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[Mossman]

If I recall, you and Kristine were the only divers on the boat - with Steve, Kami and the DM, basically giving you and Kristine a private DM (I would expect a private DM to share air) - so there weren't other divers to tend to - so yes, that would be a special circumstance - and the points I made above wouldn't apply. I don't know at what point Hector put you on his octo - but as Dave states, the diver and donee should be back on their own air with 1000psi if this procedure is practiced for a non-emergency situation.

The 1000 psi reserve, if truly observed, may address points A and C from your original post, but not point B (distracting the DM in case of a true emergency).

 

[Mike]

I remember the shame of being first on the boat. It encouraged me to work on my air consumption big time.

Heh, Heh... think there is no shame of being dragged around by the mouth by the dive master???

Long ago my wife got put on the hose of shame... was the best thing that ever happened to me! I think it was right after that dive that she started asking questions about how to improve her air consumption.

 

[cvchief]

Heh, Heh... think there is no shame of being dragged around by the mouth by the dive master???

Long ago my wife got put on the hose of shame... was the best thing that ever happened to me! I think it was right after that dive that she started asking questions about how to improve her air consumption.

,

Hence not only is it no longer dangerous as a practice, it can now be considered an additional factor to promote high motivation to improve one's diving skills in the area of air consumption.

PADI:

Improved Air Consumption Through Shame and Negative Reinforcement - $50 (includes one long group dive!)

Contact your PADI Dive Center today!!!

---------- Post added October 31st, 2013 at 09:02 PM ----------

The 1000 psi reserve, if truly observed, may address points A and C from your original post, but not point B (distracting the DM in case of a true emergency).

Well you didn't address how divers surfacing alone isn't more dangerous than a group staying together.

How can a DM in a true emergency be with divers on the surface and divers below? Wouldn't that divided attention thing be a safety factor?

(Which is again my preferred method. If our DM shared air it would cut our dive time. We, and when I say we I mean mostly the missus, can nearly run her empty now.)

 

[ggunn]

I believe that some things which are a bad idea in general can be perfectly fine in some circumstances.

 

[Mossman]

How can a DM in a true emergency be with divers on the surface and divers below? Wouldn't that divided attention thing be a safety factor?

Divers on the surface are no longer divers, they're snorkelers. If they're worried about surface emergencies, they should hire a private snorkel master.

 

[Skittl1321]

Divers on the surface are no longer divers, they're snorkelers. If they're worried about surface emergencies, they should hire a private snorkel master.

That's ridiculous. If you read the accidents/incidents forums, a huge number of accidents occur after reaching the surface. Both boat accidents, aspirating water/drowning on the surface, and failing to maintain bouyancy and sinking.

When I snorkel, I don't do so with a huge amount of weight on my back and waist. There are issues unique to having scuba equipment.

 

[Ron Lee]

Divers on the surface are no longer divers, they're snorkelers. If they're worried about surface emergencies, they should hire a private snorkel master.

I do not turn into a snorkeler once I surface. Still a diver.

 

[FT]

Thanks to all for the continued discussion about air sharing (with whom? at what point in a dive?) vs surfacing separately. It is very helpful to get a feel for the considerations involved. My imagined scenario of early surfacing did involve (a) a buddy pair and (b) an SMB -- but not knowing Cozumel, I couldn't really judge if that's a safer tradeoff than air sharing.

 

[Mossman]

That's ridiculous. If you read the accidents/incidents forums, a huge number of accidents occur after reaching the surface. Both boat accidents, aspirating water/drowning on the surface, and failing to maintain bouyancy and sinking.

When I snorkel, I don't do so with a huge amount of weight on my back and waist. There are issues unique to having scuba equipment.

They're all heart attacks.

If you don't like the "huge amount of weight", dive with less weight. You're obviously over-weighted. Also, your weights should be easily ditchable. You can even take off your BC if the tank proves too much.

Snorkelers can aspirate water and drown too. Boats can hit snorkelers too. The difference is, at least snorkelers with heavy tanks on their backs will do some damage to the prop in revenge.

The only real difference between snorkelers and divers on the surface is that divers on the surface have twice as many air sources, the air in the tank and the air in the air.

If divers can't snorkel safely without a DM watching over them, should they really be diving?

---------- Post added November 1st, 2013 at 08:46 AM ----------

I do not turn into a snorkeler once I surface. Still a diver.

I would turn into a snorkeler, except that I don't carry a snorkel. So I guess I turn into a floater.

 

[Skittl1321]

If divers can't snorkel safely without a DM watching over them, should they really be diving?

When I get to the surface, I'm not snorkeling. I'm swimming to a boat for pick up. It's absolutely absurd to recommend someone get a snorkeling guide to end a dive. A scuba diver doesn't suddenly turn into a snorkeler.

You're obviously over-weighted.

No, I'm not. I've been over-weighted one dive when I had the wrong amounts and couldn't configure what I wanted. But I knew I was going to be overweighted that dive, and it wasn't what I usually do. But generally I dive with the weight I need. It's stupid to dive with too much weight. Just wastes your air.