PSA for those doing vacation Guided Boat Dives

[MuddyRubberDuck]

Usually what gives is money.

Time is money, if they don't put a time limit, there is a potential for some divers to stay down for several hours. I'm starting to hear of charter with 40 minute limits, that bites. I always considered that less than 1 hour was a rip off, but I have never worked on the recreational side of diving, maybe is justified.

This. Usually they have another set of customers waiting at the dock because they are trying to make as much money as they can. I hardly ever use charters, but when I do, there are no time limits. That's why I like Hypnautical in WPB Capt. John drops you and picks you up and never limits your dive. (<---- shameless plug for a great captain)

 

[CuNanoTube]

I recently had my first experience with group diving, and found that I do not like it either, but for a different reason as most. We did not have a DM guided dive, but were a group with one flag on a drift dive. The reason that I did not care for it is cutting BT for all because of air suckers. In this instance, my son and I were the air suckers. I would surface with approx 500psi more than my son, and everyone else with about 500 more than me. In a perfect world, my son and I could have surfaced, and everyone else continue the dive. There were no issues with anyone else on the dives, they all surfaced and there was not a single complaint. But this did not change the fact that I felt bad about us cutting their dive short.

My father and I are the opposite way. He is in better shape than me, and I am taller, but I tend to use about 500psi less. Though the diving we do is purely buddy based. He also dives in a dry suit, which is probably a contributing factor.

 

[DTm]

... On a few of the dives, they imposed a time limit. They never really explained why they were restricting time. But how often does this happen on charters? What would some typical reasons be for a time limit. ...

I think the answers given to this so far are all spot on. I am surprised that NDL's has not been given.. If both dives are going to be rather deep, splitting the time between both sites gives more time on the second one.

However honestly it is a schedule thing more often than not. To me I think it is more irritating waiting dock side for the charter than having the dive cut short.
That goes for both the morning and afternoon charter. The morning one really irritates me - I mean really get the boat setup the night before or get there enough ahead of the divers so that all you’re doing when they arrive is greeting them.. The afternoon one I am a little more tolerant of, maybe they had divers that had longer dives; maybe current, wind, etc. effect the schedule; Maybe, it was one of those days that nothing worked as planned. Anyway - a bit off subject and a tirade - sorry

 

[mainedvr]

I have had a situation not to long ago where my wife and I were on a dive trip and we hired a guide for the first day to learn the dive ops set up, give us some back up as we had not done many deep dives at that time, and well just to show us around the wreck.

The problem for us was they paired us up with another pair (suppose to be only us two but they were busy as we were told after) when we hit the wreck my wife did stop to take a picture (we shouldve be a bit more aware also) and next thing you know the other two were a decent distance from us the guide was in the middle and I had hit my first third of air so it was time to head back to the anchor line. I relayed that to the guide who then signaled us to stay put while he went and got the others. By the time he returned I was down to 1000 psi at 115' and about a third of the way down the wreck from the assent line. Anyhow, I relayed this to my guide and he took control and signaled to another off duty guide who came over and assisted (mostly just incase). Anyhow to make a long story short I made my accent got to the safety stop with about 400 psi and was sucking on the hang reg, with like three other people there just incase and to assure me all was well.

I do not blame those two we were with we stopped for a picutre and probably lingered to long or at least longer than we should've for the dive but again we were not aware of this reason we hired a guide. The guide did what he thought was right and if he had not showed when he did I was going to head back to the line and basically do as they had (they told us in the pre dive briefing about the hang regs)

So to those that just disregarded the guide not knowing the whole situation first hand I would say your lucky they let you dive the second dive. And for those dive guides that do their job the best they can one thing sticks in my head. Though an operator or guide cares about your safety, your safety is in your control and if you give up that control by taking on a guide just go with the flow or go solo.

Sorry for the ramble sounds like you did what your job entailed but its almost impossible to make adults do what you want if they dont want to do it.

