How long is a dive?

[TSandM]

I've been reading trip reports and I've been very surprised to see people reporting that the dive operators limit dive time to periods as short as 35 minutes. I'd be more than mildly annoyed if I paid good money for a boat trip and only got to use a third of a tank . . . At home, even in our cold water, most of my dives are 50 to 60 minutes, and on our local charters, dive time is not limited at all. On the trips we've done in Hawaii, dives have been limited by air rather than time. In Australia, the dives were 45 minutes, which was short but tolerable.

Is it common to have operators limit dive time to lengths below 45 minutes? Would it irritate anybody else to discover this after paying for a charter?

 

[ReefGuy]

One of the questions I ask when booking a dive is if there's a time limit. There frequently is, but ususally around an hour or so.

 

[El Orans]

Is it common to have operators limit dive time to lengths below 45 minutes? Would it irritate anybody else to discover this after paying for a charter?

Best to find out beforehand.

 

[Drew Sailbum]

Ask beforehand.... and yes, it's very common to limit dives by time if the depth of the dive so dictates.

 

[Skeeter1097]

Yes, Like Drew Sailbun answered. It depends on the depth but 1 hr is common.

 

[Kim]

I've never had a normal dive limited to less than an hour. Night dive/sunset dives I've had limited to 40 minutes. All dives are of course limited by NDL. If someone tried to limit me to an arbitrary 45 minutes I'd be rather upset but that wouldn't happen as I ask first and wouldn't book with them if that was so. I also ask about tank sizes and fill pressures - especially if I want to dive Nitrox. I also take a very dim view of guides that try to swim me against the current unless it's absolutely required!

(By the way...when I first saw this thread title I thought I might have to ask you "How long is a piece of string?" )

 

[Jim Baldwin]

I've been reading trip reports and I've been very surprised to see people reporting that the dive operators limit dive time to periods as short as 35 minutes. I'd be more than mildly annoyed if I paid good money for a boat trip and only got to use a third of a tank . . . At home, even in our cold water, most of my dives are 50 to 60 minutes, and on our local charters, dive time is not limited at all. On the trips we've done in Hawaii, dives have been limited by air rather than time. In Australia, the dives were 45 minutes, which was short but tolerable.

Is it common to have operators limit dive time to lengths below 45 minutes? Would it irritate anybody else to discover this after paying for a charter?

On a trip to the Cayman Islands a few years ago my wife and I went with about 15 other people. The diving was through the hotel operator and once we got to the dive sites were told that the dives would be 20 minutes without computers and 30 minutes with computers. No exceptions. Needless to say we were upset. The dive profile was 100 feet and then up the wall. We stayed at 100 feet about 5 minutes. When we complained later we were told that these were the guidelines established by the dive operators on the island. We also go stuck with Aluminum 72's, not steel for 3 days. First time any of us had every seen any tanks like this. They were quite old.

The previous week my wife and I had been in Cozumel and we were averaging 1hr 20 min. dives and doing deeper profiles than what was allowed on Grand Cayman.

I second the idea of checking with the dive op. Also find out how they handle divers as they use up their air. Does the whole group come up together? Does the DM sent up a float/safety sausage so that the divers will be above the whole group? Or will you be responsible for locating and getting back to the boat by yourself? And what size tanks are standard? If larger tanks are available if needed what do they cost? And also how many divers will be on the boat?

 

[Landos]

I always ask up front ... I use computer and make sure I can dive my computer and not be restricted to tables or time of the newbie diver who uses up their air quickly.

I have ticked of a dive master or two when I "lagged behind " when he wanted to make everyone surface when "he " wanted to end the dive, but after " offering" to take my business elsewhere ,they always agree to not cut my dive short.

 

[_Bella_]

I learned the hard way to ask. I have been someplace where the guide went up after 45 mins and would harrass everyone until they came up too. Now I ALWAYS ask the operator, SB, friends, enemies, and anyone else I can think of that's been there what the policy is.

I've been with an op that used one dingy to follow divers and although the divers didn't have to go up together, the dingy would wait and return to the liveaboard only after the whole group was in. In that case it's a matter of hopefully coordinating with your boat mates.

 

[Jason B]

Sounds like a 'resort' diving issue.