Inconsiderate Divers

[donacheson]

redseal once bubbled...
Hi Everyone!

When the captain explained that the first dive would be a group dive at Sand Chute along a wall to a max of 60 -80 feet, and therefore would be a maximum 30 minute dive (RDP shows 30 minutes to be the NDL for 80 feet), one of these "experts" asked him, in front of the whole group:"We are two very experienced divers with many dives under our belts; they (pointing to me and mine)are inexperienced divers. Will we be required to ascend when they run out of air because they are inexperienced, or will they be allowed to return to the surface while we finish the dive we have paid for?"

The comments you've receieved from others, noting that you were right to say nothing about the inconsiderate divers, pretty well cover it except for one thing.

Grand Cayman seems to be an exception, for most dive locales will permit divers with computers to stay within the no-decom limits of the computer. A dive begun at 80 feet followed by a gradual ascent up a wall or a coral head to 15 or 20 feet can easily last an hour or longer without ever entering decompression. No, you weren't in heaven in Grand Cayman - go to Little Cayman next time! <G>

 

[MikeFerrara]

I am faced with similar descisions every week. Every week I see instructors running their classes in what I believe to be a gangerous way. Saturday I watched a certified solo diver take over an hour to assemble and ready his gear. When finished he was discusted. overheated (it was hot and he was wearing a dry suit which he donned before assembling the rest of his gear) and his bc was on the wrong side of the tank. Also, as he staggered to the water it was clear that his tank was loose in the band. Once in the water his tank fell out and it took him another 45 min or so to get things put back together. My wife tried to help but he was an expert who did not want help. My wife pointed out that his counsol was hung up behind his tank. He responded by saying that he knew and that he hadn't secured it yet. When he finally began his dive he came back to shore minutes later to relocate his counsol. When should you say something? I don't know. I know when I want to say something though. Some of the things we see are so obsurd that I have had my students (without letting me know what they were going to do) comment to the students of other classes. Sunday I watched as an instructor bragged to his students how he had dove the "Mount Everest of wrecks" Andria Dorea while he stood there counsol dangling at his knees. All his students had their alternates and gauges dangling unsecured or streamlined. These students look up to this idiot and have faith in the training they are receiving. You will likely see them out breaking coral and stiring the bottom. No. I didn't say anything. But I sure would like to.

 

[redseal]

Mike, Sorry to hear that there are instructors out there deliberately or inadvertently teaching bad habits right off the bat. To a person, each instructor we had throughout our open water course emphasized gear awareness and streamlining, control, and breathing techniques. EVERYONE OF THEM. They also pointed out that other diving schools frequently comment on how well divers from our school (on the whole) control their gear and fight for buoyancy control, even in the first open water dives. Clearly this is passed along by the "monkey see, monkey do" philosophy.

I guess there is "jackass see, jackass do" out there too! In any case, we're going to keep diving and hopefully improving our capabilities. After all, that's what makes it fun: doing it right!