Dive Etiquette

[joel3739]

I have a question that I would like to get some opinions on. Who should be the responsible party to avoid being kicked when in a group situation? Hypothetically speaking, a few individuals are in a line one following the other. One of the trailing individuals is accidentally kicked more than once during the dive. Visibility was about 3 feet, so not to lose the group you would have to dive in close proximity to one another (hypothetical speaking). Who should be the accountable party to avoid being kicked?

 

[Ifoundnemo]

simply looking at it logically the person following would be responsible as the person in front would need to swim looking behind them to ensure they dont kick you...........I would guess.

 

[Packhorse]

The kickie not the kicker
If I was to dive in 3ft vis it would be solo.

 

[Tassie_Rohan]

You can't spend your entire dive looking behind you to avoid kicking someone - so its the person behinds job to stay out of the way.

In low vis just dive side by side and go slowly. Staying behind other divers in low vis is a good way to loose contact with the group should you get distracted or the lead person surges.

If you are side by side you can communicate that you need to stop.

Cheers,
Rohan.

 

[DandyDon]

This has got to be a trick quesiton.

If you're following me and get kicked, please accept that you should not follow that closely. I hate it when people knock my fins off with their masks.

 

[PerroneFord]

In low vis situations, I "want" someone in my fins regularly so I don't need to look behind me so much to know if they are there. This is assuming I can't see their light, and we are not in regular touch contact.

 

[ItsBruce]

When you dive, you are either diving with a buddy or solo. When you're with a buddy, positioning is something you should discuss during your briefing with your buddy. And that should occur even when there is also a group briefing. In low vis diving with a buddy, I don't really like to use a front and rear posture. It can lead to separation if there is even a momentary lapse or if something goes wrong. On the other hand, solo diving is just that and there should not be issues of getting kicked.

Now, in group situations, unless you have a buddy (in which case see what I've said above), you should consider yourself a solo diver. That is, there is no one person who is looking out for you and no one person you can expect to be available to help you in the event of trouble. Maybe someone in the group will help ... maybe not. Thus, when in a group but solo, you should be far enugh away so as to avoid being kicked or kicking someone else. That means, that if a solo diver in a group gets kicked, it is his or her own fault, no etiquitte issues.

 

[Thalassamania]

In low vis situations like that I like to keep one hand on my buddy, just about where the waist stap joins the plate or at the bottom of the BCD armhole. This keeps me behind (so I can follow) and a little above (out of the kick zone).

 

[Ber Rabbit]

In low vis situations like that I like to keep one hand on my buddy, just about where the waist stap joins the plate or at the bottom of the BCD armhole. This keeps me behind (so I can follow) and a little above (out of the kick zone).

Teasing with you here Thalassamania; let's see, keeping a hand where the waist strap joins the plate and you are a little behind and a little above...does that mean your hand is on my rump

As for the OP's question I'm with the others; if you are getting kicked in the face you swam into my fins. Personally if I feel my fin make contact with something I will stop kicking for a moment then make my next kick a gentle one to make sure you're clear. I really don't like to be in a single file line with my buddy when I dive so when someone swims into my fins it's usually a member of another buddy pair.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[Diver Dennis]

Teasing with you here Thalassamania; let's see, keeping a hand where the waist strap joins the plate and you are a little behind and a little above...does that mean your hand is on my rump

Hey, as long as you find the person attractive, why not?