What should a DM do in this situation?

[String]

String, i agree 100% with your accountability argument but we have a saying here in the US that rings true in every country i have ever dove in; "Assumption is the mother of all ****-ups. IMO, assuming a diver will be okay to surface alone is a potential mistake unless you know the diver real well and can assume from experience that they will be okay doing so.

Again id say that isnt the dive guides problem, if the diver is properly qualified, has not indicated they want extra help then you have to assume they are competent. Again, when it comes to apportioning blame, its the divers fault entirely.

The issue here is are you hiring a guide or a babysitter ?

 

[Cudabait]

"Had a little 'discussion' underwater when i ran low-on-air and the divemaster told me to go up alone (he was my buddy) so he could continue with the rest of the group (finally some one else volunteered to go up with me and do the safety stop, etc)"

The above appeared in a travel post, and implied, to me, that the DM was wrong in refusing to ascend with the low-on-air diver. On the one hand, most divers want a buddy with them. On the other, most divers seem to resent strongly having their bottom time determined by the fellow diver with the most air consumption. I had a similar situation in NZ and the DM sent the low-on-air diver to the surface without a buddy.

So, what would you expect a conscientious DM to do in this situation? I recognize that there are numerous "ifs" that might precede an answer, but wonder if there is a "general rule".

Plan your dive, dive the plan. Score: DM-0, diver-1.

 

[Scubakevdm]

So, I'm a divemaster in South East Florida. Divemastering is all I do, I don't have a regular job or anything. I do about 400 dives a year, most of them leading groups. I run into dilemmas like this every once in a while. Here's my $.02.
In the area where we operate ( just south of Palm Beach ) it is "normal" to send divers up as they run out of air (700 psi with us). I brief that during the pre-dive. They may have decided to dive in the group with a buddy and whatever that buddy team decides to do as far as going up together or solo is up to them. They may decide to dive "solo" in the group. Hell, they can even take their own flag and really dive solo. It's up to them, and like someone said, they're certified divers. Certainly they are responsible for their own dive.
The problem that I see is that the DM tries to be a buddy to one guy and a leader to the group at the same time. My role as the DM is part of the pre-dive briefing. In my case, if I agree to dive with someone as a buddy then I usually don't lead a group. If I have to do both, I identify which obligation takes priority and when, for example: I will get the group started on the reef and lead the dive until my guy gets to 700, then I'll pass the flag off to someone that has been identified during the pre-dive and come up with my buddy.
Alot of folks talked about poor planning, and I agree. I think that the DM failed to recognize the conflicting obligations to the group and the buddy, and therefore did not plan accordingly. Obviously he didn't brief it. And for the record I like the freedom that goes along with diving the way we do down here, and that includes allowing divers to come up solo if they are inclined to.

 

[sharkmasterbc]

I agree DM score 0 diver score -1

The DM should have planned the dive better, he/she should also never be a dive leader and buddy at the same time. And at no point should anyone be solo diving.
It has been said already...most accidents happen during ascent/decent porion of the dive...as a RPDM why would you ever want to put yourself in such a litigous position...it makes no sense...plan the dive - dive the plan.

just my 2 bubbles

 

[pt40fathoms]

The DM in question was diving as a "buddy" with the diver who ran low on air.

The other divers were certified open water divers at a minimum.

A DM is absolutely not a baby sitter, or in control of how certified divers dive. He can and will set ground rules for the dive, but that is not to be taken as being in control of the dive. One of the ground rules could have been "the dive ends for everyone, when the first person reaches XXX pressure", or "When you reach XXX pressure the dive ends for you and your buddy, the rest will surface when they reach XXX pressure".

The DM should have surfaced with his dive buddy.

If the DM was working as a tour guide on the dive, he should NOT have been buddied up with anyone.

Several things went wrong on this dive, all could have been avoided. Fortunately the dominos stopped falling and no one got hurt, but it could have turned out very differently if the low on air diver ran into trouble while surfacing or on the surface alone.

