How Shops Typically Manage Small Group Boat Dives

[Suppresst]

My first exposure to diving was in the aftermath of my 1982 OW when I was dropped off, by same dive shop that trained me, in cold, deep water 100 miles off California mainland at San Clemente Island with about 20 other divers. We were all at liberty to fend for ourselves, including die. One man got bent and was airlifted out by helicopter. Later when I moved to the Florida Keys I never, on multiple boat trips (for the company I worked for) saw a divemaster get in the water, they just cut you loose while they ate sandwiches on boat or yelled angry instructions at you while you were on surface. So, I just figured this is how boat diving is around the world - you pay a bunch of money and then the crew takes you out, points at the water and then listens to music on board while divers do their thing.

Now, I'm re-entering diving after 30 years and my Cayman Islands dive shop promises me and my wife valet service on an eight passenger boat - basically, that each dive is led by, presumably, a dive master, who even personally escorts low-on-air divers back to boat.

That all sounds great but I'm wondering:

1. How does that look in reality - how does even a conscientious dive shop manage eight different divers (they try to assemble trips with similar skill levels) in the water? I mean one lady is having trouble de-fogging her mask, one guy wants to go deeper than plan, one idiot is sitting on top of a coral head, one fool wants to spend 10 minutes photographing one Moray Eel, etc. It's seems to me like it will be like herding cats.
2. What is the industry standard, today, for small group boat dives? It seems to me a "dive master" should be in the water with paying customers on every dive instead of tanning on the boat, but that was not the case in my in 1980's diving experiences. Has industry changed?
3. What should a well managed small group boat dive look like? What should a well managed two tank trip look like?
4. What are some of your stories of poorly managed dives?

 

[Manatee Diver]

What is the industry standard, today, for small group boat dives? It seems to me a "dive master" should be in the water with paying customers on every dive instead of tanning on the boat, but that was not the case in my in 1980's diving experiences. Has industry changed?

That depends on how the dive is billed as, you dive with an operator like Rainbow Reef you can expect the DM in the water guiding the dive, OTOH you go out on a more locals or technical oriented boat unless there is an issue the DM is really just acting as a deck hand. Some operators will even do both depending on the location and composition of the trip.

 

[Scubagolf]

In terms of there being a dive guide (usually a DM) in the water, in Calif there isn’t one unless you hire one. You are expected to buddy up and plan/execute your dive within your training. In warm water resort locations there will always, in my experience, be a guide leading the dive. How the operator manages the dive groups varies, but in my experience most operators limit group sizes to a max of 5-6 per dive guide. I have been in larger groups of 10-12 a couple of times in my early diving days diving on cattle boats, and that was a cluster...

 

[Steve_C]

Talk to the shop. You may want to hire a private guide for you/your group. The experience of people, including me, is not really relevant. What counts is how the particular operation you are using functions and the quality of the guide that day.
I am from NC and there is no DM in the water in less you pay. For my Cayman dives they split the boat into two groups. Clearly based on their idea of your ability. Group I was in went over the wall (other group went in shallower). Followed guide pretty carefully until back over the wall. Then it was a slow drift back over 30-40 ft water. DM hung high and watched. The rest of us spread out 50 ft or so in all directions. As long as the DM could see us it was cool. Once we got back to the boat after a few minutes the DM let us know she was going up. We were allowed to go up with her or play on the reef a bit more under the boat if we had the air. For me it was great.

 

[AdivingBel]

The valet service I've experienced in the Caymans has had more to do with handling and taking care of your gear. They put a DM in the water and you have the option of following or doing your own thing with your buddy (I enjoy doing my own thing, YMMV). The DM would typically do a 40 min or so tour and bring the group back under the boat where the group would continue their dive nearby. The DM would then get on the boat and prepare to receive exiting divers. The crew switches over tanks between dives. Some outfits have benches at the dive platform where the diver will sit and the crew brings them their rig and helps them don it. The diver checks their rig and enters the water. If you're diving with them for a few days, you develop a rapport with the crew and they learn how you like to dive. If done well (and the ops I've had experience with do) it makes for a fun, relaxing dive trip. All IMHO, YMMV. Have fun.

 

[TMHeimer]

I would think there has never been an industry standard. My one trip to Panama the DM was the guide, always in the water.
In the SE U.S. sometimes the DM was in the water, either buddied with or keeping an eye on an inexperienced diver.
One time the DM was on his own spear fishing. Other times the DM stayed on board. Sometimes the DM would assist people a lot gearing up, other times only if asked. Sometimes you geared up with no assistance. I always appreciated help since each boat is different and I usually gear up at my car.
You have to wonder how effective a DM can be helping one diver in a group of 6 he/she is with underwater. This ties in somewhat with the accidents that occur during Discover Scuba dives where uncertified divers can be at a 4:1 ratio to the instructor.
If it's not a guided group dive like in the tropics, there is probably little reason for the DM to be in the water unless as mentioned, with a new diver. Buddy teams will have different dive plans, so who would you follow?
One thing I recall from the DM course was that sometimes the DM stays on the boat to assist divers returning and to spot those in trouble on the surface. The thought here may be that if the DM is uw with 6 divers and one that he wasn't looking at bolts (Viz may be poor), who assists the panicked diver at the surface (the Captain, I guess, if trained to do so and the water's not like 38F)?

