How would you deal with this ?

[flots am]

I would also have told the DM that they need to pay more attention to the group they are leading for no other reason than pace. A new diver struggling to keep up is a sign that the DM needs, if they are following him, to slow down. The DM with new divers in the water should not be setting the pace.

You're too nice. I would have taken the abandoned diver who couldn't keep up, as my buddy, then we would have stopped and relaxed and watched some fish on a nice patch of reef until we got bored or hit the turn pressure, then returned to the boat.

The DM (who has now lost three out of his six divers) can handle himself. I see no need to chase him down to tell him how to do his job.

Any healthy 10x10 section of reef contains enough life to keep a diver interested for days. The only reason I've ever been able to figure out for "follow the leader" is to make sure the tanks don't last long enough to interfere with the next scheduled dive.

flots.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Should have clarified. I'd have told the DM after we were back on the boat. Maybe after if there was a place to do it, hidden for a few minutes and let them sweat a bit about their piss poor diver management skills.

And I agree. One of the best dives I ever had and saw the most life on was in an area no bigger than my living room with a macro photographer. Priceless stuff when you see things no one else did and you get to work on skills like buoyancy and trim.

 

[jimthediver]

You're doing a boat dive in a group of 6 divers.
You are just AAW certified and youve done about 30 dives total.
8 with your DM/Instructor in the past few days at the same dive site.
The dive group is DM,You and two couples -in each couple one has done a fair few dives as an OW diver,the other is a freshly minted OW diver.
The dive plan is for the DM to lead followed by the two couples with you as tail end charlie. You'll follow a basic square pattern to end up 35-40 minutes later back under the boat.
Within minutes of getting to the bottom one new diver ends up taking a fair bit of the DM's attention with minor issues. meanwhile The experienced partner in the other pair heads off in their own direction. loosing sight of their dive buddy.
The new diver starts looking a littly uncomfortable being aways behind "everyone else" (not aware you are tailing the group)
Maybee I was being a bit over protective but I "buddied up" with the new diver untill we caught up and the group tightened up again 10 minutes later. Then dropped back to TEC.
I don't think the actual dive buddy was even aware there was an issue.

So -whats the polite/correct thing to do in this situation?
Was I just being an old grandma and shoulda left well enough alone?

Kazbanz,

I think you would have been completely correct and well within your rights to tell the DM from the getgo that you were not comfortable with the dive plan. In fact, based on your level of experience and training that is probably what you should have done. Not only did he set you up to dive solo, and that is exactly what you were doing, but he abdicated a significant, if not major part of his responsibility to you. By virtue of this plan you accepted the position of a defacto DM. You did great with the newbie buddy who was left behind but what if she had gone into a panic you might have become the only thing between her and injury or death. My advice is don't ever let yourself be put in a position like that again.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Of course maybe he was trained in the "buddy procedures" many seem to be. Talked about or mentioned in class then completely disregarded in the pool and on checkouts.

Of course maybe he was trained well, as maybe most divers are, and then maybe being the lazy, self centered, boob most people are, he isn't worried about following the training he received.

 

[DivemasterDennis]

You were being a safe, helpful and good samaritan diver. As to correction, after the dive, you have 2 correcting options:

1. Speak to divemaster out of hearing of other divers, explaing your concerns and ask if he can be of assitance on future dives, or 2. Simply volunetter to be the newbie's dive buddy and help him acquire better skills.

After the day is done, report concerns of divemaster lack of awarness to the shop/captain, etc. if you feel they rise to the level of safety concerns.

When I am DM I try to be aware of all divers. When I am a "civillian" my buddy and I enjoy the dive, and entervene only if I see something that is a safety issue. I suggest the same for you, and Thank you for your generous involvement. You give divers a good name.

DivemasterDennis

 

[Frosty]

Hey thanks folks for the feedback. I must say in fairness to the DM that he and I had done 8 dives together as instructor/student from that anchourage in the days leading up to that dive. -I don't know if that impacted on the decision.
Also I was in cruise mode so was about 10 feet above the other divers.
Untill I joined the new diver I could clearly see both them and their buddy at either side of a long reef. It looked clear to me where they would joint up and it was well before our next turn.

From MY pov (not the newbee divers) it felt like an "easy" test of both my situational awareness and how I deal with decision making under a bit of pressure.
Thanks for pointing out the potential negatives folks - I hadn't really thought of it as me being a solo diver or a defacto DM to be honest.

Aint it fantastic how you can basicly debrief on here

 

[scubadiveilat]

Lucky for the Divemaster you were there.

Your a safe and proper diver. Everyone should that way look for one another. A novas diver hasn't got experience yet they are still depending on others. Keeping an eye on them is something that the DM should have done. You should have received a thanks for it.

Keep up the good gesture and dive frequently!!!

 

[DazedAndConfuzed]

Maybe the guy in the buddy group was expecting the girl to do what they usually do, which is to follow the guy and keep an eye on him wherever he wanders off to, whether falling behind taking pictures or separating from the group while chasing some fish.