Diver out of air? Not really? Cozumel.

[Down2bizDiver]

You implied that it was undesirable that all four dive ops did not employ the buddy system you were taught, and gave no other common reason for being dissatisfied with them all.

I did not intend to imply that, sorry.

What I consider to be serious faults of the various dive ops I experienced are not necessarily the same between and among them. I picked them based on recommendations of other divers, or in one case, a dive specialist travel agent.

If you read my experience at post #89 you may better understand my dissatisfaction with the one employing the DM shown in my video.

It would be interesting if you would start another thread (or is there one already?) to discuss what makes a good dive op and possibly review particular ones.

Months ago, on a different dive forum board, I participated in a discussion of the dive buddy system as taught, its practicality, and the reality. It was occasioned by an article in one of the popular dive magazines that suggested the buddy system as taught may not be practical, especially for underwater photographers and videographers.

 

[Ayisha]

Down2bizDiver, the next time you choose a dive shop anywhere, it might be wise to do thorough research on the area and the dive ops. I personally would never take just one or two recommendations alone and certainly not a travel agent's recommendation. This board is fantastic for getting up-to-date info on particular locations and recommended dive ops, plus I use search engines to research further before I decide. I've been choosing resorts and dive ops this way for about the last 10 years, and I haven't booked with one dud yet. I have avoided a few potential duds over the years though thanks to online information.

 

[Down2bizDiver]

Down2bizDiver, the next time you choose a dive shop anywhere ...

Of the 13 dive locations I've been to in the last 16 months (two of them more than once for a total of 15 trips and 19 different dive ops) I have only encountered real problems in Cozumel. In any event, this issue isn't relevant to this forum. We should get off it.

 

[Down2bizDiver]

Unless the diver is a complete A-hole, I'd find it virtually impossible for a diver to have anything less then a fantastic experience ...

Your comments are an example of one of the things I really love about this forum "Near Misses and Lessons Learned," they're right on point and civil, too. I've learned so much about good dive practices and dive safety from the comments posted here, all of them related to the events depicted in my video! Oh, wait, I'm not "wise" and a "complete A-hole" too, so never mind. Good grief.

 

[dry heat diver]

The video seems to be blocked and can't be opened without a password.

 

[Down2bizDiver]

... it's better to be with a buddy you know ... return with your own buddy so you can feel better about the diving and enjoy the truly remarkable preserve.

I don't think the events depicted in the video are related to whether or not the buddy system was employed by the dive op.

I have never mentioned whether or not I was diving with another diver I know, and I don't' think it is relevant ... after all, at 100 feet I didn't need the DM to adjust my BCD, I didn't need to have weight added by the DM, and I have never had to share air with a DM, or anyone else, anyplace I have dived. Does that mean I could never have a problem while diving? Of course not.

Why don't you all stop criticizing me and return the focus of this forum back to a discussion of what lessons might be learned from the near miss shown in the video?

 

[Down2bizDiver]

The video seems to be blocked and can't be opened without a password.

Please, scroll up to post #84 to find out how you can view the video. I apologize for the inconvenience.

 

[Ayisha]

...In any event, this issue isn't relevant to this forum. We should get off it.

We are commenting on several issues that you say are irrelevant because YOU brought them up. If you did not bring them up, we would not have known about them and the "irrelevant" issues may never have been discussed.

If you warn divers away from an entire island because of your lone experiences and comment on air sharing, buddy protocols or other dive practices, you can expect to have comments on your comments.

 

[Mike]

Your comments are an example of one of the things I really love about this forum "Near Misses and Lessons Learned," they're right on point and civil, too. I've learned so much about good dive practices and dive safety from the comments posted here, all of them related to the events depicted in my video! Oh, wait, I'm not "wise" and a "complete A-hole" too, so never mind. Good grief.

I realize you're an attorney, so you like to take things of out context so you can make your point, but if you re-read the entire paragraph you snipped your little snippet our of you should realize the label I used couldn't apply to you because you didn't meet the pre-qualifications.

 

[Hemlon]

Down2bizDiver,

It's really unfortunate that you are painting with such a wide brush in regard to Cozumel's dive ops. I, and thousands of others, continue to go back to Cozumel year after year because we find their dive ops to be first rate in regard to safety.

Like someone said earlier in this thread: YOU are responsible for establishing your buddy team and YOU are responsible to set forth the concepts which have been established for dive safety.

Pehaps because I'm an RN or because I am a solo diver, I view my safety as being MY responsibility. For me, the dive op is little more than a taxi cab and an expert in local conditions.

You made such a point several times in letting us know that you have been diving in several great locations. That's awesome...but please don't confuse a fat wallet with being a seasoned diver. It takes years to understand what if worthy of your stress and indignation.

Hopefully, when you are more seasoned, you will understand that safe diving encompasses a lot of variables...not all of which are covered in your classroom dive education. In regard to your video, it has been established that the diver was not OOA. At any time, the DM could have switched this diver back over to breathing off his own tank. There was no crisis and nothing alarming.

You might enjoy your dives more if you focus on the beauty around YOU instead of focusing on what you consider to be a poor practice by your dive op.

But in any case, even if you choose not to re-visit Cozumel, I wish you many happy diving days.