Split from: Cozumel Incident - Fake C Cards?

[David_57]

They actually looked at your cards; not just had you fill out paperwork?

Yes Ocean Divers in Key Largo checked my C-card and log book to see how many deep dives (recreationally speaking) I had done in the last year then had me fill out paper work, and I now here in Canada on the more advanced dives the dive ops like to see your log book.

I can honestly say every op I have dove with in the Carribean, Mexico, North America and Europe has always asked for my C-Card.

Oh and by the way I am 53 with 300 plus dives also dive with back plate, wing and a canister light connected to the backplate which tends to be equated with a Tech Diver, so I guess my experience has been they dont give a dam about fancy equipment or age nor should they.

 

[fnfalman]

OK, If I owned the dive op and I knew someone's card was fake, the only thing they would get from me is their money back. Now, that is self policing isn't it?

If I were to own a dive op, I'd make them sign a waiver of liability and let them go at it. That's also self-policing. Policing after myself to make sure that I'm covered from idiots.

 

[DandyDon]

Yes Ocean Divers in Key Largo checked my C-card and log book to see how many deep dives (recreationally speaking) I had done in the last year then had me fill out paper work, and I now here in Canada on the more advanced dives the dive ops like to see your log book.

I can honestly say every op I have dove with in the Carribean, Mexico, North America and Europe has always asked for my C-Card.

Oh and by the way I am 53 with 300 plus dives also dive with back plate, wing and a canister light connected to the backplate which tends to be equated with a Tech Diver, so I guess my experience has been they dont give a dam about fancy equipment or age nor should they.

I don't know? I haven't dived with them in a long time so my experiences with that Op aren't current. Maybe you hit some of the others on diligent days and I hit some on off days? Thanks

 

[Belmont]

Diving is now regulated by the government here in Québec. This came after many divers certed in the south while on vacation died in our waters. Many had issues when diving in cold low viz conditions compounded with heavy thermal insulation.

Now to dive in Québec an agency card is not enough, you need the FQAS card. It should be required by any charter or LDS.

Government inspectors have begun doing the rounds of popular dive sites like Morrisson Quarry or Les Escoumins. They checked for the FQAS card but did not issue any fines yet.

For my part I got my first c-card in Jamaica but continued diving in Ontario in low viz and cold waters. I'm not interested in paying $125 for the gov. card. I have over 200 dives now and my highest cert is introductory cave. I guess this came about after a major coroner's inquest in a rash of diving deaths in the 90's. Good intentions for sure but I resent Big Brother's involvement in our lives.

 

[Oside Jimc]

Maybe it's just me, but I can't recall a dive op that hasn't asked to see my C-Card, either in Mexico or elsewhere.

Same here---maybe he dives with fake dive shops....

LOL, just reporting the news, real shops, active on the board, but things in PDC do seem a "little" loose at times.

 

[David_57]

Diving is now regulated by the government here in Québec. This came after many divers certed in the south while on vacation died in our waters. Many had issues when diving in cold low viz conditions compounded with heavy thermal insulation.

Now to dive in Québec an agency card is not enough, you need the FQAS card. It should be required by any charter or LDS.

Government inspectors have begun doing the rounds of popular dive sites like Morrisson Quarry or Les Escoumins. They checked for the FQAS card but did not issue any fines yet.

For my part I got my first c-card in Jamaica but continued diving in Ontario in low viz and cold waters. I'm not interested in paying $125 for the gov. card. I have over 200 dives now and my highest cert is introductory cave. I guess this came about after a major coroner's inquest in a rash of diving deaths in the 90's. Good intentions for sure but I resent Big Brother's involvement in our lives.

Yes I have a FQAS card what a joke that is a perfect example of why big brother should not get involved, now thats one card I have never been asked to show when diving in Quebec!!

One other thing that pisses me off is thier site is only in French, I guess its beyond the FQAS's comprehension there are English speaking divers in Quebec and other countries who may want to dive in La Belle Province!

 

[knotical]

thier site is only in French,

I was about to say you are wrong, and that I've seen their English page. But now when I go to their French page http://www.fqas.qc.ca/ and click on "English", it sends me right back to the French page. Perhaps a website glitch. I'd send them an email, but my French sux.

 

[GrandpaScuba]

Some of you may not remember being asked for a c-card, just because it wasn't that memorable. Most resorts that I've been to ask you to flash a c-card as you are signing the original waiver for the week. The event goes by so fast, you may just not remember.

 

[Waterskier1]

How does one "Police" something when there are no laws prohibiting it? To my knowledge, there are no laws, as in statutes, regulations, or codes in the USA that govern the requirement to have a "Scuba Card" or to have taken any specific "Scuba Course".

There are such "laws" regarding where and how you can participate in the sport (like where you dive, flags/floats required, etc.), but none address the requirement for a PADI or any other agency "Certification".

Most LDS's, Dive Ops, Charters, etc., request the "Cert card" for their or their insurance companies attempt at mitigating liability.

I don't see anyone going to jail for simply diving without a C-card. I'm not advocating anyone doing it, just haven't seen any "Law" against it nor any "penalty" for doing so.

Note: The above is for USA, I'm not sure of all the laws in all areas in the rest of the world.

 

[dmoore19]

How does one "Police" something when there are no laws prohibiting it? To my knowledge, there are no laws, as in statutes, regulations, or codes in the USA that govern the requirement to have a "Scuba Card" or to have taken any specific "Scuba Course".

There are such "laws" regarding where and how you can participate in the sport (like where you dive, flags/floats required, etc.), but none address the requirement for a PADI or any other agency "Certification".

Most LDS's, Dive Ops, Charters, etc., request the "Cert card" for their or their insurance companies attempt at mitigating liability.

I don't see anyone going to jail for simply diving without a C-card. I'm not advocating anyone doing it, just haven't seen any "Law" against it nor any "penalty" for doing so.

Note: The above is for USA, I'm not sure of all the laws in all areas in the rest of the world.

To the best of my knowledge there are no laws that make it a criminal offense to scuba without a certification. I don't think we want there to be any either. That is why "self policing" is an important part of the industry, at least try to keep the untrained person from aquiring the things necessary for diving. And at all cost, keep the government from regulating the sport.