Is a minimum deco style profile possible while DMing in a resort location?

[amascuba]

The standards of the agencies that talk about ascending at slow speeds to 5 meters and then doing a safety stop before surfacing. By the way - this is also what most peoples computers are telling them to do.
Some of the above advice is fine if there is still stuff around to look at - many sites in Thailand though the depths being discussed here are blue water using a SS. It's not elegant but most of the divers I've seen tend to make rather inelegant ascents to 5 meters (often way too fast) where the DM acts as a reference point and tries to prevent others popping up because of lack of control.

This isn't a discussion about 'best practice' - it's about the reality of 'paradise' resort diving and working in that environment.
Personally I think that this question wouldd actually get better answers if posed in some of the resort location forums - like Thailand, Cozumel etc etc depending on where the OP wants to work. Then the answers would be coming from people who actually work there and know what's expected. That would possibly be more helpful.

You do realize that the min deco ascents are more conservative than what most agencies teach right?

 

[Kim]

You do realize that the min deco ascents are more conservative than what most agencies teach right?

Yes. I simply have visions of divers who don't really understand what's happening getting confused when the DM keeps stopping for no apparent reason at depths they don't expect.
Anyway - I've given my opinion about the possible outcome in places I have experience with. I'm only answering the question - it's not about whether the methods are 'better' or 'safer' or any kind of DIR vs non DIR thing. It's simply about customers and working as a DM. For instance there are MANY places that instructors may not instruct in BP/W - other places it's OK. My point is that there are still MANY places, especially resort locations, where the mainstream accepted procedure is expected. Like it or not that tends to be the procedures of PADi or SSI etc - whoever the prevaling agency is. Worldwide, like it or not, that's PADI by a very large margin.

 

[Snowbear]

The standards of the agencies that talk about ascending at slow speeds to 5 meters and then doing a safety stop before surfacing. By the way - this is also what most peoples computers are telling them to do.

Those standards are maximum ascent rates. They don't say you have to speed up to those ascent rates to meet standards.... or do they :11:

 

[Snowbear]

Yes. I simply have visions of divers who don't really understand what's happening getting confused when the DM keeps stopping for no apparent reason at depths they don't expect.

So don't stop. Just sloooooow waaaaaay dooooowwwwwnnnn

A one minute 'deep stop' and the subsequent 'minimum deco' stops can easily be accomplished just by doing a 10 fpm ascent rate.... all you have to tell the poor confused cattle is that, 'as we approach X depth, we'll be slowing our ascent.'

I already explained how a DM can deal with the 'safety stop.' I've done that as a DM here and have had VERY few folks who even noticed, much less asked about it, as they paid no attention to me, just to what their own computer told them to do

 

[TheRedHead]

I am wondering if it would be practical for someone to work as a Dive Master in a resort location without using a computer. Profiles such as those taught by GUE are great when you are with divers of a similar mind but when leading other divers unfamiliar with them it seems like there might be logistical concerns.

It has been my experience in places Cozumel that people are diving their own computers on multilevel dives. The DMs I dive usually spend a long time in shallow water waiting for all the divers' computers to clear after making deep stops built into a clever profile which leads the group over interesting terrain. I often take 5 or more minutes to ascend from 20 to the surface while the DM is waiting for his ultra-conservative Nitek to clear.

 

[Kim]

Those standards are maximum ascent rates. They don't say you have to speed up to those ascent rates to meet standards.... or do they :11:

Believe me.....most people have trouble going that slow....

One example I mean though. If you have a computer on your wrist (well OK ....my Vyper) then it doesn't assume you are at your safety stop until you're within a meter of it. It then tells you to stay there for the countdown.
Now I agree, it's fine to change this a little if you understand what's actually happening, but stopping earlier leaves the computer counting down NDL time suggesting that you are still ongassing (untrue, but that's what it looks like!), cutting the 3 mins shorter to move to a shallower depth also looks like you are violating your computer and the rules (again, not true - but how many people understand that?)

Again though - in answer to the original question. I'm not sure how many places in Thailand or Malaysia would allow you to lead dives like this - BUT you'd get better answers from some of the DMs/Instructors/Employees that post on the board in their local regional forums.

 

[TheRedHead]

One example I mean though. If you have a computer on your wrist (well OK ....my Vyper) then it doesn't assume you are at your safety stop until you're within a meter of it. It then tells you to stay there for the countdown.

As I said, people dive their computers. I don't see a problem with a diver doing minimum deco, but if you asked experienced divers to ignore their computers, I could see big problems with that.

 

[Snowbear]

As I said, people dive their computers. I don't see a problem with a diver doing minimum deco, but if you asked experienced divers to ignore their computers, I could see big problems with that.

Why would you need to ask them to ignore their computers.

 

[Snowbear]

Believe me.....most people have trouble going that slow....

I believe you.

Now it's your turn to believe me - it's amazing how slow an even incompetant diver can ascend when they are following their trusted leader

One example I mean though. If you have a computer on your wrist (well OK ....my Vyper) then it doesn't assume you are at your safety stop until you're within a meter of it. It then tells you to stay there for the countdown.

My Vyper starts the countdown at 19' and stops counting at 10'.... that's pretty close to your 1 meter

But as I said before - a DM doing a minute at 20' (6m), a minute at 15' (5m) and a minute at 10' (3m) is often not going to be noticed by the diver doing her or his 15' (5m) 'safety stop' while bouncing erratically between the surface and 20' (6m)

 

[TheRedHead]

Why would you need to ask them to ignore their computers.

If their computers tell them to stop at 15 feet for 5 minutes, they are going to stop there whether or not the DM wants to do minimum deco or not. The Suuntos are particularly fussy about when and where to stop.