Are there idiots on every dive boat?

[tee_jay]

When I was doing my OWC dives we went out to a place where there was a wreck just next to a reef. Those of us who were doing the class were going to go around the reef and do some skills, while the other divers who already had their certifications were going to dive the wreck and then maybe head over to the reef after. The DM was briefing the group that were going to do the wreck, it went something like this...

Instructor Ok, so has everyone dived a wreck before?

Everybody nods yes except for one guy

Instructor [talking to the guy who hadn't]: Are you wreck certified?

Idiot: I'm OWC

Instructor: But are you wreck certified?

Idiot: I've been diving before.

Instructor: That's not the issue, I need to know if you are qualified to go wreck diving

Idiot: I've gone diving in heaps of places over the world

I missed what happened next, however he was eventually allowed to do the dive [under the careful supervision of the DM!]. But that's not the end of the story!
The guy finally got ready, stepped off the back of the boat and proceeded to lose his weightbelt! He had forgotten to tighten it...so it went shooting straight to the bottom.
Now I am still a novice diver without much experience, but I know enough to realise that guy was a tool...not just because he didn't know what he was doing [everyone can always learn more], but because he acted as though he knew everything, and on the boat he had to comment on everything as though he was an expert. Even overheard the captain uttering a few choice words about him.

 

[TheRedHead]

I don't think unskilled = idiot.

I've witnessed idiotic harrassment of wildlife (pull a nurseshark's tail), seen divers bolt up the anchor line to the hanging deco bottle before running out of air and other actions which may qualify as idiotic.

The most idiotic thing I witnessed was a rather large guy who got into his ratty shorty and split the zipper. He then took it off and stuck the zipper back together only to have it part again. He did this 4 or 5 times until the DM gave him a spare wetsuit in an XL which he tugged and pulled to no avail. He then got stuck in that wetsuit and needed assistance in removing it. It was all I could do to keep from laughing out loud.

 

[namabiru]

But then there's the people like me who are newbies, and who are really conscious about *not* being stupid on a dive, so we're overly cautious and look like grannies in the water with our swimming probably just a smidgen too far above a reef so we don't hit it, and irritate people with our questioning when we're not 100% sure if we've set up right, or a "if I tuck my octopus like this, will this be all right do you think?", or a "I could probably run my gauges through the arm hole in my BCD so I'm streamlined better yeah?"...

Is being cautious and learning from other divers in this manner also constitute idiocy?

 

[Divmstr223]

But then there's the people like me who are newbies, and who are really conscious about *not* being stupid on a dive, so we're overly cautious and look like grannies in the water with our swimming probably just a smidgen too far above a reef so we don't hit it, and irritate people with our questioning when we're not 100% sure if we've set up right, or a "if I tuck my octopus like this, will this be all right do you think?", or a "I could probably run my gauges through the arm hole in my BCD so I'm streamlined better yeah?"...

Is being cautious and learning from other divers in this manner also constitute idiocy?

All new divers have many questions.....very experienced divers have many questions. Being cautious and asking questions is a good thing. Not being cautious and assuming you know everything is a recipe for disaster.

I'm 100% happy to answer any questions if I can be of help out there at a dive site. If you feel you irritate people in the way you described above...there is most likely something wrong with them (patience/attitude) and not you...:14:

 

[TSandM]

I guess we've been really lucky. We've had novice divers, most of whom have been earnest and done the best they could (and one of them, for a while, was me). We've had people with indifferent skills, and sometimes I've wished people wouldn't silt stuff out, but there's never been anybody whose behavior endangered himself, let alone anyone else. The closest was a photographer on this last trip who dove with a pony bottle and was willing to run his backgas and pony a lot further down than I would . . . but he never actually ran OUT of air, and the dive guides were used to him.

We've also been lucky enough to have boats like our Mike Severns trip, where we were the least experienced divers on the boat, and diving with the group was a sheer pleasure.

No, not every boat has an idiot on it.

 

[diverdown247]

Sheesh!! Can I change my vote? I want to conform and be like the masses.

Diving out of a small operation here in Mo, I honestly run into idiots from time to time. Heck, I've even been one when I haven't slept. Granted, there will always be those who we would classify as idiots out there, but they aren't going to be on every boat.

Heck, that would make me think they are reproducing. Wait....they are!!

 

[stevetim]

So - is an idiot one who has poor buoyancy?

What makes an idiot?


---
Ken

Opinion. That's what makes idiots. It's kind of like "experienced" divers. Subjective matter.

I wonder if everyone realizes that there are just "idiots" in the world, and some of them happen to dive.

 

[IceIce]

Idiot, oversmart (or so he thinks) works the same.

 

[isurus]

The worst idiots to have on boats are those with personality issues and who are insensitive to others when you're on a liveaboard only because theres no escape.

My buddy and I were on a trip to Brothers in Egypt (a liveaboard where if you can't dive there's nothing to do or even look at but the sea) when he had problems with his ears and missed 2 1/2 days diving. Clearly he's gutted about missing the dives on a venue he's been keen to dive for years and this isn't helped by boat-idiot walking up after every dive and saying "you shoulda been down there; it was amazing! we saw [insert graphic marine life description here], didn't you say you'd always wanted to see hammerheads? dozens down there!" and so on. If looks could kill.

 

[JCDdiver]

I disagree.
Perhaps someone who does a scissor kick instead of something non-silting such as a frog kick?
*dons protective armor*

Its just funny to see an AOW whos feet are just going around in circles as they go up and down like an elevator.

Also--I don't believe there are idiots on every dive boat. You can usually charter an entire boat to a certain group of people. If I do that, and there are 8 of us on the boat, I'll guarantee that none of them are idiots.

I like that idea. I'd probably learn a few things as well.