100' of viz and the scariest dive of my life?

[kathydee]

No, sorry dive instructors do not grab a hold of divers and lead them around for the entire dive. If the diver can not function on a more or less independent basis, then the dive is aborted pretty quickly. If you had not been very close to her and hanging on her for the entire dive, she probably would have aborted the dive very early and may not have been subject to the potential injury from an uncontrolled ascent.

Q: What's worse than an inexperienced diver (who doesn't know any better) being lead around on a "tust me" dive?

A: An experienced (DIR, no less) diver (who shouuld know better) dragging around an unqualified diver on a "trust me" dive because he thinks he can handle any type of foreseeable problem.

I'm sorry, I have to disagree too. I dive SE Asia quite a bit and have seen both DM's and instructors holding and leading divers around for the entire dive many times. Sometimes this is due to lack of skill, other times fear, and occasionally equipment failure.

Sometimes it appears to be a learning crutch.

 

[carrielsal]

It's a lot more stressful when it's a family member. Both my daughters were certified when they were 12. I stuck to them like glue. I don't think it was their age, but rather that they wery my children.

 

[Hank49]

I'm sorry, I have to disagree too. I dive SE Asia quite a bit and have seen both DM's and instructors holding and leading divers around for the entire dive many times. Sometimes this is due to lack of skill, other times fear, and occasionally equipment failure.

Sometimes it appears to be a learning crutch.

That seems to be an indication of very poorly trained divers who shouldn't have been certified. Even if it's equipment failure, they should have been trained well enough to alert their buddy and ascend together. Not be dragged around by a dm or inst to "finish the dive".
I agree with dumpster diver on this one. A well trained diver in the water with an obviously very poorly skilled diver should have aborted the dive and 1. gotten more training for said diver, or 2. at least done some shallow dives to refresh the diver's skills.

 

[DocWong]

If you had not been very close and hanging on to her, she may have had an uncontrolled ascent and been injured. She is a lucky lady. She needs to take a real refresher course. I would recommend these folks SEI Diving Home Page

But of course it is her choice.

Yea, I'm waiting to hear if she wants to dive locally and if so I'll insist on her doing a full course. She thought the dive went great, imagine that!

 

[DocWong]

DANG!

Well, that's task loading for ya. It's tough thinking for two.

Glad it worked out ok....how about coming back to some nice, safe, low vis, cold ocean water?


All the best, James

Yea, the dives we do out here is so much easier. Let's go diving, I've still got a bit more discovery to do at Lobos.

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

This incident reflects a problem with the "deep dive first" approach.
Somebody who has been out of the water for a while needs to work up to
it.

 

[GreaseM0nkey86]

just out of curiosity, is this the same DocWong that used to do the drive clinics?
(never attended, had miata friends that did)

 

[DocWong]

just out of curiosity, is this the same DocWong that used to do the drive clinics?
(never attended, had miata friends that did)

Yes, the same! I also do motorcycling clinics!

 

[DocWong]

This incident reflects a problem with the "deep dive first" approach.
Somebody who has been out of the water for a while needs to work up to
it.

I agree, I think the 100' of viz can definitely give a diver a false sense of security. Take our waters, I think anyone that dives out out here is typically more committed to diving better and overall are much better divers than the average diver in warm, clear waters.

 

[GreaseM0nkey86]

Yes, the same! I also do motorcycling clinics!

haha, small world!