Performing technical dives on same boat with recreational divers

[Tug]

I did something similar when I was down in Roatan this past winter. There were three of us and maybe another 4-6 rec divers on the boat. We all dropped at about the same time since we were on a wall. The boat picked up the rec divers after their dive then followed our bags while we did a drifting deco. It was pretty good timing because the we were up when they were half through their SI. It was tempting to do a shallow dive on our remaining deco gas but decided against it. All said and done it wasn't an ideal situation but I'd do it again.

 

[Garth]

Then you are absolutely certain as to what you will do in the situations you describe. You just have to clear your plan with the boat.

That's true. What I do will be fine with me.
I will check with the captain and put my plan on paper for him to read. Was just curious what others would do if a boat told you to kill your deco and get back on board... I wouldn't be excited about it depending on the nature of the emergency and how much deco they want me to skip.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I've done it before ... in fact, I've done a tech solo dive while others on the boat were doing recreational profiles. If you understand the risks and are prepared to accept them, then hey ... you're an adult, ain't ya?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[lowviz]

...//..... Was just curious what others would do if a boat told you to kill your deco and get back on board... ....//......

Do my deco, fire an EPIRB and sort things out later. Am I missing something?

 

[Garth]

I've done it before ... in fact, I've done a tech solo dive while others on the boat were doing recreational profiles. If you understand the risks and are prepared to accept them, then hey ... you're an adult, ain't ya?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Absolutely.
Thanks for your responses everyone. I will let you all know what turns out from this trip.
More info:

Dive operator.. Cape fear divers
Date... August 21
Location.... John D Gill
Depth.... 95ft
Area... Off north carolina coast
Weather... Hopefully is okay but the way the area is it might be blown out.

 

[Garth]

Do my deco, fire an EPIRB and sort things out later. Am I missing something?

Next piece of gear would be the nautilus...

 

[lowviz]

Next piece of gear would be the nautilus...

Cost-effective alternative to a Coast Guard registered 406MHz. -Works for me.

 

[TSandM]

We have quite a few sites in the PNW which are amenable to recreational and technical profiles, and the run times will be similar. A 150 for 25 dive has a very similar run time to a 50-60 minute recreational dive.

For deeper technical dives, I think you run into issue, and honestly, should have support divers and more capacity than most recreational boats around here do.

 

[AfterDark]

The charters I've gone on asked us not to go into deco as it would hold others up. I worked out a few profiles that give me some extra bottom time, put me into deco but, only for a few minutes more then the safety stops others were doing. I never said anything except to my buddy who helped cover for me, nobody else knew or said they did. The only clue was I was always the last one back on the boat. I guess it all depends on which charter you use.

 

[Thalassamania]

The problem is that everything is fine, until it isn't. Then there is a first level solution to the immediate problem, which is fine ... until it isn't and then, God only knows ... Sure, that's a small fraction of the time times an even smaller fraction of the time, but it is still there.