Divemaster Responsibilities

[Splash-X]

Splash ... I just had this conversation and I think boulderjohn has a valid observation .. a new diver is going to assume that a DM is going to do the same things that their DM did, and not going to know to ask about a DM's responsabilities

And for that I feel the instructor that certifies the students has a duty to inform their OW students that each and every dive operator has different rules and roles and that no two dive shops are the same.

If this were my class, on the last night of class before we all take out test I would review with my students the basics of diving. I would even go as far as to ask the class to tell me some questions they might have for me if they were booking a dive.

For example, if you certified a student and they went on a trip and had a horrible experience because things you taught them were different from how the trip went you're going to hear about it, right? Why not prepare your students and give them the information they need to make good decisions. Teach them to ask and they will.

 

[Qnape]

And for that I feel the instructor that certifies the students has a duty to inform their OW students that each and every dive operator has different rules and roles and that no two dive shops are the same.

If this were my class, on the last night of class before we all take out test I would review with my students the basics of diving. I would even go as far as to ask the class to tell me some questions they might have for me if they were booking a dive.

For example, if you certified a student and they went on a trip and had a horrible experience because things you taught them were different from how the trip went you're going to hear about it, right? Why not prepare your students and give them the information they need to make good decisions. Teach them to ask and they will.

The more I read here the more pleased I am with my initial OW instructor and DM's. That instruction included questions from our instructor as to whether we were getting certified in preparation for a dive trip, when it was scheduled, and where (he was surprised when I told him last July that we were preparing for a trip in February, as opposed to August or September, as we wanted more practice before we went. We learned that a lot of students look to get certified just before a trip, or do their checkout dives on the trip which did not seem wise to us). Upon learning our destinations, he told us what he knew about practices in the area, and what to ask in that regard before any trip ("just like you need to familiarize yourself with local water conditions before diving"). He talked to us about how things work locally in New Jersey, where many of the wreck dive charters are basically taxi rides to the sites. "he'll get you there, and wait for a prescribed time - he'll say be back on the boat by x:00; the rest is up to YOU". He warned us that in Cozumel they would likely set up our equipment, and cautioned us that we must not depend on this but should instead either decline the additional service or check everything ourselves, thoroughly. On one dive I found my lp inflator hose not connected during a check, reinforcing the need to check myself. After spending a week in Cozumel in February, we spent a week in Utila in April, where we were required to set up our own gear for every dive, as I determined in advance (of course on one dive in Utila I caused my own minor problem by failing to properly connect the lp inflator). At the same time the DM's in Utila were in the water with us as in Cozumel. We had no issues with the differences, and now assume we will see different standards of service at each new destination. We are heading to Turneffe Iland Resort in August, and already know that they will set up our gear and be in the water, so it will be back to checking their set-up.

I assumed that this was something that was always taught in an OW class; I'd have to check my manual to see if it was covered in print. We, too are guilty of assuming that the way we were taught is the way everyone is taught. We've been surprized on a number of issues this way, from the assumption of standard service from dive location to dive location to the discovery that no diver (aside from DM's) we have been with on our 4 post AOW night dives to date has carried a spare dive light but us.

 

[mikemath]

I assumed that this was something that was always taught in an OW class; I'd have to check my manual to see if it was covered in print. We, too are guilty of assuming that the way we were taught is the way everyone is taught. We've been surprized on a number of issues this way, from the assumption of standard service from dive location to dive location to the discovery that no diver (aside from DM's) we have been with on our 4 post AOW night dives to date has carried a spare dive light but us.

It sounds like your instructor was very good. By asking about your next steps after the class, he was able to anticipate the likely "gotchas" you would face and make sure your next dives after certification were successful. In my experience, there's a great deal of leeway in how PADI Instructors can teach classes, provided they ensure PADI standards are met. There are a few places during the Knowledge Development (classroom) portion where an instructor could easily insert information about different travel locations and the procedures. There's a lot of emphasis on Diving Now, so encouraging students to dive and giving them the knowledge they need to do that is definitely part of the curriculum. However, the degree of tailoring to individuals and degree of emphasis placed on understanding the differences in local dive procedures seem to be up to the instructor. I haven't gone through instructor development (yet), so that may not be the case, but that's the way it looks from the outside.

In my own Open Water class, we mostly reviewed local diving procedures at length, but we didn't cover the differences in regional diving standards at all, despite the fact that the other two people in my class were planning to dive in Thailand and Belize. I've actually learned more on this board about regional standards than from any formal class. On the other hand, the actual dive technique training in my OW class was excellent, and that's helped my confidence and given me a great foundation to build on. Every instructor will have different strengths. I've been lucky enough to have a different instructor for virtually every PADI class I've taken (6 instructors for 10 courses), and it's made it clear that there are many different ways to learn what you need to dive effectively, and that a clash between learning style and teaching style makes it hard on both student and instructor.

