Are some people just thick?

[Lamnid]

I try and keep my distance a little from other divers because it seems fairly obvious to me that if there is a sudden bunch up of people underwater then there´ll be fins in the face, snagging other people´s regs out of their mouth and all sorts of problems. However, when I´m diving, I can constantly feel people behind me just swimming into my fins. I mean, if someone wants to put their face on my fins that´s fine, but I can manage to keep an eye on the person in front of me, so why can´t they? Also, what is it when you´re swimming along and you bob up a bit and your legs and tank collide with someone who has just decided to swim over the top of you? I mean really! Little spacial awareness would help!

 

[wunat]

It gets worse when night diving with a few new divers.

 

[TheRedHead]

Bad viz perhaps? Trying to stay with a group. I don't like being crowded either and try to avoid diving with more than 6 other people.

 

[tstormdiver]

Sorry you feel that way. Perhaps they may be beginners, such as myself & have not quite mastered their buoyancy and at times I am still trying to figure out where I am in the water column. Diving is a 3 dimensional world and it takes time to get used to it. If they are more experienced divers, then they should also be working on their buoyancy & spacial awareness, Some may be just trying to stay with the pack. It is the responsibility of each diver to know or eventually learn their spacial awareness for the safety & comfort of the group. I have been in a group in very low vis areas in which we had to pack together very tightly, so as not to get seperated. We just made the best of it & tried not to kick eachother as much as was possible. It worked out quite nicely. I did get kicked a time or two, but not hard & as soon as the person kicking felt me, they let up for a second to let me get out of their range & we continued on. Personally I tend to stick pretty close to my buddy(ies) or group at almost all times (not being right on top of them, but rather close to them) & this could cause some discomfort to someone that likes plenty of space. If they are beginners, have some patience & help them learn, if they are experienced, then maybe try to very tactfully let them know that you like a little space.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Sorry you feel that way. Perhaps they may be beginners, such as myself & have not quite mastered their buoyancy and at times I am still trying to figure out where I am in the water column. Diving is a 3 dimensional world and it takes time to get used to it. If they are more experienced divers, then they should also be working on their buoyancy & spacial awareness, Some may be just trying to stay with the pack. It is the responsibility of each diver to know or eventually learn their spacial awareness for the safety & comfort of the group. I have been in a group in very low vis areas in which we had to pack together very tightly, so as not to get seperated. We just made the best of it & tried not to kick eachother as much as was possible. It worked out quite nicely. I did get kicked a time or two, but not hard & as soon as the person kicking felt me, they let up for a second to let me get out of their range & we continued on. Personally I tend to stick pretty close to my buddy(ies) or group at almost all times (not being right on top of them, but rather close to them) & this could cause some discomfort to someone that likes plenty of space. If they are beginners, have some patience & help them learn, if they are experienced, then maybe try to very tactfully let them know that you like a little space.

It wasn't me, was it Tammy? Personally, in low viz, I don't mind bunching up a bit. Tammy and I lost our 3 dive buddies once. They were there one second, we both spent some more time looking at the "wreck" and when we both looked up they were "gone"! We were both happy that at least the other was there!

 

[mwhities]

I have a problem with going to fast. Not that I do it on purpose, I just kick twice and I leave my poor buddy behind. He says he's kicking as much as possible to try to stay up with me. :| I seriously have to do half kicks (is there such a thing) so that I don't "fly" away from him.

I still need to work on my bounancy and fine tune it. I figured with being "off" balanced, I'd have to push more water to get going. Or maybe I'm "trimmed" better than what I think. Not sure, as I am an air hog. I'll come up with 500 and my buddy will come up with 1200.

Well, practice makes perfect, can't wait till we dive again!

Michael

 

[UnderSeaBumbleBee]

I recently gut kicked a guy and I have to tell you I thought it was hysterical! I was working out in the pool with my mask fins and snorkel doing laps and slowed up a bit to look at a bee in the water. I get bored doing laps and thought I would pause to look at it. It was a busy day, so we were sharing lanes. I start to swim again and give a big kick to get going. Well this guy is on my side of the lane and just about the time I kick, he swims up behind me is on top on my fin. I was floating on top of the water with my legs hanging a bit in the water. Since I got him squre in the gut, I know he was trying to swim right over me and didn't have a clue of who was swiming around him even though he has asked me if I would share my lane with him. I did tell him I was sorry and then snorkeled off snickering a bit. I figure if people can't pay attention in clear water, I need to be much more aware of others not paying attention to me in OW with various degress of vis.

 

[jpsexton]

It wasn't me, was it Tammy? Personally, in low viz, I don't mind bunching up a bit. Tammy and I lost our 3 dive buddies once. They were there one second, we both spent some more time looking at the "wreck" and when we both looked up they were "gone"! We were both happy that at least the other was there!

I think it was probably me, Tammy and I collided a few times that day. When you are trying to keep a group together in poor vis it's bound to happen. I don't see it as a big deal really. Thats how we all got seperated that day, when we tried to spread out for more room the vis was too bad to stay together. We still had a good day though, I just chalked it up as a learning experience.

 

[del_mo]

It gets worse when night diving with a few new divers.

And add some cameras......billiards, anyone?

 

[MikeFerrara]

Wolves travel in packs, birds in flocks and cattle in herds. Divers will have much better luck if they travel in teams of two or three. If there is more than one team in a "group" the teams can still allow some space between because every one is still with their team and able to complete the dive without the rest of the pack, herd or flock. Traveling side by side and at the same depth seems about the best in most situations and single file works well when following lines and communicating with lights. If divers are above or below you it's harder to keep track of them anyway. It sounds like you're diving with too many people in a team and they aren't positioned very well.

In bad vis when we are closer we might bump elbows once in a while but that's about it.