Do you dive/like diving with a DM?

[Santa]

DM's (and Instructors or rescue divers) can be handy to have around - even if not guiding. They are supposed to be trained rescue coodinators - and have choices of action unavilable to a non-diving boat crew, however skilled.

(My name is frank, I'm an emergency responder, may I help you? - Hows that for beating the ole "Dr livingstone" routine)

This can make a crucial difference no matter how skilled and self-sufficient the submerged divers are. After all - It is the sea.


Santa.

 

[Grajan]

For me the issue is not 'diving with a DM' but 'diving with a mob'. I'm not too worried about qualifications (within reason) just numbers.

My favorite number of divers in the water is two but I'm starting to think four is better, particularly in remote locations. Any more than that and it goes downhill fast.

We did a week at a resort in the Caribbean this year that was pretty bad. We had about twenty divers per DM and there was not really an option to do your own thing. Flat bottoms were sort of OK - you can at least spread out - but walls were less fun and cracks were either a queue or a zoo or both.......

The year before we did some boat diving in Oz and watching trim impaired beginners walking (at best 'vertical diving') over the coral to the total indifference of the DM just about gave me a seisure.

For this reason we prefer to go to Bonaire or, very occasionally, charter a boat. The Cozumel six packs are OK.

 

[STOGEY]

As others have said, fo r me it depends on what I'm doing. Sometimes I think that being with a dm puts more pressure on me to consetrate on what everybody else is doing. I's good to dive with a dive buddy, but at the same time soemtimes I think that I can learn more jsut by doing.

 

[STOGEY]

As far as dms being guides, well I guess that can depend on what kinda charter and the personality of the dm is. A couple of weeks ago I did a charter with a local dive boat, and one of my dive clubs. A dm did come along with the dive club, but he really didn't act as a guide. He was there when yo left the boat to make sure that everything was ok, but then after that yo were basically on your own.

If you wanted to buddy with him that would have been just as well, but it wasn't necessary. I guess how a dm is on a charter is also dependant on the make up of the group that is diving. I mean if the group seems to look like they know what they are doing they leave yo alone. On the other hand if your in a group from the west coast and not as up to speed like we are on the east coast, well you may need a little baby sitting. Ha,ha, ha.