Bad Dive Master

[fishb0y]

I think I would feel more comfortable diving with an OW diver with 150/200 dives than a 60 dive Wonder DM. It's like, do you want to go into combat with a Sgt with experience under fire or some shavetail Lt fresh from the Point? Book knowledge and pool training is one thing, diving experience is another, IMHO.

Great, so how do you expect to get your LT to become a leader? Hate to remind you, but when all is said and done, the LT is still in charge. Besides, that's apples and this is oranges.

Like it or not, DMs are going to get certified after "ONLY" 60 dives. Dive operations will hire them with "only" 60 dives. You will have a DM who is leading your dive with "only" 60 dives. Eventually that DM may become an instructor, with maybe "only" 100 dives. So you have a decision. Are you going to request a resume from any dive operation before you book a dive with them? Highly unlikely, but if you did, it would read like they are the best thing since sliced bread.

Try this, learn to dive without the need of a DM. Sure they will be there, but is that the only thing you are going to rely on? I sure hope not. Some people call it solo diving, I call it self sufficient diving. I'm not saying that you need to carry a pony when you dive... I'm saying that you need to get yourself skills to save yourself if needed, and not totally rely on a buddy who may or may not be ready to save you.

While I was not the instructor for my 12 (then 11 year old) son, if for some reason we got separated, I would have no fear for him to get back to safety and he has only 12 dives. He has learned not to depend on a buddy or heaven forbid a divemaster, and yet we are within 10 feet of each other for all of our dives. It is up to him to call both our turnarounds and rock bottoms. With all of this responsibility, and he is still 12 years old, and trust me, he isn't a poster child for the angelic kid. He has his problems, lack of attention at times and buoyancy controls, but he is improving with supervision.

So what was that rant about? It doesn't matter how many dives, or how much experience a person needs to be a good diver, it is more a mindset that the diver should be in. PF, you are taking this as an attack, but as you go back and read your old threads, you come off as a diver dependant on others, instead of dealing with the problems, you expect others to do it for you... ie too deep with other divers you don't know. I'm sure that while the Marines teamwork, independent thought is also taught. Besides, you know the old saying... The best Marine is a Submarine.

 

[mrjimboalaska]

lil fishboy needs to mind his manners and stick to the topic at hand and not hyjack the thread to vent his hormonal deficiencies.

Uh, PF, I think that you need to work on more than just your diving skills.....
I dive with fishBoy, he's a great diver, and I think he is trying to give you some input if you would listen.............improve your skills so that you are not so uncomfortable in the water..............

 

[dherbman]

Sub Mariners eat by candle light, wear silk skivies and shower in pairs to save water ahemmmmmmmmmmmmm.

" Now hear this, now hear this, the smoking lamp is lite. Brownies will be served in the aft quarters. Oh, Bruce, you devil sailor, brownies again? Yes, Fishboy, I love the way your eyes dance in the candle light when we're in the torpedo room."

This is the Captain, we will be pulling into Pearl to pick up some real Marines so you gals finish up those snacks and polish your shoes. Oh, and no knitting while the Marines are aboard.

PiFi, are you off the meds?

 

[lamont]

I think I would feel more comfortable diving with an OW diver with 150/200 dives than a 60 dive Wonder DM. It's like, do you want to go into combat with a Sgt with experience under fire or some shavetail Lt fresh from the Point? Book knowledge and pool training is one thing, diving experience is another, IMHO.

:ignore:

:help:

 

[pilot fish]

"While I was not the instructor for my 12 (then 11 year old) son, if for some reason we got separated, I would have no fear for him to get back to safety and he has only 12 dives. He has learned not to depend on a buddy or heaven forbid a divemaster, and yet we are within 10 feet of each other for all of our dives. It is up to him to call both our turnarounds and rock bottoms. With all of this responsibility, and he is still 12 years old, and trust me, he isn't a poster child for the angelic kid. He has his problems, lack of attention at times and buoyancy controls, but he is improving with supervision."[[Fishboy

That is to be admired. Good job. Bet you are proud of him?

