"Worst Diver I have ever Seen!"

[Quero]

Oh, Catherine, how difficult this must be! You know deep down that you need to talk to her. I think you also know that the content of your discussion can no longer be focused on how she can improve, but rather that you cannot in good conscience dive with her anymore because she is a danger to herself and to others! She needs to see that you care too much (she is a friend, right?) to encourage her to put herself in harm's way. Imagine you had a drunk diver; could you in good conscience let this person dive? Would you knowingly put yourself in a postion of perhaps having to rescue a diver whom you know to be "out if it"? Maybe a better analogy is Would you get in a car with a driver you know to be drunk? Would you let that person drive if you could prevent it? Just because a person has successfully driven home drunk on a number of occasions doesn't make it safe--they have simple beaten the odds, so far. Same with your friend; one of these days the odds will catch up with her if she doesn't get her act together.

 

[Diver Dennis]

Or just tell her you are solo... like me.

 

[drbill]

Catherine, I've seen a certified instructor from your state who was much worse than this. First clue? Couldn't replace the mask strap on her personal mask. Second? Put the BCD on the tank at as 90 degree angle. Third? Put first stage on upside down. Fourth? Plummeted over edge of 5,000' wall in Belize crashing into a large table coral and doling substantial damage to it... and dropping our $7,000 video system. I dove to save the video camera. Fifth? Followed the rest of us at the surface on her second dive because she couldn't submerge. Mind you, this was a certified instructor (unless her c-card was a forgery).

 

[IceIce]

I have met a similar type of diver, and put in similar thread.
I agree with everybody here. Try to help her, but if she is a type of person who can't be convinced by anything except 'I told you so',
then you should care for your own safety and don't endanger yourself because of her.

 

[Diver Dennis]

Catherine, I've seen a certified instructor from your state who was much worse than this. First clue? Couldn't replace the mask strap on her personal mask. Second? Put the BCD on the tank at as 90 degree angle. Third? Put first stage on upside down. Fourth? Plummeted over edge of 5,000' wall in Belize crashing into a large table coral and doling substantial damage to it... and dropping our $7,000 video system. I dove to save the video camera. Fifth? Followed the rest of us at the surface on her second dive because she couldn't submerge. Mind you, this was a certified instructor (unless her c-card was a forgery).

:11: :11: :11:

Sad indeed...

 

[RonFrank]

I would warn him as in "She is really fine once she is down there. Her diving is actually okay except for her bouyancy control and her finning and her decisions..."

I think this statement sums it up. She is not really FINE, she is just not paniced, but does not have the skills necessary to dive with any control. No control = Dangerous.

Here is a suggestion. First, find someone that does video.

Next get her on the boat in a controlled situation with the divers that have been exposued and frustrated by this individual. Announce that today everyone will be working on skills doing a group dive. Then do a plan that involves a controll decent to X feet, 3 minutes of hovering, mask removal, ascent to X feet, hovering for 3 minutes, alternate kicks, whatever you can think of that is going to demonstrate ON VIDEO the difference between her skills and the rest of the divers.

Then self and peer review. Discuss how everyone did, discuss how each individual can improve, and discuss a plan for improvement. Review the steps and process to achieve each failed part of the plan. It sounds like this has been done with the exception of not as ONE dive, not with a group of divers, not on video, and not with a post dive evaluation process that involves more than just her.

If all THAT fails, I'd say it's time for an intervention. Give her the choice of getting her skills together in a pool, or very shallow calm water, or she is off the boat. Unfortuately I think she may likely just be hurt, and find another charter that would take her out and not give a damn.

I can not think of any other actions, but maybe by having EVERYONE do these drills it might help her realize how much her diving needs to improve in a setting where everyone is going through the same self and peer examination process.

This is very much like what DIR-F does, but the skills should be suited to things she needs to work on, which sounds like everything! :11:

At the very least, I would NEVER count on this individual to be a buddy, so if you are diving with her, either dive as a group, or plan on being solo which IMO is SAFER than diving with her as a buddy.

 

[Diver Dennis]

The other big thing is here, how would you feel if you were not honest with her and she was hurt or worse? Honesty is the best policy here. If she doesn't listen, at least you tried.

 

[ItsBruce]

I am probably one of the worlds worst golfers. Golfers talk about hitting eagles and birdies. I've hit a goose and a horse. Neither was anywhere near where I was trying to hit the ball. I'm just not cut out for golf. Fortunately, it is really unlikely that I would kill myself playing golf. (I know from lots of experience that even when the ball hits a nearby tree and bounces back, the likelihood of it hitting me is pretty low.) I finally gave it up. But, given the low risk of serious injury, under appropriate circumstances I might try golfing again. Diving is different. Bad decisions can easily lead to injury or death. If your friend is not cut out for diving, tell her (if she can't figure it out for herself) and tell her to quit.

Diving solo is not the answer. You don't want to be anywhere around when your friend kills herself. First, it will probably mess up your dive. Second, you will feel terrible.

 

[Wildcard]

She did have the sense to buy an AED for the boat but if she expects me to use it on her,Im gonna need a lot of money, a lot! Just kidding.

 

[Diver Dennis]

Were the animals hurt Bruce?









Sorry, couldn't resist.