 

[flots am]

The problem for us was they paired us up with another pair (suppose to be only us two but they were busy as we were told after) when we hit the wreck my wife did stop to take a picture (we shouldve be a bit more aware also)

You are allowed to stop and take pictures. If others want to go flying off into the sunset, that's really not your problem.

and next thing you know the other two were a decent distance from us the guide was in the middle and I had hit my first third of air so it was time to head back to the anchor line. I relayed that to the guide who then signaled us to stay put while he went and got the others. By the time he returned I was down to 1000 psi at 115'

This is exactly the stuff I'm talking about. The guide has no business telling anybody to "stay put" at 115'. You need to be planning, diving and executing your own dive because nobody can do it for you, no matter what superpowers they claim or imply.

Anyhow to make a long story short I made my accent got to the safety stop with about 400 psi and was sucking on the hang reg, with like three other people there just incase and to assure me all was well.

This entire scenario should have been an embarrassment for everybody involved.

What should have happened is that you should have known how to end your own dive and turned your dive when you reached your turn pressure and been back on the boat within your planned "end of dive" pressure & time. The DM had no business telling you to do anything. And in fact, his recommended action got you back on the boat almost out of air. Extra time at that depth could easily have remove the "almost" from the situation or gotten you bent.

So to those that just disregarded the guide not knowing the whole situation first hand I would say your lucky they let you dive the second dive. And for those dive guides that do their job the best they can one thing sticks in my head. Though an operator or guide cares about your safety, your safety is in your control and if you give up that control by taking on a guide just go with the flow or go solo.

I can tell you in no uncertain terms that no DM in the world values my safety more than me, and I would never let a DM or anybody else tell me to hang out @ 115' when I had already reached my turn pressure.

flots.

 

[Sat Diver]

Usually what gives is money.

Time is money, if they don't put a time limit, there is a potential for some divers to stay down for several hours. I'm starting to hear of charter with 40 minute limits, that bites. I always considered that less than 1 hour was a rip off, but I have never worked on the recreational side of diving, maybe is justified.

I have never worked on the recreational side of diving either, but when I step into that world, I follow their rules.

 

[Ana]

I have never worked on the recreational side of diving either, but when I step into that world, I follow their rules.

For me it is a bit different, my brain stays engaged even when I step in the recreational world, or any world for that matter.

First of all have the tendency to only follow the rules I agreed in advance and even then. If the "rule" can be twisted in any way... look a couple of post above yours.. a DM telling someone to stay put at 115feet... in cases like that I don't care how many rules I agreed to follow, but that's just not going to happen.

 

[redacted]

I have never worked on the recreational side of diving either, but when I step into that world, I follow their rules.

&#8220;Rules are for the obedience of fools and the guidance of wise men.&#8221; (and women)

 

[TSandM]

I'm not going to follow anybody's rules if they negatively impact my safety, as in the offered story. But if they don't, I either follow them or discuss it BEFORE getting in the water. I think it's just downright rude to listen to the rules, get in the water and do whatever you like.

 

[mainedvr]

Flots,

And that is what I learned from this situation. After the dive I told my wife that this would never be a situation we got into again. Thankfully nothing terrible happened and we definitly learned from it. Next time my buddy and I are following our dive plan regardless if someone else is with or not. The shop we do our instruction with (typically) said the same thing as you, you your buddy regardless of guide or no guide need to execute your dive plan "plan your dive dive your plan" regardless.

Thanks for the response

You are allowed to stop and take pictures. If others want to go flying off into the sunset, that's really not your problem.



This is exactly the stuff I'm talking about. The guide has no business telling anybody to "stay put" at 115'. You need to be planning, diving and executing your own dive because nobody can do it for you, no matter what superpowers they claim or imply.




This entire scenario should have been an embarrassment for everybody involved.

What should have happened is that you should have known how to end your own dive and turned your dive when you reached your turn pressure and been back on the boat within your planned "end of dive" pressure & time. The DM had no business telling you to do anything. And in fact, his recommended action got you back on the boat almost out of air. Extra time at that depth could easily have remove the "almost" from the situation or gotten you bent.



I can tell you in no uncertain terms that no DM in the world values my safety more than me, and I would never let a DM or anybody else tell me to hang out @ 115' when I had already reached my turn pressure.

flots.