What would you do?

[musicalmike]

It depends on a few things like, where your diving, what operation your diving with, and the divemasters personality or lack of. For instance when I recently went to Turks and Caicos, the resort required a pool session with basic skill review before they let you dive. They also limited your dives to 60' and 30min, plus you were required to follow the Divemaster. I have dove in parts of Mexico where they just take you out and drop you off. Not to mention the Captain/Divemaster aren't even certified divers.
Most Divemasters just want to do there job and make sure everyone is together and safe. There is a lot of ego in diving though.

 

[piikki]

If the briefing was that the DM was going to lead the dive, and he did not come back after the incident, then my answer to your question is:

I would have aborted the dive.
If the DM was not going to bother to tell the group that the plan had changed, I would have at least gone to signal my buddy up, and let others know what happened (so they can make up their own mind).

 

[Scared Silly]

If the briefing was that the DM was going to lead the dive, and he did not come back after the incident, then my answer to your question is:

I would have aborted the dive.

If the DM was not going to bother to tell the group that the plan had changed, I would have at least gone to signal my buddy up, and let others know what happened (so they can make up their own mind).

As Roatan Man said communication. The DM had an expectation as did we. Unfortunately, it was not communicated very well. On the first dive the plan was "get in the water, when everybody was in, we will descend, and swim to the anchor when he would free it and then proceed with the dive." No mention of I am the guide and stay with or wait for me.

When I did communicate to the other divers that three had gone up no one seemed bothered. They gave me an okay and continued on. So it seemed no one was uncomfortable with the situation but the DM.

 

[diverdowndh]

I would be glad in the fact that you AND your dive buddy were aware enough to see a situation that potentially someone could have been hurt and you and he (or her) acted and avoided an injury. I have enough experience that i would have continued the dive depending on how the DM actually reacted when he found out what happened, feeling very proud of myself!

 

[diverdowndh]

BTW, was this with Belize Diving Services from Caye Caulker?

 

[Nudgeroni]

It does seem that the DM missed a golden opportunity to let you know his expectations when he was back on the surface. I guess I can understand his frustration; he may have even been upset with himself. Some of the equipment goes kablooey and then the dive party goes on without him.

When I was in Belize, the DM was very sensitive to dcs risk. He forbade anyone without a dive computer from being out of his site, regardless of experience. I was surprised that a dive computer had that much significance to him, but that's the way it was.

Some divers lie about their experience and the last time they dived, and then behave recklessly; they are an accident waiting to happen and are bad news for the ds. One guy on the dive boat in Belize swore he last dived two months ago, but couldn't figure out how to connect his hoses to the valve! If he weren't so articulate, I would have thought he was stoned.

 

[String]

How do you do a drift dive without having any current to drift on?

Think it comes from the poster using a strange definition of drift.

To me a drift dive is a dive in a current too strong to swim against.


The other definition ive seen on this board but nowhere else seems to be confused with "live boating" where you do not return to the boat but come up under a bag and the boat comes to you.
In lots of places in the world due to tides, current, wind ALL dives are "live boat" regardless of whether theyre a drift, wall wreck or anything else.

 

[Wildcard]

"The other definition ive seen on this board but nowhere else seems to be confused with "live boating" where you do not return to the boat but come up under a bag and the boat comes to you."
Its a military term I believe. I hear it from many people.
MAny DMs/Inst have very fragle egos. Many have had some near misses from idiot vacation divers. Whichever this was he had no right to be POed. He should have, no matter what gone back down and communicated his desires to the remaining group.

 

[ZzzKing]

Think it comes from the poster using a strange definition of drift.

To me a drift dive is a dive in a current too strong to swim against.


The other definition ive seen on this board but nowhere else seems to be confused with "live boating" where you do not return to the boat but come up under a bag and the boat comes to you.
In lots of places in the world due to tides, current, wind ALL dives are "live boat" regardless of whether theyre a drift, wall wreck or anything else.

Actually, when I was in Belize this past November, they referred to their dives as drift dives even though there was no significant current. (a LOT of surge, though) It falls under your "live boat" category but that is the way the locals refer to it.