Ignoring clear briefing instructions and diving 101 rules. close miss.
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Bert van den Berg
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With all due respect to many very good dive instructors, one dive instructor who I know very well has been bent three times. No-one wants him as a dive partner.
Dan
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I carry all 3 (DSMB, Nautilus Lifeline Marine Rescue GPS & PLB1). Actually I carry 9 signaling devices, see Best signaling devices from the searcher’s point of view - update and make sure I listen & follow the briefing
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I've been bent far more than that. And I don't want anyone as a diving partner.
Dan
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Nope. The only type 2 was a vestibular hit, in Coz, on an extremely benign profile. The rest were pain only and skin hits, on my left forearm, after commercial diving, when I work like a dog. I expect I have a medical condition that leads to it. All of the trimix and deep air I do is always well within my GF computer, and those don't seem to bother.
DiverGirl1972
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We experienced a similar situation on the Spiegel Grove some years back. Due to strong currents present, the boat crew gave clear instruction to maintain constant contact with the line from the back of the boat to the front as well as the descent line down to the wreck. This was emphasized repeatedly. About 14 divers splashed in and at the end of the 50-minute dive, we were short two during the roll call.
Our crew immediately put out a call to local boats, sent a crew member back down to the wreck to search for them while all of the divers on board scanned the water for bubbles and the horizon for any signs of the divers. We finally got a call about 15 – 20 minutes later that they were picked up about 2 miles away. They blatantly admitted to ignoring the captain's instructions, deciding to do a free descent to the wreck in hopes that the current would slack off at depth. By the time they realized they missed the wreck and ascended, they were already a long way from the boat.
It was a tense 15 - 20 minutes for all on board. Needless to say, they were made to sit out the next dive (not sure if they would have gone anyway), but it was just a needless situation.
Our crew immediately put out a call to local boats, sent a crew member back down to the wreck to search for them while all of the divers on board scanned the water for bubbles and the horizon for any signs of the divers. We finally got a call about 15 – 20 minutes later that they were picked up about 2 miles away. They blatantly admitted to ignoring the captain's instructions, deciding to do a free descent to the wreck in hopes that the current would slack off at depth. By the time they realized they missed the wreck and ascended, they were already a long way from the boat.
It was a tense 15 - 20 minutes for all on board. Needless to say, they were made to sit out the next dive (not sure if they would have gone anyway), but it was just a needless situation.
"never underestimate the other guys stupidity " scarface movie ........sort of
During the dive briefings, even on boats and dive sites we've been on many times, my friends and I always stop what we're doing, face the DM or captain, and listen to the full dive briefing.
We hope it sets a good example.
We hope it sets a good example.
I worked on a dive boat as a member of the professional staff exactly once in my life, but it was instructive for this thread.
I was diving on Ste. Maarten for a week, all with the same operation, and I got to know the staff pretty well. Late in the week, they had a very popular shark dive in the afternoon, and I planned to be on it. I hung around the shop talking with the staff, so I was present when they had a problem. More people had signed up, and a crew member had called in sick. They now did not have enough professionals to meet their insurance requirements. Well, I had my insurance card with me, and I volunteered to fill the spot. They did not need me to do much--just mostly provide the body they needed to meet the minimum number of pros on hand.
I did have a job, though, and they spelled it out to me emphatically. Even though it was very clear water with nearly no current, they had both a descent line from the boat and a permanent line leading from it to the dive site. My job was to descend first, making sure to keep a hand on the line at all times to set a good example. They said that if I let go, anyone seeing me let go would let go, too, despite all their warnings in the briefing. I was then to stay at the connection point between the descent line and the line leading to the site, making sure everyone successfully followed the regular DM along that line to the site. I was to bring up the rear to make sure no one strayed. Once at the site, I was just another customer. After the dive, I was to bring up the rear, making sure no one strayed from the line on the way back to the ascent line. I was assured that unless I did that, there was a decent chance someone would stray and get lost. (Again, that is in clear water with little current.)
I imagine those instructions were the result of many years of experience.
I was diving on Ste. Maarten for a week, all with the same operation, and I got to know the staff pretty well. Late in the week, they had a very popular shark dive in the afternoon, and I planned to be on it. I hung around the shop talking with the staff, so I was present when they had a problem. More people had signed up, and a crew member had called in sick. They now did not have enough professionals to meet their insurance requirements. Well, I had my insurance card with me, and I volunteered to fill the spot. They did not need me to do much--just mostly provide the body they needed to meet the minimum number of pros on hand.
I did have a job, though, and they spelled it out to me emphatically. Even though it was very clear water with nearly no current, they had both a descent line from the boat and a permanent line leading from it to the dive site. My job was to descend first, making sure to keep a hand on the line at all times to set a good example. They said that if I let go, anyone seeing me let go would let go, too, despite all their warnings in the briefing. I was then to stay at the connection point between the descent line and the line leading to the site, making sure everyone successfully followed the regular DM along that line to the site. I was to bring up the rear to make sure no one strayed. Once at the site, I was just another customer. After the dive, I was to bring up the rear, making sure no one strayed from the line on the way back to the ascent line. I was assured that unless I did that, there was a decent chance someone would stray and get lost. (Again, that is in clear water with little current.)
I imagine those instructions were the result of many years of experience.
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