Air hog etiquette.

[outofofficebrb]

If you are an air hog, dive shallower than than your buddy / group.

I was on a recent dive along a coral wall with an instabuddy air hog in our dive group with my wife and I and a DM. The Instabuddy dived along the bottom of the wall (18M, 60ft) looking at all the dead coral fallen on the sea floor.

My wife and I dived at about 12M, 40ft looking at all the beautiful coral and sea life. The DM split the difference and dived a little closer to the air hog.

After 30 mins the instabuddy signaled low air and he and the DM surfaced. My wife and I continued for another 30 mins or so drifting along the wall enjoying our dive.

When we got on the boat the instabuddy was telling us how the dive was crap and he didn't see much sea life and the coral was all dead.

 

[gcarter]

I assume you mean sharing with the DM. I agree his/her extra gas is for emergencies. That said, folks share my gas quite often. If I'm diving with divers I know and we're doing a "group drift" (and it's appropriate) I'll offer before we splash just in case anyone is feeling a bit apprehensive (btw anxiety kills air consumption). The trick is not to wait until you're low. I tell folks when they get to 1000 psi to drop on by for a "sip" if there is still time left on the dive. That way they still have plenty of gas to finish up on their own.

I have often shared air with newer divers on drift dives where the newness of diving in current tends to spike consumption. Of course, I am using a HP117 or HP130 on those dives, so supplementing their AL80s isn't really an issue. This difference is that this is all planned in advance, the group leader doesn't do the sharing, and it is a local group, not a trip where you are spinning the wheel on whether you will be accommodated. Large tanks are the norm with this group, not so much most resorts.

 

[boulderjohn]

I went to Fiji early in my diving career, and I did a series of dives with a large group of instructors and dive shop owners from New Zealand. One of the shop owners was obese, and he was an air hog. He managed to get in full dives through an interesting technique. He would swim up behind another diver, reach around and very skillfully take the alternate air. He would breathe off of it for a few minutes, completely undetected, then return it. Then he would wander off in search of his next donor. He was so good at it that he was rarely caught. They all knew he did it, and they joked about it on the surface, but they usually did not know when he was actually doing it.

 

[ScottFL78]

So where in the World is it normal for a DM to share air/supplement a diver? I have never seen or heard of this. I have only dove in Florida though.

 

[mmerriman]

So where in the World is it normal for a DM to share air/supplement a diver? I have never seen or heard of this. I have only dove in Florida though.

I don't think its standard anywhere, but I've seen it. If I were in that position, dive ends.

 

[Saniflush]

Hello. My name is Saniflush and I am an air hog.

Good advice all throughout this whole thread. I am not the worst air hog in the world but I am bad enough that I still call Mrs Flush my "Pony Bottle".

Just to reiterate some previous posts.
Always opt for the larger tank if there is one to be had. I routinely dive a 100 if I can find one while the "Pony Bottle" will be on an 80.
Don't be afraid to decrease your depth as long as your buddy is aware of what you are doing. The "Pony Bottle" and I have done this enough that she knows if I feel like I am burning through my tank faster than she is then I will signal that I am getting shallower than she so I can use that as a way to compensate.

 

[boulderjohn]

So where in the World is it normal for a DM to share air/supplement a diver? I have never seen or heard of this. I have only dove in Florida though.

I don't think its standard anywhere, but I've seen it. If I were in that position, dive ends.

Aldora divers in Cozumel, one of the biggest operations on the island, does it, or at least it used to.

 

[mmerriman]

Aldora divers in Cozumel, one of the biggest operations on the island, does it, or at least it used to.

my biggest concern is what happens next in a real emergency??

 

[boulderjohn]

my biggest concern is what happens next in a real emergency??

If no one in the group gets below 1,000 PSI before an ascent, there will not be an OOA emergency, barring an equipment failure. In that case, the procedure would be the same as ever--the buddy would provide immediate help, the DM would take back the alternate from the other diver (who still has 1,000 PSI), and the DM would render whatever further aid was needed and start the ascent.

What other kind of emergency were you considering?

 

[doctormike]

He would swim up behind another diver, reach around and very skillfully take the alternate air. He would breathe off of it for a few minutes, completely undetected, then return it. Then he would wander off in search of his next donor. He was so good at it that he was rarely caught.

Accomplished Bad Divers