Kona boat policies re: single diver

[slingshot]

Hi folks:

I'm going to be in Kona without my usual dive partner later this month, and was hoping to get in some diving. How do most of the boats handle single divers, do we get paired up with other loose ends, dive with the divemaster, or get lumped into the "group"? I've been on dives where divers are sent up as their air use dictates, how are the divers without buddies handled? Do some outfits have better policies in this regard?

Just to clarify, I'm not really interested in diving "solo", though if I can find a place to rent one, I'll dive with a 13-19cu ft pony. Not interested in rehashing the pony debate here though.

Slingshot

 

[Ted S]

The past few times I've been to Kona it was as a single diver and for the most part the experience has been just fine. One operator, I was paired up with the DM, we both had cameras, both wanted to shoot and that made sense. On other boats and for the most part I've had the DM take an informal experience poll and pair like divers up.

I'm not sure whose best in this regards but if you call ahead the boat should know if they have odd numbers of divers or a DM who will be free to buddy up.

 

[friscuba]

Pretty much everyone here dives as a group. One DM to a group of up to six is the standard. Few let divers they don't know go down on their own. Unfortunately, the way litigiouness is today, since sending a group down has become somewhat of an area standard, it'd probably be used against an operator in court if they sent a buddy group down without a DM here if something ever did actually go wrong.

You'll find most of the DMs here go slow enough to look for small stuff, take photos, and not rush, or lose, their divers. Occasionally you'll run into a new DM who's a little too quick.

It never hurts to ask questions such as typical depths, whether the dive is table based or multi-level computer profile, what happens if someone runs low on air first (most of the operators here will drop heavy breathers off at the mooring line at 500-600 psi and continue on with the better breathers), how long the dives last (that one can be all over the board as some ops are more strict on thier bottom times than others). If the boat is important to you, ask about size and how many people it's rated for and how many they typically actually carry.

You might be able to find a pony around to rent, but they are not very commonly seen on the dive boats here. I'm sure the one tech boat sees them regularly, but I've never actually seen one on board in nearly 8 years of working here.

Have fun,

 

[joewr]

Hi,

I have seen Sandwich Isle Divers, Jack's, and Pacific Rim Divers treat single divers excellently. They will pair you with another diver or a pair of divers. In my experience all three are very "supportive" of divers with good bottom times. I.e., when the boat is in sight, if you still have ample air, they will either stay down with you or let you stay down with your buddy (if they know you).

If you have really good bottom times, it might help to gently ask them to pair you with someone with similar skills. My guess is that, if possible, they will accommodate you. All three outfits have done that in the past with photographers who are notorious dawdlers (I plead guilty to that!).

I hope this helps....

joewr

 

[Charlie99]

. One operator, I was paired up with the DM, we both had cameras, both wanted to shoot and that made sense.

So the plan was for the two of you to ascend together when either of you got down to the agreed upon ascent pressure?

I ask this because there have been several posts from divers visiting tropical resorts where the complaint is "I was buddied with the DM, but he abandoned me and told me to ascend solo when I got low on air! " I suspect that you misinterpreted, and were diving in a loose buddy group as described by friscuba and you weren't really paired up with the DM.

 

[Ted S]

So the plan was for the two of you to ascend together when either of you got down to the agreed upon ascent pressure?

I ask this because there have been several posts from divers visiting tropical resorts where the complaint is "I was buddied with the DM, but he abandoned me and told me to ascend solo when I got low on air! " I suspect that you misinterpreted, and were diving in a loose buddy group as described by friscuba and you weren't really paired up with the DM.

It was just me and the DM (the boat had two, the other was doing refresher stuff) and when I hit our low air point on the first dive, we both turned around. The DM stuck with me until I hit the surface and then went back down from 10' (she was on Nitrox if I recall correctly) -- so not a true buddy pair to your point but close enough to make me feel like I had a "buddy" and not just someone who knew how to point UP.

 

[slingshot]

Thanks for the info. Previously my dives in Kona were pretty much as others have described, a group of 5-6 dives with a DM. Apart from diving with a co-worker in Monterey, I've done practically all of my last 100 dives with the same buddy, practicing OOA drills, entanglement, lost mask, lost fin and other situations. I'm pretty comfortable in the water, but I've never dived with someone I didn't know as my "buddy" except when they joined my usual buddy and me. I'm thinking of ditching my camera and diving "hands free" to compensate.

 

[friscuba]

I'd only worry about ditching the camera if you decide to try to hook up with someone you don't know and do shore diving, at that point you might want some free hands. If you are just joining the typical charter there shouldn't be any problems if you are personally comfortable in the water. This is not Monterey diving... 100' plus viz, little to no surge or entanglement worries and the diving is generally easy.

You say you've dove here before, if it wasn't a smooth experience, try someone else.