missed safety stops

So I'm on this 80ft dive. The DM has stated the preferred 3 min safety stop, but on ascent, everyone (except me and the DM) don't stop (it's a free ascent). Once we get to the surface, I observe to the DM that everyone went up kinda fast. He shrugged to say "what can you do"? And really, the question is, what _can_ you do? Obviously, looking in retrospect, these other divers were inexperienced, but while safety stops are preached during training, there's no actual practise, and it's possible that divers can do a number of mooring line assisted ascents and not be able to practise supervised proper free ascents and therefore fail to properly control their buoyancy when they have to do their first one. It's a poor reflection of how training is going these days. Or is it the laissez-faire attitude of those learning?

With the number of folks posting about drift dives and Coz, and not having done them before, I think that controlling ascent is the most important skill to be aware of.

Just keep doing yours and if you are with others that don't make their stops at least keep and eye on them for signs of bens. Once they've had it I have a feeling that they will remember to do it in the future.
I remember one of my instructors actually grabbed my fins and held me down so I couldn't jackrabbit to the surface on a bad dive. I thanked him profusily when all was said and done. But trying to grab 6 divers unless your an octopus is a bit much.

Simonk,

"...no actual practice"???? When I was certed, we did safety stops and they were emphasized. You did the right thing, but the DM dropped the ball. He should have told the others of their errors.

I am very hesitant, as a diver and not a DM, to "instruct" other divers except where my own health or equipment is involved. I just do not want to disrupt the harmony on board. But, I have quietly noted to the DMs things that disturb me.

But DMs have a problem: they have to make a buck and, sometimes, that means putting up with unruly customers. One example not related to health that truly annoyed me was a diver grabbing a slipper lobster, dropping it and chasing and grabbing it until the poor creature finally escaped into a hole that the diver could not reach into. I asked the DM if he would speak to the young man and the DM, shrugged his shoulders and told me that they could not "criticize" the customers for non-health related behavior: the business was just too competitive.

I do not have to face those pressures, but when it comes to health matters, the DM really needs to be assertive.


Joewr

I haven't been on any DM led dives, but I would think that as part of the pre-dive briefing & plan that the DM would tell you that you will be performing a safety stop. If you are drifting you could deploy a surface marker or use your float line to hang at 15fsw.

-kate

Do any current OW certs do a real, actual ascent with a safety stop? My checkout dives were shallow enough so that all we did was ascend straight to the top.

As for DMs, boy they have a tough job -- on the one hand, they're liable for anything bad happened, but yet their company probably frowns on their not letting someone dive, and in any case, there's only so much you can tell about someone's competency on the boat.

As another anecdote, on the same boat on a prior trip that someone else related, they had 3 young teenage divers who were anything but responsible, and when they hit the bottom (literally), they all swam off in random directions totally oblivious to the group as a whole and the DM in particular.

Simonk,

One time I was diving with a dad and two teens who were newly certed. We did a wall dive--questionable choice for new divers and should have been ruled out by the DM or he should have taken personal charge of the family--and the three of them formed a buddy team.

Well, instead of leveling off around 60', the younger of the two sailed right by me--dad nowhere in sight. I blew air and dropped down after him. I caught him at around a 100', hauled him back to the rest of the group by his first stage and we resumed the dive. I am fairly certain he was on his way to DCS or worse had I not interceded.

When we boarded I had a serious heart to heart with dad and the DM. Dad was very chagrined and happy to have #2 son in good shape.

Egad (as I am fond of writing)!!!!!!!

Joewr

Joe....quick question....

• How do you get your cape and tights to fit in your wetsuit?

Could it be Joewr? Another William Powell, Life With Father, fan?

Cape and tights? Where do you find those phone booths?

Batman's costume...I like the ears and mask, especially! Not to mention the great car. And the Batcave! And a butler speaking of butlers, you two probably would could probably handle that job!

Joewr--Super Hero to the Masses

Interesting thing about safety stops: I never did them nor were they preached in class during my initial certification (it was pre-safety stop) and I was diving Navy tables (pre-RDP and the like). So, some divers blew a safety stop and perhaps they ignored the lecture, and while in an ideal world a safety stop helps everyone, nothing is probably going to happen if they blow one now and again. I have blown four in the last several dives due to a faulty valve on my drysuit; I am still here; dives were to 90 feet. Do I feel right about? Nope.

But, I have to agree with the above: DMs are there to cater to the paying public; can they really not let people dive due to a blown safety stop? Probably not in their best interest for employment.

As I have preached to others, a safety stop is a good idea after every dive; I attempt to practice that in good faith; but how many have actually had practice in cert courses? I know I didn't in my initial course work.

Just my 2 cents. Happy and Safe diving