HELP!! Need Advice!!!

[DivingPrincessE]

Seems like diving either attracts people who like to tell other people what to do or brings out this quality in them. That's always irritated me. There's nothing worse than paying good money to be ordered around by some little prick on a dive boat who obviously doesn't know what he's talking about.

If you feel his actions were improper then they probably were. Find a good instructor and good equipment and find some good people who enjoy diving more than they enjoy pushing people around. Diving is fun.

Years ago i had a buddy who panicked. We were at 60' in a dark quarry and she wanted to get immediately to the surface. I held her bc and dumped mine - enough to slow her ascent - and I looked at her to make sure she was breathing okay. When we got to shore I gave her a little time to relax then asked her how she enjoyed the dive. Eventually we spoke about her problems. No big drama.

Someone panicked and you held them back to slow their ascent...so you basically did just what the DM did to the OP. Am I missing something?

 

[Nylorac]

Someone panicked and you held them back to slow their ascent...so you basically did just what the DM did to the OP. Am I missing something?

Yeah, I wondered the same thing. Power trip or rescue? Guess its all in the eyes of the beholder.

 

[mow2000]

Someone panicked and you held them back to slow their ascent...so you basically did just what the DM did to the OP. Am I missing something?

Yes, you're missing something Here is her quote:

"Out of nowhere hands grabbed me and held me where I was. I started to panic even more at this point thinking this crazy person was holding me under the water to complete what I started. He had no idea what was wrong with me. He had total control over my movements. I eventually fought my way to the surface."

Note: "held me where I was" and "fought my way to the surface".

 

[DivingPrincessE]

Yes, you're missing something Here is her quote:

"Out of nowhere hands grabbed me and held me where I was. I started to panic even more at this point thinking this crazy person was holding me under the water to complete what I started. He had no idea what was wrong with me. He had total control over my movements. I eventually fought my way to the surface."

Note: "held me where I was" and "fought my way to the surface".

That is the perspective of a panicked diver, I bet the DM would tell it differently. It may have seemed like she wasn't moving...but obviously she was or she wouldn't have gotten to the surface. If I am remebering right his hands were still on her at the surface (which she also didn't like). Also you were 60 feet going to the surface, she was probably around 12 feet...it might have felt like she wasn't going anywhere because there is hardly any distance between 12 feet and surface...

How do you think the OP would have responded if someone held her back at 60 feet...I'm guessing she would be even more displeased. As far as your "no drama" statement. I'll bet the DM might have said to someone, yeah there was a panicked diver in class this week...that's it. The person who turned into a drama situation, was the OP.

 

[mow2000]

Sorry, guess I took her words at face value instead of reading between the lines and determining that her perceptions were completely wrong. And, after all, the DM did save her from "the bends".

That is the perspective of a panicked diver, I bet the DM would tell it differently. It may have seemed like she wasn't moving...but obviously she was or she wouldn't have gotten to the surface. If I am remebering right his hands were still on her at the surface (which she also didn't like). Also you were 60 feet going to the surface, she was probably around 12 feet...it might have felt like she wasn't going anywhere because there is hardly any distance between 12 feet and surface...

How do you think the OP would have responded if someone held her back at 60 feet...I'm guessing she would be even more displeased. As far as your "no drama" statement. I'll bet the DM might have said to someone, yeah there was a panicked diver in class this week...that's it. The person who turned into a drama situation, was the OP.

 

[BarryNL]

Sorry, guess I took her words at face value instead of reading between the lines and determining that her perceptions were completely wrong. And, after all, the DM did save her from "the bends".

I wish below Rescue divers would quit saying silly things on this thread.

When you do your rescue course you will be taught to grab a panicked diver to slow their ascent.

When you do your Divemaster you will learn that this is not just a good idea but your professional responsibility.

When you did your basic-OW you should have learnt why fast panicked ascents are a bad thing (hint: it's not "the bends").

 

[mow2000]

Maybe my sarcasm didn't translate or i don't get what you be saying. Here is her original quote:

"He then told me that he was saving me from over lung expansion and the bends by 'helping' me ascend at a slower pace."

I wish below Rescue divers would quit saying silly things on this thread.

When you do your rescue course you will be taught to grab a panicked diver to slow their ascent.

When you do your Divemaster you will learn that this is not just a good idea but your professional responsibility.

When you did your basic-OW you should have learnt why fast panicked ascents are a bad thing (hint: it's not "the bends").

 

[aquaman_06]

sass,

No that type of treatment, just what sounds like overall rudeness on the part of the dive professionals is not common in the dive word. In fact most of the dive masters and instructors that I know including myself are pretty light hearted folks that like to have lots of fun. You learn best when you are having fun and it seems like some people forget that scuba diving is a "recreational" sport. If your not having fun then what's the point?

As for the DM's comment about resolving problems under the water he is right. Flooding your mask and no mask breathing are two of scuba's most basic underwater skills. When diving sooner or later you will have to clear your mask and may get your mask knocked off and need to breathe without it on.

As for the DM grabbing you when you went for the surface I disagree with the overall aggressiveness of that approach. I would recommend that you find a different dive center to go through regarding your dive education. That said you may want to re-consider an ocean diving trip this early on. I would highly recommend having better then average dive skills before planning a reef dive where not only will equipment/skills be a concern but aquatic life and the aquatic environment around you will be as well.

 

[wreckchick]

Unless you have been there (fingers pointing around the room) you have no idea what kind of contact you have to have to stop a bolting, panicked diver. A gentle suggestion rarely does the trick. Yes, I have handled people in a way that could potentially be perceived as aggressively but only because that's how I *have* to handle them so they don't slip out of my grip.

Rescue isn't all warm and fuzzy with hot cocoa and puppy dogs, it's life or death and that's how seriously it should be taken.

Rachel

 

[aaron9876]

The BCD was too big and the regulator was also. I had to hold the regulator in my mouth or any small current would knock it out.

I didn't know regulators came in different sizes... what kind of reg was this?