Was it the Right thing to do?

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thanks Jim. Should I have gotten right back on the boat when my buddy and the DM descended before I noticed? Not disagreeing just looking for more info. I could have also ascended on my own when I noticed the depth gauge wasn't working I guess. Would you have done the second dive if you thumbed the first dive?

I never felt unsafe as I was surrounded by people the entire time and could have reached out and grabbed someone and asked for their octo at any point. I did rely on the DM for no deco time and that's why I probably should have ascended on my own once I found out the computer wasn't working. However, he did give me one from his arm that was working that had no deco time on it. I didn't rely on it much but it was there.

Thanks again.
As a new diver, sho I'm assuming is not solo trained or equipped, the dive was over when they left you. Bad gauge? Dive is over. DM lent you a computer? Nope. It knows what he did. Not what you did previously.
I'd do the second dive after chewing my buddy's butt and letting them know how selfish and irresponsible they were. So was the DM for that matter.
You could have reached out and grabbed anybody's octo? Would they be ready for that? Would they know that was a possibility? Would they freak out when they were mugged for air? Would they even have enough to share?
That is not a plan. That's a possible creation of a serious accident.
I tell my students to NEVER allow the DM to have the only plan or to follow them blindly. You have your own plan in case the DM does something stupid. Like this one did.
 
I tell my students to NEVER allow the DM to have the only plan or to follow them blindly. You have your own plan in case the DM does something stupid. Like this one did.

Yessss... this.

Unfortunately, it's perfectly normal for divers, especially new divers, to assume the DM knows what they're doing. I've found that to be a pretty shaky assumption in the Caribbean. Some places in the Caribbean, like Cozumel, tend to have dive guides that have years of experience guiding dives every day at the same sites. Other places tend to attract newly minted DMs, who might have little relevant experience, that are just traveling the world and hopping from island to island to have fun while seeing the world.

I make a habit of observing my guides (just as they should be observing their divers) from the moment we meet, so I know well before we get in the water where they fall on the spectrum.
 
I'd do the second dive after chewing my buddy's butt and letting them know how selfish and irresponsible they were. So was the DM for that matter.

Not in the situation described by the OP, though. Responsibility for the failure in this situation belongs 100% on the crew. It sounds like there was no dive briefing and insta-buddies were "assigned" at the last second. If I read the story right...

Guide told everyone to follow him.

Guide then assigned "insta-buddies" right before the dive.

Then guide splashed...


You are now the female insta-buddy... what do you do? You've been told to follow the guide, and that you're this other diver's buddy. Sounds like she chose to make following the guide a priority. If the guide is going to assign buddies, the guide then should shoulder the responsibility of establishing expectations and ensuring that the divers understand them. Seems like the guide in this situation completely failed.

Chewing out the insta-buddy would be a bad idea, as your role in the situation is that of a tourist and not an instructor (although I know, it's hard to leave that "instructor" role at home.) Proper response would be to complain to the guide and require them to take responsibility.

Ultimately, divers need to understand that guides frequently shirk their responsibility to their guests... and get away with it. But if divers are prepared for this, they will be in a better position to take more responsibility for their own dive, and they will better recognize the good operations from the not-so-good, to be in a better position to provide appropriate feedback... which should help the industry overall.
 
I would have planned the dive and dived the plan with the insta buddy on the surface interval. If the buddy was not interested in being a buddy at that time, I would have spoken to the DM and made another arrangement. If you are a bit of an air hog or have slow ears or whatever you need to tell the guide before you get in the water. You are a certified diver and especially nowadays when logbooks are a thing of the past that is all they know about you unless you tell. When I am with a group I try to be one of the first in the water. I have a slow ear, tell them in advance and usually start down. That also gives me a chance to get comfy and check my gauges before we are all powering off at the bottom of the line. That is a tough time to tell a guide with a group that you have an issue.
 
Would you recommend diving one computer, coming up for your surface interval and changing to a new computer for your second dive?

I thought you were supposed to keep your backup computer dry until your primary locks you out.
 
I thought you were supposed to keep your backup computer dry until your primary locks you out.
I always dive with 2 computers. One dies and the other has all your dive profiles etc. Otherwise you are typically done for the day.
 
I think you missed what was a sarcastic response to my facetious hypothetical.
Couldn't hear the snark in your text....

Modern day challanges
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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