Protocol when diving in group

[brnt999]

I recently took a course in Thailand and got my open water certification. I have since twice gone on day excursions--2 dives each day. The first day I was with 3 divers (including the dive master) who were all very experienced. I used up my air before the other divers. When my air ran low the dive master gave me his reserve regulator and I used his air while the other divers continued their dive. They all gave me the impression (including the dive master)it would have been inconvenient to end their dive early. The second day I was with 2 other divers -including the dive master-who were very experienced. I told the dive master about my first experience and he gave me a watch/computer so when I ran low I could complete my 3 minutes at 5 meters and surface on my own. The boat was anchored to a buoy and he swam me over to the buoy rope and made sure I was ok before he left me. I was comfortable with this. Sunday I am flying to Cozmel to do some more diving. At this stage there is nothing much I can do about the fact I use my air faster than most. Is there a specific protocall when in a group of divers one person uses their air up? Is everyone supposed to surface? I would feel uncomfortable if I made everyone in the group end their dive early.

 

[Osric]

I believe every dive op does this differently. I always choose my operator before arriving at a destination and ask in advance the things I'm concerned about and I'd suggest you email one or two operators in Coz to see what they tell you.

The practice I've seen most frequently followed is to have one DM surface with the diver who is out of air first.

You can decrease the likelihood of being the first out of air by diving above everyone else. Especially on deeper dives this will make an enormous difference to your air consumption while not necessarily affecting your enjoyment of the dive.

Osric

 

[mala]

ask for a larger tank from the operator .
on the before dive briefing agree a plan of action in the case you are low on air first.

and have fun

 

[RJP]

Cozumel will be, most likely, drift diving where the current moves you along. You will probably us less air than previous dives due to less activity. Of course, others will as well. Because you will be drifting along, the DM won't be able to put you "on the mooring line" and send you up. You will most likely all surface together, or the DM might pair you up with another diver to send you up as a pair. Do not feel bad about others needing to end their dive because you are low on air. That's the way things go. Anyone who gives you grief about it is a jerk.As As mentioned above, discuss the plan to end the dives BEFORE getting in the water, so everyone knows the plan.

While I have never seen you dive, as a new diver I would bet the main reason you are going through so much air is because you are moving too much - and faster - than the other, more experienced divers. Are you kicking constantly? Are you flutter-kicking? Are you darting from here to there? Are you swimming with your hands? Do you find yourself kicking to go up a little? Kicking to go down a little? Are you horizontal in the water, or do you swim at a 30-45deg angle? All of this will cause you to burn through WAY more gas than folks who are horizontal, have efficient kicks, and move slowly.

Here my "sure fired" list of how to reduce air consumption.

- Slow down
- Get your weighting dialed in properly
- Slow down
- Learn and use efficient propulsion techniques, like the frog kick
- Slow down some more
- Stop using your hands and arms
- Slow down even more
- Adopt a horizontal trim in the water
- Slow down some more. You're still going too fast!

Of course some of your air consumption woes are based on being a new/inexperienced/apprehensive diver. That's natural: we've all been there. The best cure for that is to immerse yourself in water as often as possible!

:d

Enjoy Cozumel.

 

[divewench1]

When I first started guiding certified divers, it used to be ME that used the most air and called the dive, how embarrassing is that? Then I learned to relax, slow down, stop trying to shepherd people and chill out underwater. Larger tanks and Yoga breathing helped too, until I got the air consumption thing sussed.

 

[ntmainstrm]

brnt999
When I was in Cozumel the Aldora DM's used long hose regs and always offered them to whomever ran low first.

 

[idive2]

I have had only one visit to cozumel and was quite surprised to see how casually this is done. A guide sharing his or
her air has less air if a real emergency arises. There are other options which would include assigning yourself a buddy
or two that you have agreed with to stick together while still trying to stay with the group. Making sure at least one diver
in that sub group has the ability to deploy an smb if your sub group should need to come up early. You will not be able to
change the habits of a guide who believes every dive should be so many minutes and is making decisions based on the group.
When you get even close to becoming low on air it's time to end your dive. It's up to you to determine if you are ready to do this
safely based on your skills hopefully but at a minimum a skill of someone in your sub group.

 

[shmuggy]

As you get more dives done, your air consumption should improve. But it is important to research the dive operation you are thinking of using- some insist everyone dive as a group and others want buddy pairs. To me, buddy pairs is best- if you don't have one- they will usually pair you with someone, often the DM, and then you need to talk to them about their skill level and the other what-ifs. In Cozumel the boat drivers look for your bubbles as you come up and they are used to some divers running out of air before the others and coming up before the others are done. When you are doing your safety stop, they can easily see you down there and wait for you. But in any case, do not let any concerns for other divers put you in a situation where you endanger yourself.

 

[DivemasterDennis]

I can share the protocols I use. If a diver has demonstrated basic skills and competence on a dive and is low on air when diving with a group, I will "circle the group" back toward the boat and point the low on air diver to the mooring, and watch him/her ascend to safety stop and do it while others dive in the area. If I am there to do this, I may or may not send up the buddy, though it is most often the case that buddies stick together throughout the dive, including early ascent due to rapid air depletion. If other divers are well experienced ( and I will have had a conversation before the dive with each diver or buddy pair) and I observe them to be safe independent divers during the dive, I may ascend the low on air diver(s) and have the others continue the dive in the vicinity of the mooring line. The group here is all divers diving with me as DM. There may be others who asked and I agreed could dive their own profile. The dive comfort/competence level of the group dictates the manner of the response to a low on air diver. It is a frequent circumstance with which dive leaders have to deal, and it is dealt with by acting in a manner that considers the safety of all divers with the desire of each to enjoy the dive as much/as long as possible within the limits of the planned profile.
DivemasterDennis

 

[wedivebc]

When I was in Cozumel one of our group ran low on air so I deployed a SMB and waited below while the diver got picked up by the boat. The diver then deflated the SMB at the surface and I recovered it below and I rejoined the group and carried on with the dive. This process had been discussed prior to the dive and everyone in the group was aware what was going on.
Good pre dive planning can go along way to making a trouble free dive.