Divemaster issues

[Kyra]

My husband and I just got back from Nassau where we ran into what I would consider a serious problem with the dive master from the shop we were using, and ultimately the dive shop. Not entirely sure how to handle it, or if there is even any reason to, so looking for opinions:
We had booked a 2 tank dive to go out to the wall and see the sharks. The surface was very choppy with a strong current. I was unable to get my weights right, couldn't go subsurface and I ended up having a panic attack. The dive master seemed to be really irritated and she told me I could stay floating on the surface (by myself) or go ahead and dive. After catching my breath I decided to attempt the dive and was able to go down successfully. Then my husband hit less than half a tank of air and tried to get her attention to alert her that he needed to head to the surface- SHE IGNORED HIM!! I have that part on video. We didn't know which way to head back or we would have gone on our own. Following her we both got really low on air and ultimately he ran completely out of air as he was surfacing. This is a life and death situation, but when my husband got angry at her and yelled at her she had the police called on him. The shop backed her up by saying she was a professional, but no other professional at all the dive shops we've worked with would have ever let a diver run out of air! She said she felt threatened because he yelled at her, however he could have drowned and she didn't seem to care. The police found nothing wrong and did nothing, the dive shop manager said he was just worried about how this would reflect on his business.
Is there anything we should do to follow up on this? I'm kind of confused, but would hate or any one else to go through the same thing.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Kyra,

Can you share more information? I did note you are an Advanced Diver with SSI. Is this the same as Advanced Open Water? Or open water plus some specialties? What communication was there with the dive operation when you signed up? How many people were in the group? Did you inquire about hiring a dive guide for you and your husband? What was the dive briefing like? Were you using your own equipment or the shops? When was your dive previous to this? What do you mean by "you could not get your weights right"? (not able to get the integrated weights in place?)

Due to the current, did you have to entire the water negative, possibly head first? Or was a rope laid out behind the boat for everyone to hold onto and descend together?

If your husband was running low on air, how about you? If you were not running low on air, why did you not share air as you slowly made your ascent to the surface? Did you have DSMB's with reels? Was the boat supposed to follow bubbles? What were the pickup procedures? (my guess is dive as a group, ascend as a group, and be picked up, but I was not there)

I try to ask a lot of questions to flush things out. I don't want to come down on you or the divemaster, as that is not helpful. I hope you take this discussion, regardless of what positions people take, as a learning opportunity. As you are a new diver, you may or may not have had a good foundation starting out, and that is not your fault. But you have had at least 25 dives according to your profile, enough where your buoyancy skills should be coming together, but your awareness skills and possibly comfort with unfamiliar (assumption on my part) are where they need to be for you to dive comfortably and safely.

It sounds like the customer service skills of the divemaster could use some improvement, but I am only hearing one side of the story. But my guess is that it was a bad situation overall.

All too often, there is a breakdown in communications and expectations not being met on both sides.

Regardless of your answers to the questions, I would recommend more training on you and your husband's part, using more of your own equipment when going on dive vacations, equipment that are familiar to you and you are comfortable using, so much that you don't give it a thought. And I would also inquire with what exactly is going to be provided by the dive operation to decide if you even wish to dive with them. Speak with the divemaster to ensure that expectations with the dive operation that you've established are well understood by him or her.

Above all, I would like to sincerely request that you keep diving and keep training. Diving is a beautiful activity that will continue to bring amazing experiences into your life.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

It would be wise to send a detailed report to PADI or SSI or whoever that shop is affiliated with. I also encourage you to name the shop, post the video, name the DM and go all out public on them.

 

[The Laconic]

Kosta made a lot of good points above. And I'm not sure I can say it any better. Anyway...

Yes, it sounds like the divemaster was unprofessional. I think the divemaster should have paid more attention to your gas, should have heeded your signals (assuming you signaled the problem clearly) and should have helped with your buoyancy problem. And it sounds like communication was poor overall.

However, you need to take more responsibility for yourselves when you're diving. You should have insisted on a weight check, if you weren't sure. It is your responsibility to know the way back. And if your husband ran out of gas while he was surfacing, that's all on him. You may be justified in criticizing the divemaster, but a fat lot of good that does you if you end up dead.

