I think this is the best place for this post and apologies beforehand for such a lengthy one.
Another sunny day in UAE, thankfully as it has been cr@p over the past week, overcast and some light rain, not that I was complaining too much as the air temperatures had returned downwards to around 30C.
Todays planned dives was unusual, I had a buddy
I picked up Gemma from her apartment block at 0630 and had a good chat with her on the way on the 2-hour drive over to the dive operator that I normally use. I had only dived with Gemma twice before, however I knew that her air consumption was on par or better than mine, plus she has a great pair of eyes and would help me spot some tiny critters.
I was aware through a telephone call with the dive operator that there were only two other divers on the boat and one was a photographer. On arrival I discovered that the other divers were from Turkey and staying at the dive operator's accommodation and had been expecting me to arrive as the owner Hassan had informed them that I would be diving today and knew the local dive sites, in particular for macro photography.
After unloading the car, setting my gear up and during a cup of tea, three Russians pitched up, basically a tour operator and two guests that were looking to dive. Hassan, the owner, knew the tour operator and set about sorting gear out for the young Russian couple, whos English was such that the tour operator had to do some translating. I did notice that Hassan checked their dive cards and heard more than a year in their conversation.
After introduction to the Turkish divers, Ahmet and Aylin, I began loading my gear on to the boat for the two dives. I noted that Ahmet was shooting a similar macro set up to me with a +10 wet diopter on his housed Canon SLR, which started up a conversation on lenses etc.
After my first trip to the boat to load camera and additional gear, Aylin approached me, wearing only a 1mm tropical skin thing, with a horrified look on her face, as I returned from the beach wearing my hooded vest and 5mm semi dry half on. She asked me if the water was cold. I informed her that I normally feel cold, and that since I dont move around much I prefer to be comfortable. The last dives I had done two weeks ago had water temps of 23C, for me that is still 5mm semi dry conditions. Aylin had been told that the water temperatures were warm.
After some conversation between Ahmet and Aylin in Turkish, some additional exposure protection was applied.
With all six divers on board, Romy the boat driver, prepared to cast off and Aylin asked me if I was going to lead the dives, my reply was a straight No!
First of all, I am not a DM, I come to dive for the pleasure of photographing critters not leading dives. This diver operator does not have a DM or guide on the boat, basically it is every diver for themselves, and I normally dive solo with the appropriate redundancy systems.
Anyway, as Romy was preparing to up anchor, I thought I better give some sort of briefing on the dives sites that I had chosen for today, Inchcape 2 and Car Cemetery, both great sites for macro photography.
During the briefing I noticed that the two Russians, who were using 100% rental kit, had no form of timing device on them (watch or computer). I immediately informed Romy who then postponed our departure and returned to the dive shop to pick up two computers.
At that point I also asked everyone to do a complete buddy check, both Gemma and I had done so prior to boarding the boat. I gave the Russians a brief description on how a Suunto Zoop will display data and told them to watch their gauges and time during the dives. Not really sure if they understood me to be honest, it was all smiles and head nodding.
We then set off for Inchcape 2. On arrival there was one boat on the mooring, which moved off to let us hook on and that boat then tied on to ours. This is normal dive boat etiquette here to allow divers to start on the mooring rather than to swim against possible surface currents before starting the dive. Visibility rarely allows a visual reference to a mooring one-boat distance away.
Gemma was first off, followed by me, and once Romy passed my housing over we descended to the wreck. We hung around the mooring line having a look around until the other divers appeared and once everybody gave the OK Gemma and I set off looking for critters.
At some point we were joined by a boatload of other divers and Inchcape 2 became very busy, but after twenty five minutes or so became quieter as the air divers reached their NDLs. Gemma and I were on EAN32, however Gemma bailed at just over 60 minutes as she was cold in her 3mm suit. I continued solo for another 10 minutes, searching for something special.
When I surfaced, our boat was third in line. Aylin was sitting in the sun shivering, trying to get warm, her 1mm suit and body vest was obviously not sufficient for todays temps at the bottom.