 

[MikeFerrara]

I also see an overreliance on your buddy in diving these days.

The point of "buddy" or "team" diving isn't dependance so much as it is the idea of teamwork. Two good divers are capable of handling more than one can alone.

Task loading is one of those things that can cause big trouble and diving in a team of 2 or more divers can dramatically reduce the task loading when things need to be done.

If one or both aren't any good then the whole thing can fall apart.

You just feel safe with a buddy don't you?

Are you?

I'd have to say yes.

 

[HammerNoMore]

The DM in question was diving as a "buddy" with the diver who ran low on air.

The DM should have surfaced with his dive buddy.

If the DM was working as a tour guide on the dive, he should NOT have been buddied up with anyone.

The first post in this thread was a quote from some other thread that the author picked up on. Based on the limited information, I would not assume the that DM was the other diver's buddy. A lot of DM's are going to assume their certified divers know what they are doing and that they will either find a buddy or assume the responsibility of being solo in a group. A lot of single divers just assume that if they are the odd man out that the DM is their buddy. Unless someone in the know can confirm that the DM actually said "I'll be your buddy" I'd bet that there was a lot of assumption going on.

I just returned from a trip alone. On only one dive (not the first) did a DM even mention buddying me up with another single diver. On the rest of the trip (and after 5 minutes on that dive as I decided to stop wasting air chasing the guy all over the reef) I knew I was a solo diver with several alternate air sources within a few feet at all times. The only time I ever assumed the DM was my buddy was when we were the only two left down.

James

 

[TCDiver1]

The issue here is are you hiring a guide or a babysitter ?

IMO, with a paid DM, your hiring both. Depends entirely on the dive, the divers and the conditions, on how much of one or the other come into play.

Sounds like we won't agree, but again, from my experience, to say that its okay to send a low on air diver to the surface solo just because they are certified and therefore are qualified, is a potential mistake.

I know that from experience. Most qualified divers i have escorted to the surface would have been fine by themselves. Some needed me or a buddy along to assist in making a safe ascent. It is not always apparent at depth who will have troubles. Thats a major reason for a buddy system in the first place.

I ask the question again, do you have experience as a DM or group leader or are you basing your opinion only on personal accountability being a good thing?

One other thing to think about from a professional standpoint. Like it or not, if your being paid to be a group leader, you are responsible to some degree for the well being of the entire group. How legally responsible you are varys from country to country. Moral responsibility is more of a constant.

Here in the US, if you knowingly send someone to the surface solo and they get hurt, you lose if they sue. Don't even bother carrying insurance to protect yourself. Because it will be worthless. Most policies have the minimum requirement of enforcing the buddy system. Most insurance providers today won't even blink an eye before they drop you. You would most likely be on your own in defending your actions.

Just something to think about Scubakevdm.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

Well Mike honestly I usually don't feel safe with a buddy. As I'm sure you know all to often the buddy doing the assisting gets into trouble soon. The only time I feel I have a buddy I can depend on or that won't get me into trouble is when I dive with my wife or another instructor. I make sure I'm capable of taking care of myself.

Back on track, did this DM actually do or not do exactly as was reported here? Did he really say he'd be a buddy? Did he fail to mention that he would send up low on air divers up by themselves? As I mentioned earlier sending up solo divers at the end of a dive is very common, especially in areas with good visability?

 

[Sean C]

Someone stated that a DM may break up pre-existing teams/buddies while at depth. That is something I would never accept. If I enter the water with someone, I will exit the water with that same person regardless. If that option was presented in the briefing, I would inform the DM that I would not participate in that option. I would gladly accompany any diver to the surface if required or if the DM asked me to, provided that my buddy was with me and it was safe. I dive with my wife, I know her and her limitations and she knows mine. I would cut any dive short, I can always dive again and hopefully the person I ascend with, can as well.