What would you do??

[mjbickford]

You travel to a foreign country for a dive trip. The dive shop you choose is of good repute, and asks about diving history, last dive, and checks a C-card.

On day two on the boat, while checking your gear, the diver next to you says "I dont remember how to check all this. They normally do it for me."

What would you do?



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[jhh]

You travel to a foreign country for a dive trip. The dive shop you choose is of good repute, and asks about diving history, last dive, and checks a C-card.

On day two on the boat, while checking your gear, the diver next to you says "I dont remember how to check all this. They normally do it for me."

What would you do?

It's not the shop's fault he's incompetent. They verify that he has the credentials, so blame his poor instructors.

Now that shop-blame is out of the way... There are a few ways I could play this:

* Talk to him and determine if he feels bad about it, or if he's a dick and this gear check is beneath him.
** Knowledgeable yet lazy dick:
*** Go solo, or ask for another buddy if he was supposed to be yours, or just go have a beer (because that dive might end badly).
** If he feels bad about it and isn't a dick:
***Talk to him and assess his skill level and knowledge.
***** If his knowledge/skills are awful, politely tell him he should reconsider today's dive and perhaps do a refresher course, or hire a dive guide/personal DM from the shop to take him.
***** If his knowledge/skills aren't atrocious: Be nice to him and help him out. Show him what he's doing wrong and how to fix it.

 

[jonhall]

After a 7 year break between check out dives and then actually going places to dive, the first places I went took care of setting up all of the gear. At first I liked that, but then I realized how much I'd forgotten about the gear. I remember that when I had to do it on my own, I was a little apprehensive. I would watch others and get occasional tips/help from other divers. Things slowly came back to me. At that point I told myself I was going to start reviewing before dive trips and be sure to handle the gear. Once I got my own gear, I wanted to be sure I was the one doing everything.

Sounds like the person on your boat is an occasional diver, who has had everything done for them and hasn't paid attention to what to do. I would tell the person that they should start reviewing gear terminology before their trip and to learn what to do. Then I would help them.

 

[Insta-Gator]

Shortly after I stopped laughing, I would suggest this person get with his DM to perform the equipment check. This also serves to notify the DM he has an ignorant, under qualified diver under his/her supervision.

 

[Neilwood]

It's not the shop's fault he's incompetent. They verify that he has the credentials, so blame his poor instructors. Or lack of diving in the intervening period - his instructors might have turned out a diving guru but if he hasn't dived for years he will have forgotten most of it

Now that shop-blame is out of the way... There are a few ways I could play this:

* Talk to him and determine if he feels bad about it, or if he's a dick and this gear check is beneath him.
** Knowledgeable yet lazy dick: Steer well clear and get another dive buddy (if you were paired up) - if he is lazy on the surface, he might well be as lazy below.
*** Go solo, or ask for another buddy if he was supposed to be yours, or just go have a beer (because that dive might end badly). Agreed!
** If he feels bad about it and isn't a dick:
***Talk to him and assess his skill level and knowledge. Hard to do with a practical skill - his knowledge might be ok but if the skills are poor (due to lack of use), he might still be a danger below
***** If his knowledge/skills are awful, politely tell him he should reconsider today's dive and perhaps do a refresher course, or hire a dive guide/personal DM from the shop to take him. Definitely agree.
***** If his knowledge/skills aren't atrocious: Be nice to him and help him out. Show him what he's doing wrong and how to fix it. Possibly but would be very wary and potentially treat it as a "solo with buddy dive"

There is a difference between giving someone a hand with something different (using a yoke reg instead of a din for example) to teaching the basics. If I am there to dive, I shouldn't be babysitting another diver through the basics. I would probably have a quiet word with a DM.

 

[Kharon]

I would notify the captain and DM and let them handle it. Should you decide to babysit this person you open yourself up to being sued. Moreover, I didn't pay to nor am I willing to babysit. I'm more than happy to help someone out that is inexperienced. Not knowing how to assemble your kit goes far beyond that.

 

[Steve_C]

Comments above assume that the person is your buddy and that there is a DM around. Been on boats with no DM. Just a captain and six divers.

In this situation in the past I have done all three of these together:
-Offered some comments on setting up the gear. Usually it is just orientation of something. I do not actually touch the gear.
-Reminded them to test the reg while looking at pressure gauge to make sure the tank is fully on.
-Quietly commented to DM/Captain out of hearing of diver. In every case they had already noted that the person was not experienced but on the boats I go on, they are not lead dives, so DM may not have gotten to this person yet to answer any questions.

Whatever you do or say the goal is not to create a more stressed diver who will just be entering the water more stressed out. Sometimes that is less what you say and more how it is said.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I would go through assembling his rig methodically, explaining each step in the process and emphasizing that they need to know how this is done in order to protect their own safety. I'd then have them disassemble the rig and reassemble it themselves. For the 10 minutes I just spent I can then live with own conscience that I did everything I could to help this person learn something important. I'd then mention to the DM that they may want to keep an eye on this person to make sure they don't do something dumb and hurt themselves.

You're on a dive boat ... part of the experience is socializing and enjoying the companionship of like-minded people. Not everyone is built to be nurturing ... but it's in your best interest to do whatever you are willing to help your companions remain safe ... an accident, after all, is going to ruin your vacation as much as it will everyone else's on the boat. And you asked what I'd do. What you do, really, is up to you ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[AdivingBel]

It depends on what they are asking help with. Generally, help him/her out if I can do so without disrupting the "flow" of the boat (i.e. it is brought up early enough that I have plenty of time to help him/her after I gear up safely.) Otherwise, turn it over to the captain/DM/ etc.. Discretely mention to the "powers that be" that the diver in question may need help with the tank switch (if there is one). Hopefully avoid this diver as a dive buddy which shouldn't be a problem since I'll already have a dive buddy. If for some reason I end up in the water with him/her, I do my best to watch out for them and chalk it up to karma and try not to let it ruin my dive/trip. Politely suggest they should seek assistance/refresher when we get back to the dock. Above all be nice. I don't want to contribute to an already nervous situation. There is always another dive. IMHO. YMMV.

 

[tcphil]

Assuming you have been assigned as buddy, would politely probe to get a better feel for how comfortable/experienced/qualified they really are in the water. If it is just an initial equipment set up issue, agree with general approach above, help out/teach etc. If you sense that they are equally weak in the water, I would move through the steps to not dive with them - talk to DM, suggest directly to them that this dive may be too much if no DM, to being clear that you are not comfortable being their dive partner and believe the dive may not be safe.