According to Padi IDC Australia, the back escort should maintain a position a few meters higher than the group. It can thus widen its visual field, easily embracing the entire group (if visibility permits). It is also in a good position to intervene if a diver loses control of his trim and moves, knowingly or not, towards the surface.
This is a fairly common situation in the case of the first dives of a course, but not too rare even in the case of those who did not dive for long enough periods or who have recently changed equipment. To conclude with a rapid and effective intervention a situation that could evolve negatively it is important that the companion knows the equipment of the divers well and has therefore carefully observed it before going down into the water.
If in front of the group there is a guide of recognized ability, all tend more easily to follow her, taking care not to be left alone to find the way back; the group then proceeds in a fairly compact manner. On the other hand, putting the uninitiated to drive the dive, in order to better control them by looking at them from behind, turns the situation upside down. Advanced, inexperienced couples do not care where they are going, trusting the instructor’s abilities behind their backs as shown by Padi IDC Australia.
The choices that are made may not be the most appropriate and the escort may not have time to go up the group to change the decision or, if he succeeded, he would risk spending the entire dive chasing this or that diver. The result is a more fragmented group with the instructor often busy correcting the course and calling back those who are away.
It should also not be forgotten that if divers can tend to follow a guide with recognized abilities, it would be more difficult to follow those who consider them equal or even inferior in capacity as a classmate. And this would end up further increasing the multiplicity of individual choices that lead to the dismemberment of the group.
Which of the two positions should the instructor hire (understood as a more experienced carer) depends on several factors. These include his preparation and that of the other companion, level of preparation of the divers to accompany, knowledge of the dive group, sea conditions and bottom risks.
It is first of all necessary to evaluate the objective abilities of the other carer in relation to the type of dive you want to tackle. If you dive in 20 meters of water with an optimal visibility on a bottom without treacherous deep falls.
