Would you lend, or accept, a hand when diving?

[Eric Sedletzky]

To answer the OP more directly, damn right I’ll accept help, and if someone needs help I’m right there, no judgement.
I’m over the “every man for himself” attitude. After OW I noticed divers would drop the BWRAF routine silently thinking it was for newbs or amateurs, almost a macho thing against it. Same with help hauling stuff, help getting in and out of the water, etc. there was almost an attitude of “If you can’t do it yourself, you shouldn’t be here” type of thing. Very bravado.
It gets tiring. You know, sometimes we just have to let it go and concentrate on having fun and helping out a fellow diver. If a situation really becomes unsafe because of someone’s physical deficit then maybe it’s time for a conversation, but before it’s to that point let’s just work with people and be nice.

 

[arew+4]

My wife and I are a buddy team, if it ever takes more than the two of us we would probably give it up.

 

[boulderjohn]

It's really a matter of common sense. There are blind people who enjoy diving, but they do that with the assistance of divers who understand and accept those limitations. if you have limitations on your diving, you need to make a realistic evaluation of those limitations and make sensible decisions about the kind of help you need and the kind of help you can provide. Once you have done that, you can continue with appropriate dive plans.

BTW, I am 73 and have to make such decisions myself.

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

Personally, I would absolutely help but only when welcomed. Also, I would ask for a little guidance in terms of the best way to be helpful. Too often, people who think they are helping are more a hindrance.

In terms of accepting help, I'm not so good at that. First I have to fail at something and then I'll ask for help.

 

[Marie13]

My bum knees were diagnosed last week as having moderate to severe osteoarthritis in both. If someone wants to help shlep my tanks or pull them out of the water, throw them in my cart at water line, and roll them up the slope, I’ll always accept. Sometimes I ask. Depends on how I’m feeling.

The “if you can’t do it yourself, you shouldn’t be diving” attitude will probably go the way of the dodo with the boomers getting ancient and bodies giving out. They’ll either accept help or stop diving.

 

[DiveProKoko]

I'd help anyone who asked. And I'd accept help as well. One thing to think of is what you're asking of your buddy. With your limitations, are you able to help him of her if THEY need help in the water on the dive? If not, is your assisting buddy okay with essentially being an accompanied solo diver who is also responsible for you? If you're both okay with it, you're adults....go for it.

 

[GreggS]

When in Fiji in 2019, there was an Aussie woman there by herself. She was wheelchair bound due spinal surgery years earlier that went wrong and left her paralysed from the waist down.Yet, she was on the boat each time it left out. She had to be helped into the water and onto the boat each time. Since she had zero use of her legs, fins were unnecessary. She used her arms to propel herself. She did have some hand paddles which she rarely used and kept tucked in her swimsuit. She was absolutely amazing and inspirational.

Here's a photo I took of her on one of our dives.

So, if you want to continue diving but need help, get all the help you need. Only a complete jerk would think any less of you.

 

[Jake 10]

I will offer the level of help that is safe and accepted by a fellow diver. I will welcome any help or advice offered without hesitation.

 

[Marie13]

I'd help anyone who asked. And I'd accept help as well. One thing to think of is what you're asking of your buddy. With your limitations, are you able to help him of her if THEY need help in the water on the dive? If not, is your assisting buddy okay with essentially being an accompanied solo diver who is also responsible for you? If you're both okay with it, you're adults....go for it.

The attitude I’m often seeing is that divers who need help schlepping gear or getting in/out of the water are considered unsafe divers, period. That’s a bunch of BS.

How many able bodied divers are complete disasters?

 

[Marie13]

A couple years ago I went cave diving with a guy with one leg. I helped haul our sidemount gear and tanks mostly. All normal underwater and I was the old guy!!

We have a one legged cave diver here - @Manatee Diver. I’ve cave dived with him a couple times in FL. He’s just fine in and out of the water. Hauls his own gear, but only doing one dive as one trip on the steps is enough. I agree.

I used a porter (scuba sherpa) during full cave in MX last year. That was lovely.