How often do you "Plan your dive, dive your plan"? Preliminary Survey Results

[Dirty-Dog]

Let me see if I understand what we seem to be saying.

Winging it: Two divers go on a dive to a wreck, planning to ascend when one of their computers gets within a few minutes of NDL or when one of them gets to an agreed upon gas pressure.

Careful planning by highly trained tech divers: Two divers drop off oxygen bottles at the mouth of a cave. They follow the mainline of a cave, planning to turn back to the exit when one of them gets to 1/3 of gas pressure. When they get to their oxygen bottles, they will do as much decompression at the end of their dives as their computers tell them to do.

Sounds like your highly trained tech divers are going to be in trouble. Quite likely dead.
The way I was trained, you're back at the entrance by the time you get to 1/3 of gas pressure. If you wait till you get to 1/3 before you turn the dive... Well... I see a body recovery mission soon after.

Given your two scenarios, I'd much rather be with the folks who are winging it...


Sent from an old fashioned 300 baud acoustic modem by whistling into the handset. Not TapaTalk. Really.

 

[rx7diver]

Sounds like your highly trained tech divers are going to be in trouble. Quite likely dead.
The way I was trained, you're back at the entrance by the time you get to 1/3 of gas pressure. If you wait till you get to 1/3 before you turn the dive... Well... I see a body recovery mission soon after.

Given your two scenarios, I'd much rather be with the folks who are winging it...


Sent from an old fashioned 300 baud acoustic modem by whistling into the handset. Not TapaTalk. Really.

You'll probably reread this soon and think, "What was I thinking when I wrote this??!!"

EDIT: Oh, I see. 1/3 vs. 2/3. You were being clever about the typo ...

Safe Diving,

rx7diver

 

[Aotus]

I'm sure it meant to say "turn after having used 1/3rd (or less) of gas"

 

[AdivingBel]

This is precisely why I asked the planning question multiple ways to tease the distinctions out. How often do you...

• plan with tables/dive planner
• plan with your computer
• plan with dive planning software
• use your experience to determine a general plan
• develop a specific dive plan with a buddy/other divers
• follow a plan given by a divemaster/dive guide
• follow a plan developed by a buddy/other divers
• simply follow the information on my computer during the dive itself

As mentioned, I'm sorting through it now, but on a quick look at the recreational divers who report that they NEVER or RARELY pre-plan their dives

• only 16% say they "Usually" or "Always" use their experience to develop a general plan
• only 24% say they "Usually or "Always" develop a specific dive plan with a buddy/other divers
• nearly 50% say they "Usually" or "Always" simply follow the information on their computer during the dive
  
• greater than 40% say they "Usually" or "Always" follow a dive plan provided by a divemaster/dive guide
• less than 20% say they "Usually" or "Always" follow a dive plan provided by a buddy/other divers

It would appear that when it comes to dive planning... the majority of recreational divers are simply winging it or doing trust-me dives.

These options are not mutually exclusive. Using the info from the DM's pre-dive briefing, monitoring your computer during the dive, turning and surfacing at agreed pressure (basic OW and many times mentioned in the pre-dive briefing)...how is that a "trust me dive" or "winging it?" Seems like folks described what they do to the best of their ability given the options presented in the survey. You seemed to choose to interpret that negatively by hanging negative labels on it. Maybe the survey was fine...BTW shutting up and paying attention to the dive briefing is a GOOD thing...

 

[boulderjohn]

I'm sure it meant to say "turn after having used 1/3rd (or less) of gas"

Of course that is what it meant, and I'm sure most people were smart enough to figure that out. I am sorry to have inadvertently fooled some people.

Now, how many people spotted the difference between winging it and carefully planning?

 

[BDSC]

From my experience, many dives just don't need any type of planning. There was not a single dive I did last week in LC that required a plan to safely do and enjoy the dive.

 

[Dirty-Dog]

Of course that is what it meant, and I'm sure most people were smart enough to figure that out. I am sorry to have inadvertently fooled some people.

I don't think anybody was "fooled", but if being teased about misspeaking gets your panties in a wad, than I apologize.

Now, how many people spotted the difference between winging it and carefully planning?

After correcting your likely fatal mistake, there wouldn't be any difference at all.

 

[Centrals]

The first time that I came across "dive plan" was on IANTD Deep Air and Advanced Nitrox training.
As for recreational diving it is always follow the dive guide. When the tank is down to 100 bars it is time to move to the shallow if the dive is below 30m and finally ascend with minimum of 50 bars to complete a 5 mins of safety stop at 6m.
The only time that I have to plan a recreational dive was in a liveaboard in Queensland. Dive guide cost extra so my buddy and I had to draw up a dive plan and submitted to the dive-supervisor for approval. I was pleased that I know how to use the Wheel otherwise all the dives would be limited to 18m because none of us had a computer back in 1997.

 

[PfcAJ]

Let me see if I understand what we seem to be saying.Winging it: Two divers go on a dive to a wreck, planning to ascend when one of their computers gets within a few minutes of NDL or when one of them gets to an agreed upon gas pressure.Careful planning by highly trained tech divers: Two divers drop off oxygen bottles at the mouth of a cave. They follow the mainline of a cave, planning to turn back to the exit when one of them gets to 1/3 of gas pressure. When they get to their oxygen bottles, they will do as much decompression at the end of their dives as their computers tell them to do.

Both of those sound the same to me. Turning the dive when some parameter is reached. I don't see anything more "careful" about the 2nd scenario other than its fancy because you used the words cave and decompression.

 

[Diver0001]

From my experience, many dives just don't need any type of planning. There was not a single dive I did last week in LC that required a plan to safely do and enjoy the dive.

You always make a plan. You might not be aware of it, however.

Standard aspects of a plan in recreational context is to not exceed the NDL's and to be back at the safety stop depth with about 50bar in the cylinder. In many cases the divers also agree to a maximum depth, possibly a maximum duration if it's relevant and a method of entry/exit. Other "assumptions" about the plan are also made just because we all do it. Deepest dive first, deepest part of the dive at the beginning, if there is current then start the dive into the current etc. etc.

It's all planning even if you don't write it down, stamp it an sign off on it.

This becomes part of many divers' DNA. Without being fully aware that it was the plan, divers will check their computers, watch their depth and bottom time and check their air-pressure, responding to this information as required for the dive at hand.

Ray, it would be interesting to follow up this survey asking other questions about planning than just the general questions "do you plan for your NDL" and "do you plan your gas". My impression is that even if the vast majority of divers say they don't plan their NDL they will confirm that they do account for it during the dive by staying within it. Likewise, while many divers may say they don't plan their gas, the evidence is clear that the vast majority of divers account for it by turning the dive at a given pressure and reaching the surface with a reserve.

Accounting for the information your meters is giving you may not be the same as planning it out ahead of time but is it any less safe in a recreational context? The purpose of a plan is to be able to execute the dive safely. In some contexts the dive is so complex that it is necessary to link navigation planning to gas planning, particularly if you're planning on exceeding the NDLs. Many dives, however, fall squarely into the category of "go down, swim around and look at stuff, come back up). In that context a system of "accounting" seems like a perfectly adequate "best practice" -- for that type of dive.

I think what you're seeing in the survey is an indication that the vast majority of dives fall into the category of being very straightforward with respect to planning.

R..