The Russians appeared okay and were even game to go snorkeling during the SI, oh to be young again and not feel the cold! I have no idea how long their dive was.
On the second dive at car cemetery I gave another pre-dive briefing. There was another strange look on Aylins face when I informed everyone that once we leave the anchor area it will be unlikely that we can find out way back to it, and the usual practice is that we usually shoot an SMB and surface. I was the only diver with an SMB. The Turkish couple had left their SMBs at home, in Turkey!
I told them that they could follow me of course, but since everyone was diving air and Gemma and I on Nitrox, our bottom times were going to be different.
Romy dropped the anchor, but on descent I was not familiar with the area, this dive site is well scattered, two weeks ago he was bang on but today not. Visibility was also quite poor, and this is not an easy site to navigate. Once everyone was at the bottom and everyone gave an OK, Gemma and I set off looking for more parts of the scattered wreckage. Nobody joined us and after 70 minutes I sent up my SMB and we surfaced.
Back on the boat I discovered that all four divers had not left the area of the anchor and had ascended using the anchor line. Aylin was still very cold despite a 1-degree increase in temperature to 24C.
Before the tour operator took the Russians back to Dubai, the couple came up to me and shook my hand thanking me for a wonderful day as this was their first dive! I hope that there was something missing from the translation.
Just before I left, Hassan the dive operator asked me how did the Russians dive, were they okay? I replied that I had no idea, as Gemma and I were not diving with them. From his facial response my response was not the answer he expected, I wonder what he had told the Russians?
So what is the point of this post aside from sharing some information on my dives yesterday?
Another sunny day in UAE, thankfully as it has been cr@p over the past week, overcast and some light rain, not that I was complaining too much as the air temperatures had returned downwards to around 30C.
Todays planned dives was unusual, I had a buddy
I picked up Gemma from her apartment block at 0630 and had a good chat with her on the way on the 2-hour drive over to the dive operator that I normally use. I had only dived with Gemma twice before, however I knew that her air consumption was on par or better than mine, plus she has a great pair of eyes and would help me spot some tiny critters.
I was aware through a telephone call with the dive operator that there were only two other divers on the boat and one was a photographer. On arrival I discovered that the other divers were from Turkey and staying at the dive operator's accommodation and had been expecting me to arrive as the owner Hassan had informed them that I would be diving today and knew the local dive sites, in particular for macro photography.
After unloading the car, setting my gear up and during a cup of tea, three Russians pitched up, basically a tour operator and two guests that were looking to dive. Hassan, the owner, knew the tour operator and set about sorting gear out for the young Russian couple, whos English was such that the tour operator had to do some translating. I did notice that Hassan checked their dive cards and heard more than a year in their conversation.
After introduction to the Turkish divers, Ahmet and Aylin, I began loading my gear on to the boat for the two dives. I noted that Ahmet was shooting a similar macro set up to me with a +10 wet diopter on his housed Canon SLR, which started up a conversation on lenses etc.
After my first trip to the boat to load camera and additional gear, Aylin approached me, wearing only a 1mm tropical skin thing, with a horrified look on her face, as I returned from the beach wearing my hooded vest and 5mm semi dry half on. She asked me if the water was cold. I informed her that I normally feel cold, and that since I dont move around much I prefer to be comfortable. The last dives I had done two weeks ago had water temps of 23C, for me that is still 5mm semi dry conditions. Aylin had been told that the water temperatures were warm.
After some conversation between Ahmet and Aylin in Turkish, some additional exposure protection was applied.
With all six divers on board, Romy the boat driver, prepared to cast off and Aylin asked me if I was going to lead the dives, my reply was a straight No!
First of all, I am not a DM, I come to dive for the pleasure of photographing critters not leading dives. This diver operator does not have a DM or guide on the boat, basically it is every diver for themselves, and I normally dive solo with the appropriate redundancy systems.
