Cozumel group ascents ?

[ronrosa]

I am comfortable in the water and do not use much air, however, I realize I have plenty to learn. I do want to be a good and safe buddy.

As I have stated above, I have ascented several times solo because I was low on air and the dive master told be to ascend. As a new diver, I thought this was a common practice because many different DM's instructed me to surface solo.

I understand the safety concerns that everyone has pointed out. What I do not understand is if solo ascents are such a bad thing, why have several different DM's have me ascend solo ?

 

[Narced]

because they are cr@ppy DMs. Now, I am taking your statemenet to mean that the DM told you by yourself (not you and your buddy) to ascend. If so, thoes DMs are irresponsible in my opinion. Now in all fairness, I ascended alone at first as well a couple of times as well.
Being aware of much more now than I was then I would never dive with those DMs ever again.
You should either buddy up with someone at the beginning of the dive (which means you two stay together until back on the boat or shore), or don't buddy up at all.
I have seen DMs in different places we have dove do all sorts of things I think are terribly irresponsible. Have I ever actually seen someone get hurt or die because of it? no. Have I seen some folks get their dive ruined or the sh1t simply scared out of them because of it? yes.

I don't mean to come off sounding harsh, but I think that these kinds of practices, particularly by DMs who we, as new divers, tend to look to for advice and wisdom, are just plain irresponsible. I think we all have picked up bad habits from somewhere or someone at one time or another. The practice of leaving buddies alone just seems like a pretty severe one to me is all.

 

[Narced]

I feel like I am sounding redundant above. Sorry if I sound like a broken record.

 

[bhines]

The only thing most "Divemasters" in third world countries do is: A. point out the toad fish, B. follow the current at the recommended depth, C. tell you to do stupid things like go up by yourself. They are natives who are great divers, but none have the least idea about you or your buddy. You are just a potential tip provider on the boat. I have been diving in almost every area of the Carribbean and have found very few "Divemasters who make the grade as a divemaster in the U.S. They are your guide, nothing else. Some don't have safe equipment. Many wouldn't know an octopus if it bit them.

 

[sealskin98]

just another view on solo ascents. I (being the air hog I am) have made several solo ascents in Coz. and have never had a problem. Although my buddy and the DM knew I was going to make a solo ascent before I did it. The DM would just partner up my buddy with another team or buddy with him himself. Just be sure you know the name of your boat in case another operator comes to check on you, they will radio your boat to get you.

Buddy systems have their good points and bad points, but I didn't know it was a bad thing to be able to take care of yourself.

 

[ronrosa]

My newbie buddy wants to take an AOW course. I convinced him to do it in Cozumel instead of a cold quarrry in Pennsylvania. Hopefully whom ever I get partnered with will be a solid diver. I have also read that some divemasters ascend w/ the newbies then return to the group.

I'll post a trip report when I get back. I am diving with Living Underwater.

 

[metridium]

Tip: To reduce the risk of surfacing into boat traffic, I shoot an SMB when ready to ascend. If you're unfamiliar with the technique, seek training.

 

[Dee]

sealskin98 once bubbled...
just another view on solo ascents. I (being the air hog I am) have made several solo ascents in Coz. and have never had a problem. Although my buddy and the DM knew I was going to make a solo ascent before I did it. The DM would just partner up my buddy with another team or buddy with him himself. Just be sure you know the name of your boat in case another operator comes to check on you, they will radio your boat to get you.

Buddy systems have their good points and bad points, but I didn't know it was a bad thing to be able to take care of yourself.

Solo accents in Coz will depend on several things. Just because a DM allows someone to surface alone doesn't make him/her a bad DM. Your diving skills play a big part in it but so does the excellent visability there. I'm with Seal98 on this one and have seen it lots of times with absolutely no problems, it just depends on the divers involved. What is unacceptable practice in one place doesn't make it so everywhere.

 

[sealskin98]

ronrosa once bubbled...
My newbie buddy wants to take an AOW course. I convinced him to do it in Cozumel instead of a cold quarrry in Pennsylvania. Hopefully whom ever I get partnered with will be a solid diver. I have also read that some divemasters ascend w/ the newbies then return to the group.

I'll post a trip report when I get back. I am diving with Living Underwater.

I did my AOW in Coz a few yrs. ago and the DM just did the sections on regular dives. Of course I was with my regular group that used to go and we had the whole boat chartered, and they didn't mind that Bazooka took a little time out for the navigation part. My AOW didn't contain anything I hadn't done before except the nav...I took the drift dive, boat dive, night dive, navigation, and deep dive (I had already done Punta Sur and several 110 ft. dives in the Gulf before this) sections of the AOW course. It was just like regular dives except for the little bit of time on the nav. part, and we finished the dives as a group. Dunno about the DM surfacing and coming back to the group thing, sounds like a maybe if the student is low on air and can't finish the whole dive.