Cozumel incident but lesson learned
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JamesBon92007
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Generally speaking I consider the duties of a DM to be a tour guide and to deploy the SMB at the end of the dive. Most of the time they'll say before the dive to begin your ascent at 700 psi or whatever and do a three or five minute safety stop and they'll usually say what the deepest part of the dive will be and how long they expect it to last. I agree with RayfromTX that we need to be responsible for ourselves. One time the DM, before the dive, said there was a lot of boat traffic (Cozumel) so don't surface until he deploys the SMB. Well, I ran out of air first and went to 15 feet, waited three minutes, and he hadn't sent up the SMB. So I waited, and waited, and waited and he finally sent it up. When I surfaced he told me he would have to take the valve off the tank and clean it because it only had 200 psi in it. Needless to say I didn't tip him for that day. Now I carry my own SMB. My girlfriend, who is OW certified to 60 feet and has about 22 dives felt uncomfortable recently when the DM said we would be going as deep as 90 feet. Even though she had been to about 80 feet with her instructor (after certification) she still felt uncomfortable. I told her she didn't have to go that deep if she didn't want to and could easily keep track of the group and DM from 60 feet (Cozumel) and, of course, I would stay near her at all times. It's supposed to be about having fun.
In any case we are all certified divers and are supposed to know what we are doing so, IMHO, we should be watching out for ourselves, stick to our dive plan, not exceed our comfort level, watch our computers or watches, depth gauges, and dive tables, and be sure we don't exceed our NDL and do the safety stops as we think we should do them. My girlfriend and I are in our mid-60s so I knock about 20% or so off the NDL for any given depth and if I've been down to 90 feet I'll add a couple more minutes to my safety stop. So far I've only seen the outside of the hyperbaric chambers and wish to keep it that way.
In your case you had an agreement with your DM to be watching out for you and he apparently deviated substantially from the dive plan. I would call this particular arrangement a "refresher dive" and I would expect him to be keeping things at the agreed level. If you paid extra for that I would request satisfaction in the form of a refund or an additional dive (two words that might get their attention are "review" and "TripAdvisor"
). But the reality, from what I have seen, is that many divers expect the DM to baby-sit them and many DMs expect divers to take care of themselves. So far nobody has told my girlfriend that she can't dive below 60 feet because she is only OW PADI certified. Maybe they've seen her log book and know she's been deeper Even on one of my girlfriend's Discover Scuba dives they took her well past 40 and through some fairly long swim-throughs. But he literally held her hand the whole time and made sure she was 100% OK, except perhaps when he laid down on his back and blew air rings. Maybe your DM saw something down there that he thought would give you a thrill and to him that was more important (in the form of a bigger tip) than your original agreement. With so many great dive ops on Cozumel I don't see why anyone would risk bad reviews.
In any case we are all certified divers and are supposed to know what we are doing so, IMHO, we should be watching out for ourselves, stick to our dive plan, not exceed our comfort level, watch our computers or watches, depth gauges, and dive tables, and be sure we don't exceed our NDL and do the safety stops as we think we should do them. My girlfriend and I are in our mid-60s so I knock about 20% or so off the NDL for any given depth and if I've been down to 90 feet I'll add a couple more minutes to my safety stop. So far I've only seen the outside of the hyperbaric chambers and wish to keep it that way.
In your case you had an agreement with your DM to be watching out for you and he apparently deviated substantially from the dive plan. I would call this particular arrangement a "refresher dive" and I would expect him to be keeping things at the agreed level. If you paid extra for that I would request satisfaction in the form of a refund or an additional dive (two words that might get their attention are "review" and "TripAdvisor"
). But the reality, from what I have seen, is that many divers expect the DM to baby-sit them and many DMs expect divers to take care of themselves. So far nobody has told my girlfriend that she can't dive below 60 feet because she is only OW PADI certified. Maybe they've seen her log book and know she's been deeper Even on one of my girlfriend's Discover Scuba dives they took her well past 40 and through some fairly long swim-throughs. But he literally held her hand the whole time and made sure she was 100% OK, except perhaps when he laid down on his back and blew air rings. Maybe your DM saw something down there that he thought would give you a thrill and to him that was more important (in the form of a bigger tip) than your original agreement. With so many great dive ops on Cozumel I don't see why anyone would risk bad reviews.First off, Thank you ALL for your input. I'm not an arrogant or proud diver and thought maybe this would help someone. I simply put too much faith in the DM and won't do that again. I remember thinking when showing my gauge to him "why aren't we going up". Apparently he was too concerned that there must be something else to see! Seeing things doesn't help me if I'm...well...DEAD! My fat butt will be on the surface chilling out alone next time!
