increasing surface interval before dive computer considers the dive terminated and then starts a new dive

Is there a way to increase the surface interval time before the descent decides your dive has ended and starts a new dive log. I come to the surface for a minute and then go back down (usually to get a compass bearing due to bad visibility in the water) and the dive computer considers this as a second dive, I would like to keep it all a single dive, so want the surface time increased from 20 seconds to a minute or two!! Can't find anything in the manual on this. Hate having so many dives logged, when it should only be considered as 1 or 2 dives (not 8, due to 7 surface intervals!!).  Thanks Gary