Reasonable to limit bottom time to 45 min?

[aceupmysleeve777]

Like others have said it's not uncommon to have pre set time limits. It is uncommon to not know about the dive time limit, it should have been part of the dive briefing. Take this and learn from it. Now the first thing I bet you'll ask when booking will be about any dive time limits.

 

[nimoh]

Yeah, that's certainly a good idea, but you guys are all better than me, because it's not a question I routinely ask. It's not a problem I encounter very often, either. The last time was on Little Cayman Island, which sucked because I couldn't change dive operators mid-vacation. I have never encountered it in Asia.

I generally choose dive operators who cater to experienced divers, based on reviews here and in Undercurrent. That usually prevents a lot of problems like this one, which are more likely to crop up with dive operators who cater to new or occasional divers.

I was by no means trying to be condescending, I learned this lesson the same way you are learning it now.

 

[eelnoraa]

So did the guide call the dive at 45min? then started to ascent, safety stop ... If so, you have total bottom time of 45 minutes, which isn't really too bad. Yeah, it could have been longer, but not unreasonable.

 

[Johan Broere]

So, do what I did. Retire, buy a boat and dive all you want. See ya down there. Johan in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

 

[bigduke12]

What was your response to that?

Well, I thought it a little strange. But as I said, I am responsible for myself, and ensure I have all the necessary equipment.

I did however keep it in the back of my mind to keep an eye on them just out of habit. I kept below them.

I have dived with relative beginners before, and while I am not the most experienced diver in the world, I will keep an eye on them. I have always surfed, so I am comfortable in the water.

---------- Post Merged at 09:09 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 09:02 AM ----------

although I think 45 minutes is low, I would be more irritated at myself for not checking that out ahead of time.

However, if this restriction were implemented on the dive boat rather than operator policy, that changes things.

In this case it was their boat.

---------- Post Merged at 09:13 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 09:02 AM ----------

I would be too. Sixty minutes is a more normal limit for that sort of diving, and 50 minutes is the worst explicit time limit I have seen imposed. What was the dive operator's name, if you don't mind (in PM if you prefer)? I want to avoid them.

I would rather not, simply because I now realize the homework I should have done beforehand. Therefore I am partly to blame. Hope you understand.

Next time I will ask about limits before I book a trip.

---------- Post Merged at 09:14 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 09:02 AM ----------

So, do what I did. Retire, buy a boat and dive all you want. See ya down there. Johan in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

Well, if I ever decide to come to Mexico, I know who to call.

---------- Post Merged at 09:15 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 09:02 AM ----------

So did the guide call the dive at 45min? then started to ascent, safety stop ... If so, you have total bottom time of 45 minutes, which isn't really too bad. Yeah, it could have been longer, but not unreasonable.

Just double checked my computer. The total time, including safety stop was 45 min.

 

[vladimir]

I was by no means trying to be condescending.

Nor was I being sarcastic...for a change. I took it at face value.

I will not be asking the question in the future. To me it would be like calling ahead to make sure my hotel provides towels. If a dive operator limits my dives to 45 minutes, I will make the best of it, enjoy my abbreviated dives, never return to that dive operator again, and make sure I post the information here (which the dive operator should have no objection to).

---------- Post Merged at 09:59 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 09:46 AM ----------

I would rather not, simply because I now realize the homework I should have done beforehand. Therefore I am partly to blame. Hope you understand.

I don't understand, but I don't mind. If a dive operator has such a policy he should be happy to have it made it explicit to potential customers here. Presumably he is as interested as his customers in preventing disappointment.

 

[bigduke12]

Nor was I being sarcastic...for a change. I took it at face value.

I will not be asking the question in the future. To me it would be like calling ahead to make sure my hotel provides towels. If a dive operator limits my dives to 45 minutes, I will make the best of it, enjoy my abbreviated dives, never return to that dive operator again, and make sure I post the information here (which the dive operator should have no objection to).

---------- Post Merged at 09:59 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 09:46 AM ----------

I don't understand, but I don't mind. If a dive operator has such a policy he should be happy to have it made it explicit to potential customers here. Presumably he is as interested as his customers in preventing disappointment.

I tell you what. If you decide to go to Borneo, PM me the outfit you are planning to go with and I will give you a yes or no.

 

[tracydr]

Well, as I said it was my first such dive trip. All my other dives were local shore or boat dives.

I know the areas, and we usually have a simple plan, such as dive down to around 30m until one of us reaches 100 bar. Then slowly make our way up to the top of the reef, swim around at around 15m until we hit 50 bar, and then up a 5m safety stop. The boat captain usually gives us an hour.

Possibly, as this was my first such trip, my expectations may have been a little high.

Only the divemaster and I had computers or any type of timing device. The others did not even have watches. So basically, we had to make sure they were above us at all times.

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But surely if you are diving at a totally unfamiliar sight, you can not really plan your own dives?

Most of the input has to come from the divemaster who is experienced at the dive sites.

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I don't plan on filing a complaint. I think in future I will ask all the questions I think relevant, upfront prior to booking the trip.

I'm just doing my DM course now but I've been on quite a few trips. Most more advanced trips even require all divers to have computers, especially livaboards.
If I had divers without even bottom timers in my group, I would dive very conservatively, just as this DM did. Not having a timer or computer would indicate divers of lacking in experience, plus they have no way to plan a dive.
I would have done exactly as this DM did.
In the future, you might try to get in with more advanced groups if you want better dive trips.

 

[Pauly854]

Personally, I think this is a prime example of what makes this board great. The OP was originally pissed off about what he thought was an unfair practice, that limited his dive time...but through asking about it, he learns that it is a common practice, and gets examples of WHY it was actually a safety concern. He seems to now understand that it was due to his inexperience with dive charters, and now knows the questions to ask in the future. Excellent.

FWIW, I have only been on one dive charter, and was also surprised when they implemented a time limit. It was no issue to me, since I slurp a tank down in no time...but I felt bad for some of the others. I asked some of the other divers about it, and received a lot of the some information mentioned here. But I must agree that this sort of information should have been covered in the pre-dive briefing. I admit that I would have been a tad annoyed to be thumbed at 45 minutes if I had plenty of air and NDL left, if not forewarned.

 

[Quero]

When you say Borneo, is it fair to assume you mean the Sipadan area or nearby? I can say that I recently did some diving in the Sipadan area of Borneo, and the operator I used also wanted to limit dives to 45 minutes. I simply asked for longer dives, suggesting a one-hour bottom time, and even then I was coming up from every dive with 70-80 bar. They weren't thrilled with this, but I was successful in getting longer dives. They'd say "we always just do 45-minute dives." So in some ways it's simply a matter of being what they're used to doing rather than a rational strategy for any particular reason. It's true as well that the Sipadan area is very, very far from any decent medical facilities, and even further from a recompression chamber, so simply diving to limits of any sort--your NDL, your air, etc., isn't a great idea because, after all, **** happens.

I think that rather than just getting pissed off, it would have been reasonable to simply ask for a longer bottom time, negotiate a reasonable extension (I thought 15 minutes more wasn't too terribly long to ask others to wait on the boat for me), and show your appreciation for the kindness with sincere thanks and a nice tip at the end of your stay.