 

[fpsndiver]

:d

 

[djesser]

My reply on this is a bit late but I just don't check Scuba Boards as often as I should. I agree with the comments from others but I've been in your situation and just wanted to comment: any Divemaster who does not appear competent or threatens your safety NEEDS to be reported. She needs to know that her skills are lacking (so she can go back and get the experience/training she needs under supervision) and while she might have bungled up your dive, she could have done worse. It was bad enough the incident with your regulator, but things like that can spiral into a full blown emergency and there is no second chance when someone is DOA. You owe it to the Divemaster and any divers she might take on a dive to let the dive shop or even her certifying organization know what happened.

Anyway, this is just my opinion, based on the information you provided, and what I would do (and have done) under similiar circumstances.

Although it was a long time and many miles ago, I certified in the Sound in 1987 (I was in the Coast Guard in Astoria). I did some diving up there back then and I remember the DM's we had were all very good and took great care of us. That is not an easy diving environment and as I remember it had a lot of challenges. As new divers back then we were all thankful to be in such good hands. There is a chance you were placed under the charge of a new DM who needed just a bit more experience before taking divers out on her own. Just a guess.

 

[ticokitty]

I am in Mexico right now and have had the worst DM´s (except for 1 in Boca) that I have ever had. I must say I cannot recommend Hurricane Divers or Azul Profundo in Puerto Angel (who I don´t think are PADI certified).

Our DM in Hualtulco disappeared on every dive. I ended up helping the other divers. On the last day when my boyfriend was to do his last OW check outs, he was buddied with me and the DM left. The instructor was on the boat after checking his skills.

Not only did I keep my boyfriend slow and close, I ended up keeping an eye on a diver who was having difficulty and her buddy was way ahead of her. She was inexperienced and her buddy was trying to keep up with the DM. It was very unsafe.

Our DM here in Puerto Angel told us we were going to 18 meters (50ft) during our brief pre-dive and then brought us down to 30 meters (77ft). I had a computer and he did not. He was swimming with his hands, kicking the sea fans and standing on the rocks with fins as well as kicking up sand. Poor skills. He also grabbed two different puffers, including a guinnea fowl, which was NOT cool. He checked my boyfriend´s air and saw that he was at his turn around point but did not start the accent. I looked and signaled accent when the DM started racing towards the surface. I signaled to slow down and kept my boyfriend with me. We continued a slow accent and took our 3 minutes which the DM tried to rush.

I will never dive without a computer again. I did for my first 95 dives. I recommend to anyone on this board, take responsibility for yourself and get trained by people that you admire. READ and join DAN. Buy a computer. Don´t put your life in someone else´s hands. I feel like, because of the highly skilled teachers I had, I have been able to teach and help my boyfriend and keep him safe, regardless of the professional DMs here.

Sorry about the spray, I am a little pissed because I came to Mexico to dive and it has been poor. We should have gone to Costa Rica or Belize where I have friends that I trust.

 

[Thalassamania]

All the URLs that google gives me (well ... the first ten to be honest) on "deep water blackout" either refer to really deep (e.g, in excess of 100 meters) or are misnomers for "shallow water blackout," the freediving problem.

 

[Walt1957]

I have to say that this thread has taught me, as a newbie, a lot about the opinions of some people here. Contradictions abound about OW training being inadequate but AOW should be reserved for those with more experience. Yet AOW teaches many of the basics that should have been included in OW but aren't (to attract more people by lowering the price or time needed?).

I guess it truely is a matter of "be responsible for yourself". I only have 15 logged dives, but have spent extra pool time working on skills too. Partly because one of the bennies of my LDS is that if you buy equipment from them you get lifetime (of their business, obviously) use of their pool, with free tank fills while doing it.

I feel like I NEED the extra level of training and supervised experience of AOW to be better able to be responsible for myself and my buddy (my daughter). As far as anyone who begrudges me that training ... oh well ... YOU come dive with me and show me how to do it right then! In my case the cert card is meaningless ... but as the Amex adds would say ... cost of class, $229 ... surviving long enough to overcome ignorance, priceless.