What are the responsibilities of a DM/Guide

[KeithG]

I claim you need to separate this into 2 different concepts:
- legal responsibilities imposed by the local laws
- dive op published benefits

Some areas require a mandatory "dive guide". The responsibilities of these DM vary widely.

One of the Caribbean LOB we have used used to have a local "do not touch or even get close" dive guide that was mandatory on every dive. The dive guide was really a park ranger. So we scattered every dive...

 

[TMHeimer]

Steve listed 7 different ways in which DMs perform their duties. I am sure others have experienced others they could add to the list.

A DM is a dive professional hired by a dive operator (or individual) to do what that dive operator or individual believes is best for the circumstances.

That probably sums it up. Interesting that in my somewhat limited boat diving experiences I can't really recall being explained exactly what the DM's responsibilities were. They always seemed to go about what they normally do. It always included a dive briefing, I think.

 

[Bob DBF]

Feel bad about the San Diego story. Weight belt should never drag someone down. I though it was basic beginner class stuff that the weight belt is to get the diver neutral without the scuba unit only. Or less as many people put some of that weight into the scuba unit with SS plates or steel tanks. The belts not to weigh everything down. Unless he put the weights on the diver incorrectly, I don't see how it's his fault.

It's the DM's fault be caused he removed the victem's floatation and then failed to keep him afloat. I believe that the DM thought it was an integrated BC and was wrong.

Don't assume that other divers weight themselves the way you do. Getting involved in a rescue with that assumption could turn out badly.


Bob

 

[mi000ke]

I am a fairly novice diver, and most of my dives have been warm water boat dives where I am a single. I have almost always buddied up with the DM (at their instruction). Now I know that the DM has responsibilities to the group, but a buddy is a buddy and should be mutually available to each other in case of emergency.

I try to say as close to the DM as I can, but it's clear that the DM is worrying about more then me, most noticeably periodically checking everyone's air and ndl, and escorting divers back to the boat for whatever reason. And it seems that also being a buddy expands the role of a DM beyond what may be safe. Is it considered acceptable for the DM to also be a buddy, and is this common practice?

I have come to the conclusion after my dive experiences (and after reading a lot on SB about personal safety) that I need to take more responsibility for my safety when diving as a single, even with my DM buddy close by. So as of my next dive I will be slinging a pony bottle, which will let me surface in an OOA situation and will buy me time to get sorted out by the DM or others in the group in case of some other type of emergency.

 

[BertStevens]

Here's my thoughts...

1. I alone am responsible for my safety. That doesn't mean I'm diving alone, it means setting clear expectations about the dive with my regular or instabuddy. If one needs to ascend, we both go up.

2. My expectations for the DM on the boat are to give a site briefing and help me in and out of the water. I alone am responsible for my safety.

3. If I'm hiring a private DM as a single diver, then I'm expecting a buddy and some site guidance. I alone am responsible for my safety. This time the DM is my buddy, see number 1.

4. In locations where laws require an in water guide(Cozumel) , then the DM is just that... a group guide. My buddy and I will be in sight of the guide, but they are responsible for returning the group to the boat. Individual problems should be sorted out by the buddy team. Because once again, I alone am responsible for my safety.

 

[clownfishsydney]

A DM and a guide can be totally different things. A DM can also do the duties of a guide, but a guide cannot do the duties of a DM. In my case, over all my dives, I have never, as far as I am aware, had a DM dive with me acting purely as a DM (that is watching after my safety). I have had, probably on less than a dozen occasions, had a DM who also acted as a guide. This was generally because the dive operation catered to the lowest common denominator (divers with less than 50 dives) and we were caught up in that. In each of these cases, we had more experience in the previous 6 months than the DM had in total and they all ran out of air before we were 1/3 of the way through our tank.

I have had a guide numerous times, mostly in Chuuk Lagoon, on the wreck of the SS President Coolidge and in Tulamban (Bali). In each of these cases, their role was to guide us to critters or artefacts that we would otherwise not find. None of these, as far as I know, were qualified DMs.

So, the primary question is, why do you have the GM/guide with you? That will determine to some extent what their role and responsibilities will be.

 

[TMHeimer]

I've never been buddied with a DM. But I've also only been on two dives (same day) where there was a group of us lead by the DM--however, I and everyone else was buddied with someone other than the DM. My thought is if the DM were specifically MY buddy, I would expect him/her to pay attention only to me (as I would to him/her)--not be checking everyone else's gas and that all were OK--that seems to be not a true "buddy" situation for me. Not sure what the DM's liability issues could be here. None of that means I would not dive as if solo and responsible for myself.

 

[gfaith]

Many time I feel for the DM/Guide it seems like they are "trying to herd cats".
.
Pretend you are the DM/Guide and you have during the briefing explained that all divers will stay within sight of the group (in other words together). The dive will end when anyone hits the 500-700lb mark or 60 minute dive time.

1) Dive is a moored dive with a mild current and you (DM) have told the group to swim forward to the concrete slab where the line is attached and wait until everyone is grouped. There are 8 divers (4 buddy groups) in the herd. You do a head count and there are only 6 divers waiting at the slab.
What would you do?

2) You are not just a DM but a full cave diver guide in a cenote. During the briefing the 4 divers (2 buddy groups) are assigned their spots in the single file line that will follow the golden line through the cenote. You also during briefing explained the dive is rather saw toothed and there is very little overhead area. You are in the lead obviously. You hit one of the fairly quick drops and the second diver takes off like a bat out of hell backward (passing diver 3 and diver 4) headed back to more shallow water behind everyone (ear trouble) What would you do?

3) You are guiding a 8 diver group in Cozumel and the current gets well over 3kts and 2 divers (man and woman buddy team) get separated from the group. You did observe that they the man and woman both had their own DSMBs.
What would you do?

I understand there are a lot of what-ifs here but just consider the dilemmas and answer if you like DM/Guide.

 

[Centrals]

If anything happen on a dive the DM/guide is usually got the blame first! Where is the guide/DM?
Talk to them and listen to their grievances.
I had came across enough divers that I had wished they should had never left home.

 

[rivers]

In the UK:
You will not find DMs on a dive boat.

But as a DM, I work for a school (that belongs to a local inland site).
My main priority is to act as a safety diver for the instructor. I am there to rescue him/her if there is an issue. I also keep an eye on students who are not directly involved in skills.
But, I may also act as a buddy if there is an odd number of students in the class, or there are students who are struggling.
Lead the "tour" portion of the dive.
Make sure the paperwork is complete.