pickens_46929
Contributor
What's the saying?... there is no pride, privacy or modesty on a dive boat...
I think the DM did everyone a good turn.
I think the DM did everyone a good turn.
Right On or Rude?
- Thread starter TheRedHead
- Start date
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redhatmama:
Well....I hope that all DM's feel the commitment to help their clients become better divers but it's clear that he/she is way *way* out of their roll as dive-guide in doing this. Frankly, dive guides are not there to hang out the instructor over certified divers......
Having said that, I think a discrete chat with some people would help a lot. Most divers I know are dying for feedback and if it's well meant they're more than likely to accept it.
R..
I think everything depends upon the technique more than the actual words. If he read them well and made the (apparently) correct decision that it would work out the way he did it, then, by golly, more power to him. It owuld have been nice to take them aside privately, but maybe circumstances prevented it.
As others have said, he went well beyond the normal role of a divemaster, and is well-deserving of extra consideration when tipping. If it had been I who was so instructed, I would have left a very nice gift on parting.
As others have said, he went well beyond the normal role of a divemaster, and is well-deserving of extra consideration when tipping. If it had been I who was so instructed, I would have left a very nice gift on parting.
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I can appreciate that DM's commitment to his customers ... and hopefully they did as well.
The only thing I'd have done differently is ask them first if they minded some advice that would help them improve their air consumption ... that puts the "ownership" of the issue where it belongs ... on the individual diver.
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
The only thing I'd have done differently is ask them first if they minded some advice that would help them improve their air consumption ... that puts the "ownership" of the issue where it belongs ... on the individual diver.
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Sasquatch
Contributor
For the sake of the non-hoovers I think the DM/Instructor helped every diver on the boat. You can walk a thin line between rude and right on and, in the case of international differences between cultures, that slope can get real slippery.
From the brief description I'd say he managed it well.
Would have been a huge tip from me no matter which group I was in.
Sea ya!
From the brief description I'd say he managed it well.
Would have been a huge tip from me no matter which group I was in.
Sea ya!
Diver Dennis
Contributor
I always tip but some never do. Not that I want to bring up that can of worms again...
He should have asked them in private if he could offer some advice!!
OP
To try and answer everyone's questions: Yes, he said "need to learn how to breathe like a scuba diver." Since we were on our way to our SI at a beach, he could have pulled them aside and talked to them discreetly during the SI, but that is not his style. We were sitting on a 28 foot boat with the 2 hoovers on one side, along with a senior citizen diver who was very good, and me and my buddy on the other side. We couldn't help but hear him as it made no effort to keep his voice down.
With this dive operation, the DMs are using long hoses and will share their gas with a hoover rather than making the entire group surface ahead of schedule. The DM had to share his air with both of them during the dives. To me that is an incentive to try and improve you air consumption in and of itself.
This DM/guide/instructor is a very good diver and not just a dive guide. He's a PADI Master Diver Instructor, certified full cave diver, and a TDI instructor. He's also very strict and if you do something that displeases him, he makes this gesture of clutching his head as if he were pulling his hair out. Put a fin in the sand and you'll get a hair-pull. He is also a self-professed "mother hen" and the highest compliment is for him not to ask you for your tank pressure.
When I first dived with him - almost 2 years ago - I didn't care for him at all. I got a few hair-pulls, but didn't have to share air. But now that I have gotten to know him, I like him a lot. He really helped me improve my diving by example and by getting rid of excess lead. I had a problem initially with air trapping in my BC and he would signal me when he saw any bubbles left after venting for the safety stop. He also took me on progressively challenging dives while always being right there in case I had a problem.
The last dive we did with the 2 hoovers was Punta Sur and they managed 120 feet almost without incident. One of them kicked in the face in devil's throat and I lost my reg, but thankfully my mask was under my hood and I didn't lose it. Wasn't too bad.
He will improve you diving while stretching you limits. On the other hand, he is very blunt and I'm sure he alienates divers as well.
And yes, I always give him a big tip. He's not your average DM/guide.
With this dive operation, the DMs are using long hoses and will share their gas with a hoover rather than making the entire group surface ahead of schedule. The DM had to share his air with both of them during the dives. To me that is an incentive to try and improve you air consumption in and of itself.
This DM/guide/instructor is a very good diver and not just a dive guide. He's a PADI Master Diver Instructor, certified full cave diver, and a TDI instructor. He's also very strict and if you do something that displeases him, he makes this gesture of clutching his head as if he were pulling his hair out.
Put a fin in the sand and you'll get a hair-pull. He is also a self-professed "mother hen" and the highest compliment is for him not to ask you for your tank pressure. When I first dived with him - almost 2 years ago - I didn't care for him at all. I got a few hair-pulls, but didn't have to share air. But now that I have gotten to know him, I like him a lot. He really helped me improve my diving by example and by getting rid of excess lead. I had a problem initially with air trapping in my BC and he would signal me when he saw any bubbles left after venting for the safety stop. He also took me on progressively challenging dives while always being right there in case I had a problem.
The last dive we did with the 2 hoovers was Punta Sur and they managed 120 feet almost without incident. One of them kicked in the face in devil's throat and I lost my reg, but thankfully my mask was under my hood and I didn't lose it. Wasn't too bad.
He will improve you diving while stretching you limits. On the other hand, he is very blunt and I'm sure he alienates divers as well.
And yes, I always give him a big tip. He's not your average DM/guide.
Generally on liveaboards if anyone mentions they use a lot of air I'll give them tips and help them out. I'm an old fat guy that outbreahes most divers so of course I get asked what I am doing different than them.
Was he outta line? I don't think so. I think you had to be there to tell.
Was he outta line? I don't think so. I think you had to be there to tell.
H2Andy
Contributor
Tavi:
sort of like this?
"Guys, i need to talk to you two in private about how much your
breathing sucks and you're way overweighted..."
???
i agree with you actually.... i would prefer this sort of talk to be as
un-humiliating as possible... feels bad enough to be told you
suck alone, much less in front of witnesses
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