Dive Guide too Fast?

[clownfishsydney]

Generally I only have a guide under certain circumstances.

1. When diving wrecks like those at Chuuk Lagoon or the SS President Coolidge where you need the guide to show you all the best features.
2. When diving at places like Tulamben in Bali where the guide is there to find critters for you.

That's it. For all other dives, I would rather dive without one. I have also never paid for a guide, if one does not come free as part of the dive, then I am not paying extra. In most cases, except for places like the above two situations, I have 10 times the number of dives than the guide does and even at some places, more dives there than they do.

 

[johndiver999]

Generally I only have a guide under certain circumstances.

1. When diving wrecks like those at Chuuk Lagoon or the SS President Coolidge where you need the guide to show you all the best features.
2. When diving at places like Tulamben in Bali where the guide is there to find critters for you.

That's it. For all other dives, I would rather dive without one. I have also never paid for a guide, if one does not come free as part of the dive, then I am not paying extra. In most cases, except for places like the above two situations, I have 10 times the number of dives than the guide does and even at some places, more dives there than they do.

I never tip the guides either, I think it promotes customer service and attentiveness to the customer's desires.

 

[clownfishsydney]

I never tip the guides either, I think it promotes customer service and attentiveness to the customer's desires.

I said paid, not tip. A different thing totally.

 

[justinthedeeps]

Trust your speed, make time for buoyancy etc
Guide knows it's on them if they lose customers

Seen a guide blast around in currents because they wanted ≤30 min dives (the water was cold for them--granted yes it was chilly)

They caused another perfectly competent diver to go out of gas in 20 minutes, then proceeded to scold the diver in front of everyone

Forced me to go up too, despite having a 75% full tank, in an open water ascent, in a current, away from the anchor line

I launched my SMB (she didn't, of course). Then she tried arguing with me about how I was wrong to do so

The other OOG diver switched to a more experienced guide, lasted 60+ minutes on the next dive.

Sometimes you have to train the guide by refusing to race around

 

[WillieJustice]

I hate guided diving full stop. Guides going too fast is a common problem. Sometimes they just want to get it over with as fast as possible, in which case, they are in the wrong job. The worst example of this I've experienced was in Fiji. It felt like a race! Other times, I think they have good intentions and are trying to show divers as much as possible and other divers may want this. Yes, it's good to establish what you want, but it's not always possible if just doing one or two dives or diving in a large group.

I haven't had a warp speed guide. Yet. So far so good, but then I just passed 40 dives. The latest dives were wonderfully slow and observant. The guides were my very first instructor, 18 months ago, and his wife. No question I will keep returning when in this part of the world.

Chances are I cannot keep up with a rocket swimmer without burning through air way too fast for now, so there is that.

 

[The Chairman]

How do you choose ones that are slower paced?

Explain to the guide that their tips are inversely proportional to their speed. Don't tip for uncomfortable dives. At 60, you're probably one of the better tippers, but you don't have to be.

 

[ofg-1]

Look if they go too fast, cut one of their fin straps. That will slow them down.

 

[gbeasley]

I always dive with a DPV, 95% of the time solo. However, when I'm on a guided dive I let the DM know that I'll always stay within sight of the group. That way I can check out something interesting then quickly catch up with the group. If for some reason they don't allow a DPV, I don't dive. I'm ruined for life.

 

[Bookworm11]

You don't have a choice when diving in a current. But I just finished a trip and the guides pretty much swam too fast and I didn't say anything and I should have. To make matters worse, sometimes the groups were big, up to 7. Or there is the other issue where you get stuck in a group below your level and to avoid getting kicked, you stay at the back. Of course, then you usually miss anything the guide points out because its gone by the time you reach it.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

During my only trip to Cozumel, our guide and the rest of the group were swimming WITH the current. Merry and I lost the group on every dive. We spent the last few days diving on the house reef rather than going on the boats.