Panicked diver

[Darnold9999]

Having recently learned that DM's are merely guides to get divers to the site, why would the entire dive be ended because one diver got panicked? Why would the DM even accompany the panicked diver to the surface rather than have her ascend with her buddy, or even had her ascend solo? She let herself get panicked, that's not the DM's problem is it? If diving is a solo sport, why do we even need a DM? Still learning, I am a certified but inexperienced diver with only about 70 dives under my belt, and working hard on making myself a safer diver. Just still a little confused about the role of a DM.
Why would there be rules that DM must accompany dives if the DM's are there only to get you to the dive site?

First every dive location is different, and every dive operation is different.

The base liine is that every diver should be responsible for their own safety, and their own dive. Do not rely on the DM.

They have anywhere from 100 dives to many thousands of dives. Putting your dive in their hands is not a good idea, they may or may not be competent to rescue you, and they really have no idea of your capabilities. Far better to rely on you own abilities and training. You must engage your own brain to evaluate the conditions, your abilities and make your own decision if it is safe for YOU to dive. However, you would be a fool not to include the DM's opinion in this calculation, particularly when you are diving a site you have never been to before. I would be cautions about letting a DM talk you into a dive you were not comfortable with, but I always listen to what they have to say - particularly about conditions.

The DM is normally there to guide the dive, i.e. to show you where the cool things are. Relying on them to do anything beyond that task is not good planning. It does not mean that they won't provide many services beyond that, but relying on it is not a good idea. You might be surprised at how low the bar is to qualify as a DM.

Some locations require a DM to be in the water with divers. Without a guide you are not allowed to dive. I gather Cosumel is one of those places. If the guide gets out of the water then you get out of the water.

Having said all of this there are lots of guides (DM's) that have many thousands of dives sheparding vacation divers that are barely competent around the reefs. These guides have a significant amount of experience in making sure that you will get back from your dive safely having rescued many a diver. These DM's quickly learn how to shephard sheep around the reefs and how to make sure they arrive back at the boat having had a good time. Losing one is bad for business.

To that end in the particular curcumstances you had a panicked diver. Every diver in the group at that point is going to want to make sure that that diver gets to the surface safely. I personally would be hovering just beyond the DM making sure that they didn't need any additional assistance all the way to the surface. Panic kills, so letting them surface on their own or with a single buddy of unknown skill is not a choice I would make, and I am not a DM. Yes they are responsible for their own dive, but that does not mean that any diver would abandon them to their own devices.

Once they got to the surface and on the boat, I would then turn around and continue the dive with or without the DM.

I would suspect that, given your profile, you have pretty much always dived with operations that cater to vacation divers (someone that dives a couple times a year on vacation and not otherwise). These operations tend to provide DM's that ride herd over the group, as well as provide a guide to point out cool stuff. Once you get beyond the vacation diver dive, you will find that the DM is more of a guide and less of a caretaker. The really good guides are the ones that let me do my dive, but show me all the things that I don't see on my own.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

I agree that a diver is responsible for their own dive and should not unduly rely on the DM.

It needs to be said that all DM's and DM roles are not equal. Some areas the DM shows you kewl stuff. Some people hire a DM for a personal guide/ caretaker. Some DM's are hugely experienced assisting new divers on courses and conducting dives. Some areas a DM helps on the boat, gives the brief and that is it.

It is important to find out exactly what role the DM has on the operation you are diving with. In Queensland there are specific rules and regs on this. All part of the pretrip investigation. You need to know what the expectations are regarding how you may be required or not be required to interact with the DM.

 

[bada3003]

Great report and good points. I think there may be lessons to be learned by both divers and DMs beyond the self-reliance aspect. I remember reading several incidence reports, some resulting in fatality, where a diver in a group/buddy team signals he/she is terminating the dive (not necessarily panicked, but due to some form of discomfort or distress), the group/buddy team ok's and continues their dive while the potentially distressed diver returns. And then later on the diver is found in dire straits, missing, or sometimes dead.

I understand the rationale and temptation for doing so (at a Bonne Terre Mine dive a few months back we had two buddy pairs bobbling up and down, and were glad that two of the three staff divers were there to escort the four divers back with the lead diver continuing the dive) but I wonder if the DM's decision to terminate the group's dive isn't the right protocol, disgruntled customers (I'd be one of them) be damned. Although it's an entirely different setting, the golden rule of cave diving is that any diver can call a dive at any time for any reason. Maybe group/team buddy diving in open water should follow a similar rule.

I agree that a diver is responsible for their own dive and should not unduly rely on the DM.

It needs to be said that all DM's and DM roles are not equal. Some areas the DM shows you kewl stuff. Some people hire a DM for a personal guide/ caretaker. Some DM's are hugely experienced assisting new divers on courses and conducting dives. Some areas a DM helps on the boat, gives the brief and that is it.

It is important to find out exactly what role the DM has on the operation you are diving with. In Queensland there are specific rules and regs on this. All part of the pretrip investigation. You need to know what the expectations are regarding how you may be required or not be required to interact with the DM.