Disturbing trend in diving?

[scubadada]

I am relatively frequently asked about dive computers off SE Florida Charters. Several times per year it is why is my computer not working and the answer is that you are in violation gauge mode. I get a number of other questions and try to answer them, being most familier with Oceanic and Shearwater computers.

 

[Leatherboot69]

I don’t see what the problem is.

PADI guidelines says always dive with a computer. Don’t do that at your own risk.

But…

Diving is a broad church. There’s space in the sea for the divers from Scubaboard, and for casual/holiday divers. Some of those casual divers don’t want to train as an Open Water diver. Taking them for an underwater experience - ‘Discover Scuba Dive’ - is the role of a dive professional. One hour briefing, first dive with an instructor, subsequent open water dives with an instructor or a DM, maximum 2 divers to one DM, maximum depth 5 metres (I think). The dive professional is taking responsibility for paying clients.

Tables are no longer compulsory. I learned tables and I can say I don’t particularly need that knowledge for ‘casual’ dives in easy conditions. Don’t run out of air, don’t go over your NDL, a bit of theory and you’re good to go. I mean, we don’t teach people the Wheel or to use a slide rule because they’re obsolete and we have computers, so why do we need to teach tables at the Open Water level? It’s teaching an obsolete technology that is better (and more safely) carried out by a computer. If the computer breaks you end the dive and surface, unless you’re carrying a spare.

 

[Blackcrusader]

I see here in SB regularly all this talk about graduent factors and algorithms and shearwaters and this and that. I figured everyone was a computer fanatic but I was wrong.

I am a hobby vacation diver. Sitting in airport lounge as my flight in 1 hour leaving for Cebu.
I am deco trained and I would say I am not technical diver trained. Yeah the gradient factors was a new thing for me to learn as well. Did not exist when I did my training in the mid to late 1980's lol

I too am a shearwater convert after my Suunto pressure sensor died. Just do as much diving as you can... you can learn a lot from experienced divers as well as training courses. I'll probably only do 120 dives this year... less than I have done in the past. Lot's of good advice in many threads. Sometimes people get a bit snarky but that's life in a forum lol.

This year in Maldives on the first boat dive one morning I realized I had left my Shearwater Perdix back at the place I was staying. Oh well crap happens. Anyway I have a console that gives me time depth air etc... Some of the divers after the dive said to me wow not like your usual self heading into the depths... I replied nup, forgot my computer so just stayed at 15m or shallower for the whole dive. No way to exceed NDL on a 45 minute dive that way.

Have fun.

 

[Centrals]

Scuba diving is a recreational sport. Just like any sport, the level of proficiency varies tremendously.
Some divers have to learn it the hard way. Pity.

GF? Learnt that when I started using Deco Planner in early 2000 for tec dive.
I am still using simple dc for recreational diving and retired from tec dive few yrs ago.

Some members in SB like to BS their ability or knowledge on the topic.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

What happens if a group of OW divers with no computers follow a divemaster and he blows it and goes into deco and then gets locked out.
Then what?

 

[scubadada]

What happens if a group of OW divers with no computers follow a divemaster and he blows it and goes into deco and then gets locked out.
Then what?

Sorry, why would that happen? If the guide went into deco, I would imagine that they would just clear it.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Sorry, why would that happen? If the guide went into deco, I would imagine that they would just clear it.

Not why, if.
just a hypothetical question for those that think it's perfectly normal to follow around a DM without a clue what's happening with depth and time.
Do they get locked out along with the DM since it was his computer and get benched, or do they just follow around the next handiest DM and hope for the best?
Or perhaps the original DM just grabs a fresh computer because they don't want the guests to miss dives.

 

[Landau]

I guide certified divers without their own computers fairly regularly, and in cold water too.

I am very conservative on these dives, with a max depth of 60 feet / 18 metres, maximum 4 divers (plus me) and sites with little to no current. We stay in a group and go very slow with frequent psi remaining checks. It can be done. There is no risk of “blowing it and going into deco” I rarely get down to 40 minutes NDL left on my computer which is set fairly conservatively. I do encourage my divers that their next gear purchase should be a computer so they can be independent from me or at least not have to trust me.

There is definitely a market for this type of dive, not everyone wants to be underwater as much as the average scuba boarder.

We also have dives for Advanced divers to more interesting sites where the max depth can be greater and every diver needs a computer and the ability to dive independently with their buddy.

 

[johndiver999]

Not why, if.
just a hypothetical question for those that think it's perfectly normal to follow around a DM without a clue what's happening with depth and time.
Do they get locked out along with the DM since it was his computer and get benched, or do they just follow around the next handiest DM and hope for the best?
Or perhaps the original DM just grabs a fresh computer because they don't want the guests to miss dives.

As was already explained, if the DM goes into deco, he is going to clear it by doing the deco that the computer wants. If the customers followed along, they would presumably do the same thing. As long as you don't mis required deco, you can keep diving all day long.

Are you familiar with using dive computers for decompression dives?

 

[Anish]

As others havr said, I have seen this kind of diving being done since I was certified.

Yep, I had it hammered into my head, too. Then I went on my very first DM led dive in Cozumel. I tried to use the tables after that dive and saw that I was in total violation of them already. Someone on the boat, looking at me in amusement, said, "It makes a decent frisbee."

I got a computer as soon as I was back home.

I ass a PADI instructor, and it not taught in OW training (at least officially--I can't guarantee some rogue instructor isn't doing it). I fact, I am pretty sure the course never even mentions following a DM on a dive. The course teaches independent diving.

However, what I had students tell me many times is that their already-certified friends told them they only had to learn dive planning for the class. Once they were in "the real world," all that is done by the DM. For many people, that is true. I would guess that there are many people with hundreds of dives who have done everyone of them trailing an instructor and going wherever he or she goes.

I am sure it does not take too many DM-led dives before new divers have completely forgotten what they were taught.

I don't fully agree. All my dives have been guided but I am very aware of what learned. I have been separated from the guide and have safely ascended and returned to the boat. Since I rarely dive twice in the same spot I use the guide to navigate and point out the marine life. i don't think that makes me an incompetent diver but I am also no super expert. I have the appropriate level of skills for the type of diving I enjoy and that's enough for me at this point.


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