To the Discourteous Instructor at Casino Point Sat 08/29

[Teamcasa]

This is not the first time.

You really need to quit diving Casino Point before it gives you an aneurism dude.

The Casino Dive Park is Bill's back yard. Many of us that dive there routinely know the rules and 99% of the time they are adhered to but once in a while, someone shows up and either does not know the rules (forgivable) or deliberately ignores them (not-easily forgiven).

I've stood in a long line waiting to enter and bobbed around for several minutes waiting my turn to exit. If I had been bobbing around for 10 minutes waiting to get out and a class suddenly appeared forcing a further delay, I would not be happy either.

But, like I said, this is like Bill's back yard and he does and should have the expectation that at the very least, the pros would know and follow the rules.

 

[Rick Inman]

C'mon Rick -- SOME of us try very hard to be unobtrusive at Alki -- although it IS hard at times. We even try to stay away from Cove 2 because that is where the "best" diving is to be found.

Oh sorry, I forgot to mention, NONE of the instructors on ScubaBoard would do such a thing...

 

[drbill]

Thanks, Dave. I can easily avoid the crowds or the few inconsiderate ones like this guy by simply diving mid-week, but I do enjoy the 99% of divers there that are great people.

The occasional instructor who is new to the site and doesn't know the rules is given a pass when they make such mistakes. I'm pushing for clearer posting of the rules (in a friendly, welcoming way) so we have something to point to to clarify the situation.

The thing that really irritated me about this bozo was that I'm sure he knew the rules, yet disregarded them. He went right for the proper side of the stairs for his class to enter and then I heard him (or possibly his DM or co-instructor) comment that it was too crowded so let's go down this way. Willful disregard is not tolerated by me... being unaware is.

I remember one DM telling me a few years ago that she couldn't believe I would stand in line and wait so patiently for an OW class to enter. Why not? I'm nothing special. In fact if anything I have an added burden to set good examples in the park.

 

[letterboy]

a speargun through the guys leg would have taught him a lesson

 

[Skunky]

I was there Saturday doing my NAV certification. (Don't know if you noticed the floating bottles with heading markers on them, over by the swim platform) I too noticed the blatant disregard for entry/exit points at the park. During my NAV course I had to let someone know in "sign language" (*cough* middle *cough* finger *cough*) to not touch the bottles (it even said on the tag on the bottles "do not remove").

I did do a "I wonder if Bill is here" for a moment when we arrived but went about my business since we got a late start.

 

[Mo2vation]

Leave it to the non-locals to drop in with "not-the-first-time" or "spear gun" blasts.

I will often go down the left (up) side. You bet. In summer, I'm in a dry suit, schlepping a huge camera rig and a scooter. No way I'm waiting for 15 empty-handed students and instructors in wetsuits on the down side. If the line is long, I dip under the rail and go in on the up-side. I'm going in before I faint in the heat.

That said, I will never impede inbound traffic. Never. Its unsafe, as most exits require timing and strength to grab the rail. If some loser is standing at the base of the up-side when people are coming in, someone can get hurt.

And its not just people going down the up-side - its goobers taking off their fins at the bottom of the up-side stairs. Get out, walk up half way (or more) and take off your fins there. Don't take off your fins at the base of the stairs. Do that and you're no better than the idiot instructor impeding inbound traffic.

Get in, get up, get out of the way.

Last weekend Jaye and I were there for 3 days. Pretty intense surge - people lingering at the base of the up-side stairs in the water were getting pinballed off the hand rail. Finally Tom Wetzel bellowed from afar, "walk up the stairs to take your fins off" to some crowd of yahoos blocking traffic.

It was glorious.

Thanks Bill for the reminder. Keep calling 'em like you see 'em.

Plastic dog can go back to his pretty Quarry diving in West TN.

---
Ken

 

[drbill]

Ken, you're so busted. Teach you to wear one of those over heating drysuits... you need a good ventilated wetsuit like my old M&B!

Yep, had the usual ones standing on the lower stair as I waited patiently to get out. I nicely called out "Please clear the lower stairs" since there was a line of divers waiting to exit. The response from one "I'm waiting for my buddy" who appeared to be quite a distance away (hmmm).

Skunky, my son and I saw several of your NAV course markers. Read the sign on the first one before I moved it about 150 yards (just teasing).

Summer is almost over and with it the biggest problem at the dive park... the groups of snorkelers who just haven't got a clue about blocking the stairs or the fairway. Of course I tolerate the ones in the thong bikinis.

 

[Ken Kurtis]

I will often go down the left (up) side. You bet. In summer, I'm in a dry suit, schlepping a huge camera rig and a scooter. No way I'm waiting for 15 empty-handed students and instructors in wetsuits on the down side. If the line is long, I dip under the rail and go in on the up-side.

Back in the Dark Ages, when I first started taking students to the Avalon Underwater Park . . . THERE WERE NO STAIRS!!!!!!

How on earth was it even POSSIBLE to get ANY diver in the water - let alone students - without . . . STAIRS???????

Amazingly, we discovered this very useful entry point called . . . ROCKS!!! And you know the best part about this??? THE ROCKS ARE STILL THERE!!!!!

If the line is long/slow/whatever, what is the world is wrong with doing a nice wash-off to go out and wash-on to come in. (You can even do it with a camera - I certainly have.)

The point of this is that ever since the stairs went in, everyone - especially newer instructors - seems focused on the idea that that's the ONLY place you can possibly make an entry. It's not.

There are at least three other rocky entry areas to the left of the stairs and more to the right. Advantage of using these?
(1) You don't wait in line
(2) You don't get in people's way
(3) You don't violate local protocol
(4) You don't set a bad example
(5) You don't overheat waiting to get in.

The next time you're in Avalon - even if there's not a line - GIVE THE ROCKS A TRY!!!! In fact, I'll tell you right now that I'll be over there on Sunday, September 20, starting at about 11AM and will be happy to show you how to do it if you don't know how. As you face the water, I'll be to the left of the stairs, set up on the ocean side of the seawall. Come find me and I'll show you a new trick.

As the saying goes: What's old is new again.

- Ken

 

[AbyssalPlains]

Have never been to Casino Point, but reading this, I couldn't help but wonder what the point is in typing lengthy complaints on ScubaBoard and commiserating in company rather than simply speaking up at the scene?

 

[DwayneJ]

Have never been to Casino Point, but reading this, I couldn't help but wonder what the point is in typing lengthy complaints on ScubaBoard and commiserating in company rather than simply speaking up at the scene?

Because this is the socal forum and Dr is speaking his mind to friends. Many of us bump into each other at the various local dive spots. There is the remote possibility the offending individual may also be lurking here and may learn something.