divemaster, and watch your air gauge from time to time.

The time when you will need to monitor your own depth and time is when you are diving on your own with a buddy. For resort diving, it is normally a much wiser choice to stay with the divemaster.

 

[Tanked Monkey]

In most cases they explicitly say "be back in 45 minutes". In Key Largo, they also ask you to surface halfway through and give the OK sign to the boat.

Where did this happen? I was in Key Largo last weekend and dove with Bluewater Divers. They did not make us surface 1/2 way through the dive, although they did limit our dive to 1 hour. Surfacing 1/2 way through would pretty much suck when we dove on Speigle Grove (max 130 fsw).

Mike

 

[zboss]

What op asks you to surface halfway through the dive, so I know not to use them?

SeaDwellers

 

[H2Andy]

i've never dove with them, but i've been to the Keys, and usually what they tell
us is to surface halfway through the dive *if* we don't know where the boat is,
give the ok, get a bearing, and finish the dive heading for the boat

i've never heard that we had to surface

and frankly, if a DM told me i had to surface halfway through the dive,
i wouldn't say anything, and do my dive my way

if they don't like it, tough

 

[Stirling]

If you have the luxury of a divemaster leading your group, then all you need to do is stay close to the divemaster, and watch your air gauge from time to time.

The time when you will need to monitor your own depth and time is when you are diving on your own with a buddy. For resort diving, it is normally a much wiser choice to stay with the divemaster.

You can't just follow a divemaster and assume that tracking his or her dive profile will keep you out of trouble. First, because it just isn't true - some divemasters will steer you wrong, and ultimately you are responsible for your own safety. What does that divemaster know about the dive(s) you did the day before? What makes you think the divemaster is paying any attention at all to your situation? Second, even if the divemaster leads you on a perfectly safe dive steering well clear of NDLs for a first dive, where are you at the end of that dive? Done for the next 24 hours? If you go back into the water, that day or the next day, how do you plan your next dive, and the one after that? The only way you can do it is by using your own computer or by running your own calculations for your own dive profiles from the tables.

Every diver is responsible for his or her own dives, even when you're following a divemaster.

 

[Doc Intrepid]

A really good instructor can teach you methods in which you would need neither a dive computer nor dive tables. But those instructors are hard to find.

They're listed here, by region:
http://www.gue.com/info/instruct.shtml

 

[Doc Intrepid]

If you have the luxury of a divemaster leading your group, then all you need to do is stay close to the divemaster, and watch your air gauge from time to time.

The time when you will need to monitor your own depth and time is when you are diving on your own with a buddy. For resort diving, it is normally a much wiser choice to stay with the divemaster.

I'm not trying to pick on you dude, but you're passing bum scoop. In the archives of this board are at least half a dozen horror stories from brand new divers who followed the divemaster like sheep and found themselves in swimthroughs at 110' and other bozonity. Groups being separated, currents carrying people away and horrendous CFs, all from trust-me dives and blind faith. Divemaster's leading groups can be fine or can be a horrorshow. You plan and dive your own dive, with each diver responsible for him or herself and buddy. If the divemaster can keep up with you fine, but never trust them to "monitor your own depth and time". For resort diving or any diving, it's always a much wiser choice to depend completely upon yourself and your own capabilities.

Regards,

Doc

 

[triton94949]

They're listed here, by region:
http://www.gue.com/info/instruct.shtml

I was not thinking specifically of the GUE approach, but that is one of several valid methods as well.

 

[triton94949]

I'm not trying to pick on you dude, but you're passing bum scoop. In the archives of this board are at least half a dozen horror stories from brand new divers who followed the divemaster like sheep and found themselves in swimthroughs at 110' and other bozonity. Groups being separated, currents carrying people away and horrendous CFs, all from trust-me dives and blind faith. Divemaster's leading groups can be fine or can be a horrorshow. You plan and dive your own dive, with each diver responsible for him or herself and buddy. If the divemaster can keep up with you fine, but never trust them to "monitor your own depth and time". For resort diving or any diving, it's always a much wiser choice to depend completely upon yourself and your own capabilities.

Regards,

Doc

Passing bum scoop. Imagine that.

I did not say that it is preferable to go to a resort without a dive computer or bottom timer (or watch and depth gauge) and tables as beginners.

You are talking about a perfect world, where people never take shortcuts, and where mistakes never occur.

Divemaster dependent divers is not a perfect world, but it is indeed a reality. It is not an issue of passing bum scoop.

In a perfect world, if they are learning to dive with a computer rather than tables, then it makes sense for them to buy their own computer. In a really perfect world, someone would teach them to be independent of both a dive computer or of tables.

In a perfect world, they will be able to follow the divemaster, and if the divemaster does something really stupid, then they will be able to find their way back to the anchor line, and back up to the boat.

 

[cuberoot3i]

know the tables, dive with a computer. this will extend your bottom time. if you go "tec" you will dive tables with a computer as a back up.
if you need help with a computer ask. most accadents happen by not being able to understand what you see. i would recommend staying away from most info on gue and the "dir" stuff untill you had some experance. it deals with caves and egos.