 

[Thalassamania]

Yes, DMs are different everywhere, but nurturant leadership types exhibit similar behavior worldwide, behavior very unlike that which we've heard about recently in Cayman and that Bahamas. Permit me an example:

Back when we were first organizing AAUS, I was at Scripps for a meeting and Jim Stewart made arrangements with Burt Kobiyoshi over on the main campus so that one of Burt's instructors would buddy up with me.

We had a moderate swim out to the buoy, and it was clear that she was "checking me out" by pushing the swim a bit harder than it needed to be. When we got to the buoy we immediately submerged and made our descent to the planned 60 ft.

We moving out along the canyon wall lookidng for depth (plan was for a 100 ft. dive) and I was just as uncomfortable as hell. I can't figure it out, but something just doesn't seem right and I'm continuously backpedaling, swimming with my hands, etc. I can't seem to get comfortable with my position in the water, or my buoyancy, or anything.

Finally I realize what the problem is, each of us in unconsciously fighting the other to take the outside, that is to say, to keep the other between ourself and the canyon wall. So I gave up the subconscious battle, let her have the outside track and we both settled down to a much more comfortable dive.

We had a laugh about it later, she had experienced the same discomfort that I had and then was confused when it just disappeared. So we both leaned something about diving with other senior types that we'd not realized before. In my case it was because even when I'd been diving with equally, or more experienced individuals previously, it had almost always been on my turf rather than theirs.

 

[pilot fish]

I'm surprised that when you got out to the buoy you both did not take a moment to catch your breath? If she had pressed the swim you both must have been slightly winded? If you do not have your breath AW, you will not cath your breath UW.

Something similar happend to me on one of my dives on the USS Spiegle Grove. I did not inflate my BC enough in 2 to 4 ft chop so was finning a lot to stay above water [ my fault ] I was waiting in the water for my dive bud, who was BSing with DM on the rear dive platform. We then had a 50 ft swim out to the mooring ball. I was winded. When we got to the mooring ball I told my dive bud to hold on a second till I got my breath. It was very choppy with strong current so we had to hold on to the granny line. I got my breath under control at the surface and then went down. PS. The current was so strong that none of us could stay on the wereck so it turned out to be a 28 minute dive.

Yes, DMs are different everywhere, but nurturant leadership types exhibit similar behavior worldwide, behavior very unlike that which we've heard about recently in Cayman and that Bahamas. Permit me an example:

Back when we were first organizing AAUS, I was at Scripps for a meeting and Jim Stewart made arrangements with Burt Kobiyoshi over on the main campus so that one of Burt's instructors would buddy up with me.

We had a moderate swim out to the buoy, and it was clear that she was "checking me out" by pushing the swim a bit harder than it needed to be. When we got to the buoy we immediately submerged and made our descent to the planned 60 ft.
We moving out along the canyon wall lookidng for depth (plan was for a 100 ft. dive) and I was just as uncomfortable as hell. I can't figure it out, but something just doesn't seem right and I'm continuously backpedaling, swimming with my hands, etc. I can't seem to get comfortable with my position in the water, or my buoyancy, or anything.

Finally I realize what the problem is, each of us in unconsciously fighting the other to take the outside, that is to say, to keep the other between ourself and the canyon wall. So I gave up the subconscious battle, let her have the outside track and we both settled down to a much more comfortable dive.

We had a laugh about it later, she had experienced the same discomfort that I had and then was confused when it just disappeared. So we both leaned something about diving with other senior types that we'd not realized before. In my case it was because even when I'd been diving with equally, or more experienced individuals previously, it had almost always been on my turf rather than theirs.

 

[Thalassamania]

I'm surprised that when you got out to the buoy you both did not take a moment to catch your breath? If she had pressed the swim you both must have been slightly winded? If you do not have your breath OW you will not catch your breath UW.

We were slightly winded ... that was more "test." You can "catch up" UW, but it takes a great regulator (I was diving a Cyclon 300) and a bit of self control, really bad idea on a deep dive. But the real point of the story is the instinct to take the "protective" position.

 

[pilot fish]

You just eat air up fast trying to catch your brreath UW. Not a great idea at the very start of a dive. Glad it all turned out well for you and you passed her "test"

We were slightly winded ... that was more "test." You can "catch up" UW, but it takes a great regulator (I was diving a Cyclon 300) and a bit of self control, really bad idea on a deep dive. But the real point of the story is the instinct to take the "protective" position.

 

[Thalassamania]

It's the price you sometimes pay ... the young guns are always out there.

 

[pilot fish]

And they can stay out there No way I'm following the youngens to the Marianas trench. :laughing:

 

[Thalassamania]

Old age and treachery will overcome youth and enthusiasm.