I remember my OW course. My instructor would glide through the water with this hands clasped infront of him. I thought - wow - that is cool. I tried doing it as best a s possible right away. I think you have to tell students when teaching them "look at me when I am diving, and try to see where I put my hands and how my body is positioned in the water" .... I think if you do not make a point "do what I do" then they may forget to observe you in the water and could get caught up with the fish or something. Fish that are freeeeeeeeeeee (Bacardispice, d'ya hear me - free I say!! - mwaaahaaa haaa haaa!!
)
However....as far as sorting out someone who you are not teaching directly. That is hard. They are not YOUR student so difficult to bring it up with them.
I say if someone is a certified diver and they are flailing about in the water. Doing the breast stroke an all - once you get them close enough to you swim into their hands while they are waving them around and then when they turn around to look at you, give them the death stare through your mask! And then fake a sore head or something on the surface and act like they hit you in the head and after that's broken the ice tell them to stop f-ing flailing around under the water and act like a diver not a muppet! :mean:
Ha ha! :d
I'd love to do that with really annoying divers
But seriously it's a tricky one. Some folk are just not in the right mindset to hear even the most constructive and positive type of "advice" and will feel threatened and think you are being rude no matter how hard you try to put it nicely.
Another option is to adpot the PADI way (even though you are not teaching really)... give a sort of group debrief after a dive (act like that is the "done" thing when there are newish divers on board) and say "I thought you guys handled that dive really well" ... emphasise that they have achieved something... mention what was challenging about it and point out a few specific things which people did do well, but don't single out names. Then say what you felt some people could try to improve on in future dives and mention specific things like "avoid using your hands, because you don't need to and this wastes energy etc. and avoid naming anyone. That way the flailing people may reflect back on the dive and think " hmmmm maybe I did do that a little... but perhaps they are not talking about me so I wont go red in the face right now, but next time I will try to remember that". This way you avoid any kind of direct confrontation (like actually having to single them out and go sit down next them) or public humiliation (like showing a video).
Just an idea.....
:idea:
Also - I remind new divers who I think may have a problem on entry - to "look up at the horizon as you go in" as they get ready to take the giant stride. Just as they clutch their gauge and mask, I say it as a little reminder. It really helps!
People leaping several feet up into the air instead of a giant stride though... now that cracks me up! What can you say to remind them? "Um, now try not to make like you've got a bunsen burner up your arse when you get off the boat and just take a stride outwards!"
