First ocean dive a disaster!

[TheRedHead]

Sounds like a group dive CF where no one was on the same page. Another lesson to think about is that when you call the shop and talk to the manager or staff, it often times goes in one ear and out the other. You always have to speak to the DM directly and if he is not an English speaker, ascertain that he understands you.

 

[ghostdiver1957]

Many foreign dive operations do whatever they want. Keep in mind, they are not in the US, not subject to US laws (liability suits) and quite frankly often dislike Americans. Jamaica and a few other countries are places I would never go diving... and I'm quite experienced.

You have every right to be upset with them... but little recourse, other than to never use them again and to bad mouth them all over the internet. There may have been some reason for what they did, like perhaps they were chasing down the two that took off and you followed along? It doesn't sound like they dragged you down there... you just ended up there because you stayed with the group. You always had the option not to go down there and could have hovered above them. Just a thought.

 

[waynne fowler]

Just curious, how does one become certified without doing any dives as part of the course??

Huh?

I don't understand the question... perhaps I've miss something :06:

 

[waynne fowler]

I should clarify. This was my first Ocean dive. I got my open water certification in Homestead Crater in Utah. It is a small freshwater crater at an awesome 98 degrees.

Ok.... forget my last statement I get it now!!!.... yez IRSSLLOOOW

 

[waynne fowler]

When planning the dive, the DM told us to alert him or the other DM when we were low on air, and we would all ascend. I take that to mean that this was a group dive. Maybe I was wrong, and I'll never assume anything again! Lesson learned.

There were two groups no?.... and there were 2 DM yes?

 

[limeyx]

When planning the dive, the DM told us to alert him or the other DM when we were low on air, and we would all ascend. I take that to mean that this was a group dive. Maybe I was wrong, and I'll never assume anything again! Lesson learned.

Just curious: how did he define "low on air" ?

 

[emelotto]

It's easy to understand why they followed the DM, most of new dives just feels comfortable following DM, speacially at complete unknow sites.
Besides that, usually in these paradises, DM never looks backwards to see if you are ok, they are act like guides, not as DM should act.
Many dives at SB says that you are responsible for your dive and life, and it is true, but Dive shops and their staff does are also responsible by keep their clients safe.
If I am not wrong, there are laws in some countries that say the senior diver is responsible for the whole group.
In my opinion, many dive shops neglect their responsability with new divers and for that reason I recommend that new divers uses their school certification to dive with in the first 10 or 15 dives.

 

[ItsBruce]

Keep in mind there are a number of places I've dived where one is required to be with a local guide. Those places take the DM's responsibilities very seriously.

 

[Northeastwrecks]

100 feet is the maximum depth for recreational diving.

Since when? At least with PADI, 130 feet is the max for recreational diving. Of course, not even PADI recommends that a diver do this without proper training (AOW and a Deep specialty, as I recall).

The shop was out of line to take you that deep. Your experience and, more importantly, your specific request, was for a shallower dive.

In the future, don't be afraid to pull the plug on such a dive. You and your buddy can, and should, execute the dive you planned. If the DM wants to do a solo dive to 130 on an AL80, that's his/her business.

If the locals require a guide, then point out that you had one, and that they blew it. Or, even better, check in advance and find someplace that isn't interested in milking the tourists by requiring a guide.

 

[DiverBuoy]

In a long history of stories like these, some with casualties, you are right to be outraged. I find this too oft encountered scenario disturbing each and every time I read one. As a dive instructor and frankly as just a plain ole' responsible human being for that matter, I read your story searching and wanting to contribute something helpful or constructive ... but the only words I kept mustering into my head were colorful metaphors, this just ticks me off. I feel hurt for the whole scuba community when I hear crap like this.

Hi! This is my first post on the forum, and I'm an extreme newbie to scuba so this may be a stupid question, but here goes:

I was recently certified to scuba and took a trip to Jamaica where I had my first ocean dive. My husband who was certified last year (about 12 dives under his belt) let the 5 star PADI dive shop know that it was my first and asked for a nice easy dive. "No problem" they said. Our first of 2 dives was to be at 60-70 feet. When we got in the water, 2 people turned and took off towards the bottom. They were out of sight in a matter of seconds. This left me, my husband and the second dive master. He had us kicking down, down, down until I was thinking "what the heck?" We finally see the bottom and by this time I'm having trouble breathing. We're at 130 feet and I am scared as anything, trying not to panic. Needless to say I use up my air quickly and signal low on air and I want to go up. They ignore me for a few minutes before letting us ascend. I never ever wanted to dive again.

I ended up going down on another dive to 40 feet with no problems.

Am I out of line for being upset about this? I'm of the opinion that I had no business being that deep, and am really mad that they lied about the depth when they knew it was my first. I feel like someone is going to be seriously hurt by this operation.

Am I overreacting? Or should I report the dive shop to PADI?