Anyway, as Romy was preparing to up anchor, I thought I better give some sort of briefing on the dives sites that I had chosen for today, Inchcape 2 and Car Cemetery, both great sites for macro photography.
During the briefing I noticed that the two Russians, who were using 100% rental kit, had no form of timing device on them (watch or computer). I immediately informed Romy who then postponed our departure and returned to the dive shop to pick up two computers.
At that point I also asked everyone to do a complete buddy check, both Gemma and I had done so prior to boarding the boat. I gave the Russians a brief description on how a Suunto Zoop will display data and told them to watch their gauges and time during the dives. Not really sure if they understood me to be honest, it was all smiles and head nodding.
We then set off for Inchcape 2. On arrival there was one boat on the mooring, which moved off to let us hook on and that boat then tied on to ours. This is normal dive boat etiquette here to allow divers to start on the mooring rather than to swim against possible surface currents before starting the dive. Visibility rarely allows a visual reference to a mooring one-boat distance away.
Gemma was first off, followed by me, and once Romy passed my housing over we descended to the wreck. We hung around the mooring line having a look around until the other divers appeared and once everybody gave the OK Gemma and I set off looking for critters.
At some point we were joined by a boatload of other divers and Inchcape 2 became very busy, but after twenty five minutes or so became quieter as the air divers reached their NDLs. Gemma and I were on EAN32, however Gemma bailed at just over 60 minutes as she was cold in her 3mm suit. I continued solo for another 10 minutes, searching for something special.
When I surfaced, our boat was third in line. Aylin was sitting in the sun shivering, trying to get warm, her 1mm suit and body vest was obviously not sufficient for todays temps at the bottom.
The Russians appeared okay and were even game to go snorkeling during the SI, oh to be young again and not feel the cold! I have no idea how long their dive was.
On the second dive at car cemetery I gave another pre-dive briefing. There was another strange look on Aylins face when I informed everyone that once we leave the anchor area it will be unlikely that we can find out way back to it, and the usual practice is that we usually shoot an SMB and surface. I was the only diver with an SMB. The Turkish couple had left their SMBs at home, in Turkey!
I told them that they could follow me of course, but since everyone was diving air and Gemma and I on Nitrox, our bottom times were going to be different.
Romy dropped the anchor, but on descent I was not familiar with the area, this dive site is well scattered, two weeks ago he was bang on but today not. Visibility was also quite poor, and this is not an easy site to navigate. Once everyone was at the bottom and everyone gave an OK, Gemma and I set off looking for more parts of the scattered wreckage. Nobody joined us and after 70 minutes I sent up my SMB and we surfaced.
Back on the boat I discovered that all four divers had not left the area of the anchor and had ascended using the anchor line. Aylin was still very cold despite a 1-degree increase in temperature to 24C.
Before the tour operator took the Russians back to Dubai, the couple came up to me and shook my hand thanking me for a wonderful day as this was their first dive! I hope that there was something missing from the translation.
Just before I left, Hassan the dive operator asked me how did the Russians dive, were they okay? I replied that I had no idea, as Gemma and I were not diving with them. From his facial response my response was not the answer he expected, I wonder what he had told the Russians?
So what is the point of this post aside from sharing some information on my dives yesterday?
- When asking about water temperatures, dont accept replies that merely state that it is warm, or you will be okay in a 3mm!
- When booking dives at a dive operator, check beforehand if there is a guide or DM on the trip, with this particular dive op, there is never a guide or DM.
- Because of point 2 above, should the most senior diver on board be responsible for everyone else? My opinion is no, we were all qualified divers (AFAIK) and therefore responsible for our own safety, but I am sure other people may have different ideas on this.
- It appears that most divers expect a guide or DM on board when diving with a new operator in a new country for the first time, even some apparently experienced divers.
- If you own equipment for safety purposes, make sure that you bring it with you, it's not very useful if still at home.
- Not all dive operators are truthful about their operations, and it might be prudent to make more inquiries when booking dive trips with new or unknown operators.