@RayfromTX , she was HORRIFIED which obviously took me to another level of pissed off! Honestly, there's not a whole hell of a lot that scares me. We've been together probably 5 years and this is the first time she has seem fear in my eyes. So, when she witnessed me swim up to her with a look of fear in my eyes, it scared the living SH** out of her. That was enough for me.
@Snoweman . I'm not going to divulge that at this point simply because I got the impression that this guy has his own boat and generally guides his own people. But, for this day, I felt we were on a "buddy's" boat. I don't want to trash his operation when the friend might have been the rogue guide. I hope u can respect that.
I'll stay tuned for any other comments but thoroughly appreciate the input so far. I learned more on this trip than ever before. Glad it turned out the way it did! Thanks again folks
@RayfromTX , she was HORRIFIED which obviously took me to another level of pissed off! Honestly, there's not a whole hell of a lot that scares me. We've been together probably 5 years and this is the first time she has seem fear in my eyes. So, when she witnessed me swim up to her with a look of fear in my eyes, it scared the living SH** out of her. That was enough for me.
@Snoweman . I'm not going to divulge that at this point simply because I got the impression that this guy has his own boat and generally guides his own people. But, for this day, I felt we were on a "buddy's" boat. I don't want to trash his operation when the friend might have been the rogue guide. I hope u can respect that.
I'll stay tuned for any other comments but thoroughly appreciate the input so far. I learned more on this trip than ever before. Glad it turned out the way it did! Thanks again folks
Wow.
Fear is not panic.
Your fear was a reasonable response to a situation going critical.
The fact you didn't panic at the revelation that,while in 110+fsw, your private dm might run you OOA is something to be proud of.
Also sounds like you can follow your own plan and just work as a team.
It would be great to have a solid buddy team every dive.
I have to assume my instabuddy is crap for my own safety and adopt a self reliant attitude and kit.
Happy dives, Kevin
I have noticed several posts that speak of self reliance and being responsible for your own dive. And this is true and i have the same philosophy. But this dive is a bit different. You knew you needed guidance. You asked for assistance. You took charge of your dive by hiring that assistance. The poor judgment is entirely on the guide. You hired him for a specific purpose and he failed, badly.
But what a learning experience. You will never be this depend on a dive again.
But what a learning experience. You will never be this depend on a dive again.
gcarter
Contributor
I will disagree with this statement. Despite the current societal push back on victim blaming, very often the victim does deserve to wear part of the blame.
Basic OW training tells you that you own your own safety. That you can call a dive at any time. Plan your dive and dive your plan.
Yes, kudos on securing the DM. Kudos on making a dive plan. But personal responsibility is attached to allowing someone else, hired DM or not, to cause you to deviate from the plan. In the face of training, experience, and the plan. In the face of KNOWING you were approaching unsafe limits and engaging in unsafe behaviour.
I am not dumping on the OP. I think the OP has recognized what they did wrong. The OP, as I previously posted, needs to learn to say no. It is not all on the DM. Ever.
Diver safety, skill, and decision making improvements will not be gained by not taking personal responsibility. Every diver always makes their own decisions. Always. They need to own them. The DM did not make the decision for the OP to continue to follow even though the plan and basic safety fundamentals were being violated. The OP made those decisions.
Yes, the DM failed to fulfill his responsibility, no question, on the basis of the facts presented. But there is no learning in that recognition, except that to accept that as all there is means that divers who hire DMs have no control over their own dives or safety. That is a dangerous and incorrect lesson to support.
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Why didn't you go back on your own reg? You still had air if I read your post correctly. Why did you shoot to the surface rather than use your wife's octo and ascend together? Maybe you should have taken a refresher course.
InTheDrink
Contributor
Totally irresponsible DM. When I was guiding I would check everyone’s gas at at least ten min intervals when shallow and 5 when deeper. I have ppl run out of gas shallow after 17 mins. Once you know someone isn’t great with their gas you adapt the plan accordingly and either finish the dive safe or send them with their buddy and an SMB to their safety stop.
To blithely not react to a diver with 200 psi left at any depth is definitely negligent. You behaved intelligently given the situation and should have expected more from the DM.
As others have said of course, avoid ‘trust me’ dives. We’ve all done them and mostly got out of them but they’re a bad idea.
Well done for keeping your cool as much as you did. Must have been scary.
To blithely not react to a diver with 200 psi left at any depth is definitely negligent. You behaved intelligently given the situation and should have expected more from the DM.
As others have said of course, avoid ‘trust me’ dives. We’ve all done them and mostly got out of them but they’re a bad idea.
Well done for keeping your cool as much as you did. Must have been scary.
John Bantin
Contributor
Certified divers should be able to manage their air supply and take control of their maximum depth.If a dive guide decides to go deeper/for longer and you are unable to communicate with him/her, it's his problem when you decide to ascend. I learned this on one of my first dives in 1979 and there really is no argument they can offer to the contrary. Be responsible for your own wellbeing.
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