What will you do

Hi Folks

:stupid: I have a Question and been wondering what is the best way to handle it but I just can't find the right solution ;-0

I went diving recently and on my 1st dive of the trip, I encountered this "small" problem :sorry: I was doing a horizontal ascent when the local DM grab my leg and signal me to do my safety stop in vertical position at 5m. But the thing is I have began my stop since 9m and was ascenting to another level from 6m to 3m when that happened. ;-0 As I do not wish to have an "arguement" with the DM underwater, I abandoned my plan to do my stop at 3m and hover at 5m for another 3mins before surfacing. [PS: I'm not saying the DM is wrong, but we have a slight diff in our training and the DM had no idea what I'm doing] So for the subsequence dives, I start my stop early as usual but when it come to 5m ..I will do extra just to avoid the same thing to happen.

Then the next thing is whenever we dive at sites where there's a reference line (a buoy was attached to the bottom), the DM kept insisting that we hold on to the rope while we descend when me and buddy can descend horizontally with rope in sight and we are not drifting away from the line . I'm not saying it is wrong to hold onto the rope but the thing is there's no current and we are not drifting , why she insist that we hold on to the line

My Question is As it is quite difficult to dive with pple esp DM of the same training ,what will you do, if you encounter problems like mine

Kind of sounds like your divemaster needs to get a clue I guess you could try to argue your point with her but that would probably only frustrate you. To me if your not being unsafe she needs to back off. Nothing worse than a pushy overbearing divemaster

animian2002 once bubbled...
what will you do, if you encounter problems like mine

Click to expand...

:wave: bye bye to them.

Do as the romans do.
YOUR DIVE PLAN should have covered safty stops
If that corcern uses a 5m safty stop
In the intrests of
safty its easier to see that all the divers are using the same plan.
If your dive brief did not cover safty stops then its your
call.
lots of divers Can't do a safty stop at 3m if they are using ALI
cylinders they are just to Bouyant.
The DOWN line is a point of control,if your brief called for you to ascend holding onto the line and you let go it signals to the dive leader that you might have a problem.
HOWARD

like the DM has learned to dive by one set protocol. If you do not fit that one protocol you're either wrong or in trouble. That one set protocol doesn't seem to have much of a skill level to it.

You could try asking questions about the ascent procedure and safety stops before you get the dive briefing. Maybe on the way out to the site or before getting on the boat. This would give you a chance to let the DM know what you normally do. Hopefully when you are seen hovering or following near the ascent line, the DM will realize you are doing what you said you would be doing and are therefore not having a problem.

In defense of the DM you have to keep in mind that he/she probably dives predominantly with infrequent holiday divers who have not learned or developed the skills that you have. By talking to the DM's early on you give them a chance to understand something about your diving procedures.

animian2002,

When you are diving with a group being supervised you will be treated like everyone else. Any assumptions made by the crew about the group will also apply to you. These boat crews are used to supervising divers who can't supervise themselves.

I spent many years in the Horse business. I was a full time black smith and I have worked training horses. However, if I go to the local riding stable to rent a horse for an hour, I will be treated like any one else off the street. They will assume that I know nothing regardless of what I tell them. Why? Because they always get the same story from people. Evert one tells them they can ride but none of them can. I don't go to those places unless I make special arrangements ahead of time.

The same with a dive boat. Let them know how you plan to dive and what your qualifications are to dive that way. If you don't want to be supervised arrange to not be supervised ahead of time.

First you made the right decision by not arguing underwater, very difficult to do. After the dive feel free to approach the DM and politley ask a few questions. Explain your training and rationale and you may find that everything will be fine. Or, the DM may have a few things to share.

It is very important to do it professionally and to keep and open mind. Feel free to share reference sources; like DAN articles, textbooks, etc., and ask for the DM references. Who knows, we may all learn something.

I suspect a better pre-dive brief by the DM could have avoided all of this. You would have had the chance to plan your dive to adhere to the brief, or had time to talk to the DM before jumping in to explain your procedures.

Keep in mind, that the majority of the divers the resort sees do not do enough diving to stay sharp, and it may have been several years since their last dive. So, sometimes dive protocal get adjusted for the weakest link.

It has been my experience that if I adhere to the resort's policies and prove my competency I am then afforded some flexibilty in my dive plan. Be sure to follow policies (as long as they are safe) before asking for permission to deviate.

The dive briefing probably included the standard phrase, "then we'll do 3 to 5 minute safety stop at 15 foot "

If you intend to differ from the agreed upon dive plan, you should mention it. From the DM's point of view, he was helping a diver that was having trouble executing the agreed upon dive plan.

I routinely mention to DM's that I will be doing deep stops, and slowly transition my 15' stop to a 5' stop.

Not only is it good dive practice to mention this, it is just common courtesy.

Charlie

Very well said, SeaCobra and Charlie99 -
1 -Everything, incl. safetty stops of course, should be included in a briefing...
2 - You should stick to a club's habits (as long as they're safe ones, of course) and THEN ask for "priviledges"... just kidding, but I think you got the point.

As for being vertical during the safety stop, see: http://www.scubaboard.com/t4933/s.html

Roak