 

[Barnaby'sDad]

From what I've seen, some operators try to limit the quantity of divers that each DM has to look after. ex. Eight divers in the water...I wouldn't be surprised if they have two DM's.

During the pre-dive brief...they are clear as far as what their expectations are for the dive. ex. If a pair wants to take off and do their own thing, that is discussed. Divers are asked how long its been since they dived last, what their certification level is, etc. That gives the DM's a chance to gauge how much attention they're going to have to pay to a particular diver.

One day trip...I was in a group of four assigned to a DM. Myself and one other guy had been diving recently. The other two had not been out recently (1+ year since last dive) and didn't have much experience. The DM spent most of those two dives corralling the two people that hadn't been out in a while.

That experience is the basis for my "do not exceed four persons per DM" thought. That DM did a good job, but she had her hands full at times getting the attention of the two guys that were like watching cats chasing a laser pointer every time something neat was visible.

There is not an industry standard. Some operators proactively put a DM in the water. Others will put a DM in the water if you ask for one. I will say that for the operators that said they would put a DM in the water...they did as they advertised.

Keep in mind...not everyone is going to want a DM. That is one reason why it may not be proactively provided for every dive. Some divers don't want a "guided" dive. That is one thing about diving with a DM...you go where the DM wants you to go. For a beginner or someone with a go with the flow attitude, that's fine. For someone that wants to hang out and take pictures of 'x'...they're not going to want an underwater nanny.

As far as an example of a poorly managed dive...my first post-OW certification dive, I was paired up with a DM. It was just me and him. As a result of the pre-dive briefing, I had the understanding that we would be diving as a buddy pair. About a minute into the second dive...I lost track of him (x < 4' visibility). I surfaced after a minute of looking and just bobbed there for 15 minutes before he finally surfaced 100+ yards away.

That experience reinforced for me the thought that you're on your own every time you go diving...even if you do set out with a "buddy."

 

[Marie13]

Here on the Great Lakes, the usual is no DM in the water. You're on your own on the wreck.

 

[Damselfish]

I would say there is no standard. Nor should there be as every place is different, gets different customers who have different expectations, etc. But it is pretty typical for there to be guide(s) in the water in tropical destinations, and no guides in cold water places. You will periodically hear stories about people who have only done one, and are confused, troubled, or even irate when they experience the other. What's important is that you know what you're getting and that it meets your needs.

My experience of "valet" diving in Cayman (and lots of other places) is like @AdivingBel describes - valet service is more about gear handling and perhaps some extra amenities.

I've never really seen anything like the perfect storm of "herding cats" dive you describe. Yes there are divers out there that need help, but it's more like occasionally one or 2 on a dive, usually none. Any op that constantly sees a lot of divers that need major attention will presumably account for that in their procedures. (I am unlikely to be diving with them, and if you don't want to either just do your research.)

Note that having a guide in the water doesn't mean everyone follows them, or wants to. Including the photographer that wants to "spend 10 minutes photographing one Moray Eel" - which in many cases is a perfectly fine and reasonable thing to do, as long as their buddy is ok with it.

 

[yle]

What is the industry standard, today, for small group boat dives? It seems to me a "dive master" should be in the water with paying customers on every dive instead of tanning on the boat, but that was not the case in my in 1980's diving experiences. Has industry changed?

The standard varies widely with local regs and the typical customer. In So Cal, most of the divers are locals (i.e. not people visiting on vacation) and there is no specific regulation that requires divers to have a guide. So the standard here is what you described in your post: the boat crew is responsible for bringing you to the dive site, you and your buddy are responsible for your own dive. Of course the crew has a vested interest in your safety, and every boat crew I've dived with here has demonstrated that.

As Marie posted above, the Great Lakes seems to be a similar situation: mostly local divers, so no guide in the water... and you're expected to handle your own dive.

Areas like Grand Cayman that expect most of their customers to be visitors, i.e. tourists, typically have different standards. It seems most of the Caribbean islands have the problem of a constant flow of a lot of tourist divers (whose skills, quite often, leave a lot to be desired), and a fragile ecosystem that would get beat to hell if the divers were left alone. This tends to motivate local regulations that require a dive guide to monitor the divers (i.e. keep them from touching stuff.)

Everywhere you dive, whether there's a DM in the water or not, whether local regs require one or not, as a certified diver you are expected to be able to handle your dive. This is also how one guide should be able to handle 8 guests: the guests shouldn't NEED the constant personal attention of the guide. If a diver has trouble handling their dive safely, it's not the fault of the crew nor their responsibility to compensate for the diver's incompetence.