 

[Steve_C]

Sounds like the DM had some problems. However, I find the two statements "we went out to the wall" "I had trouble getting my weight down" somewhat contradictory. The DM may have assumed that the group would have enough experience. Not getting down. Being weighted right should not be an issue on such a dive. If I find myself in unfamiliar rental gear I turn to the DM and tell him I wear xxxx lbs when I dive a xxxxx. What do you recommend?. They tell me and it works. Then I usually take off a couple pounds for the next dive but not always.

How long had it been since your last dive? Had an instabuddy with a similar number of dives to you that could not get down even though crew worked with her. She sat out the dive. we chatted during the SI. She got more relaxed and did a great second dive. Sometimes it is not the weight but just not relaxing which a deeper than usual dive or new situation or it having been a while since the last dive can cause.

 

[Steve_C]

One other thing, I have been on dives where the boat waits nearby and dive pairs go up as their air dictates and are picked up. DM may have assumed you would just go up when needed. Did she not cover that in the briefing? What were you told about air and when to end the dive.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

LOL.. Who is responsible for watching their air supply?

If you need to communicate your air supply information to a DM, grab the DM, shove the gage in her face. She may not care, but you will have gotten the message across.

However the OP says she has video evidence that (apparently) her husband was unable to communicate his half tank air supply situation to the DM. Well, we would assume that at this point he would know the female DM does not know his air supply condition... so how can it be the DM's fault that he continued to suck on the tank and ran out?

As for not knowing the "way back" on an open water recreational dive and this causes a diver to run out of air... The "way back" is straight UP.. (if you are too low on air to do any navigation).

you asked for opinions.. My opinion, based on this description, is that neither the OP or her husband have any where near the competency to be doing a wall dive with sharks. The both of you need a 180 degree adjustment in attitude about who is responsible for your safety.. a DM you never met or yourselves?

 

[Jailer6]

Well as mentioned, we are all individually responsible for ourselves and then our buddy on a dive. With that said, each time I have ever gone on a boat dive (chartered) the DM(s) or boat Captain always have a site briefing, it is required. So I assume that one was done. Prior to entering the water you should have known of the conditions, what to expect and what to do if.... as that is part of the briefing. Then most dives require (although not always enforced) a certain level of training. Assuming that all of this was done and even with your initial issues, you decided to do the dive anyway.
I mean no offense to you or your post but as you may tell by the replies being posted, I believe that what you should be asking is what should you do about an (in your opinion) unprofessional DM and company? In that case, take to Trip Advisor and leave a review. That allows you to share your experience and the Charter to reply.

 

[2airishuman]

I think we should go easy on the OP.

There exist dive guides who knowingly ignore basic safety rules and who push the limits of the air supply. I was diving with one today, in fact. There is an expectation to stay with the guide, which is in tension with the expectation to be certain of your own navigation and the expectation to manage your own air.

If I had been in the OPs situation I would have surfaced after reaching a reasonable minimum amount of air and waited for (or swam to) the boat. That addresses the immediate safety problem.

Subsequently, the range of responses is no different than dealing with a bad meal at a restaurant. Reduced/no tip, don't come back, negative reviews on social media, strong letter to management, strong letter to the powers that be, etc etc etc. As I get older I increasingly use "don't come back" to the exclusion of other remedies.

 

[oly5050user]

I do not see where the divemaster did anything wrong. You thought the dm was irritated about your inability to descend..not their problem, it's yours for not knowing how much lead you require. You claim surface was choppy. Dm would like to spend minimal time on surface with group in that type of condition. You say you went into a panic.At that point you should of ended dive and sat on boat. You actually misrepresented yourself about your skill level , I read you have advance from SSI, perhaps your skill level should be less than full ow being you depend on a dm to assist you to descend, be sure you do not run out of air, direct you back to boat. In every class I teach I start out during orientation that a ow certification means that you should be able to plan, conduct a dive with your buddy without a professional assisting you. I understand that a person would like to have a pro present their first few post certification dives, but after 5 or 6 dives they should be comfortable enough to dive under the definition of a certified ow diver. If not then HIRE and PAY a PRO to dive with you exclusively and have them hold your hand. You are responsible for your safety during a dive, not the divemaster. Take responsibility for yourself. Truly sorry to sound so tough on the op, but someone needs to say it and possibly keep them from hurting themselves and possibly anyone who needs to save them.