Unfriendliness at Rockport

[FreeFloat]

artw, JimC, Under_Michael and I went for a dive at Rockport today. We were in good dompany - we saw many other divers there including a few we knew from elsewhere. JimC and artw travelled together and were going to do their own dive, while Under_Michael and I travelled together and were going to dive our own dive with a different profile.

However, uncharacteristically of me, since I didn't pass through Tim Horton's on the way to the dive site as per normal, I had two problems upon arriving on site - I hadn't filled my hot water bins with Wetsuit Warmin' Water, and I, um, needed the facilities as well. So naturally I went into the Boathouse restaurant to fulfill both those needs.

Under_Michael and I received a much less than warm welcome. First we went around to the restaurant's back door and found to our suprise that the door to the washrooms was locked. So, we went around to the front. When we entered the waitresses gave us odd looks so we asked one of them if we could use the bathrooms. She promptly referred us to the manager, who was engaged in a long phone call. After being ignored for a few minutes, we gave up and headed back out into the parking lot.

However I still had my main two problems to solve. So after waiting a few more minutes I headed back in alone and waited patiently until the manager was off the phone. He came over to see what I wanted and I asked to use the bathroom and to have my water bins filled with warm water. He asked why (about the bins) and I told him that since I was a wetsuit diver, having warm water down my suit was my only thermal protection. That was when he gave me the cold shoulder and said in essence that he didn't give divers the time of day. I was a little shocked at this sudden cold reception and asked why.

Well evidently the night previous, according to him, at about 11 pm, he saw divers trying to remove the sign prohibiting diving off the boat launch ramp. He went out to confront them and was "nearly run over by them" [in their vehicles]. As a result, divers were no longer welcome around his establishment.

Despite assurances from me that no diver I knew would ever attempt any such thing, the Boathouse owner remained adamant that "all divers are the same" and therefore he and his establishment would no longer be catering to divers' needs. (I suspect that he will still collect the $10 they charge to jump off the dock however.)

Anyway, I went out and told my buddies and Under_Michael went in to try his hand at diplomacy. He was gone quite a few minutes but when he returned, although he thought he had made some headway in his discussions with the owner, the owner remained adamant that all divers were the same and therefore no longer welcome around the Boathouse. U_M tried to reason with him since a lot of divers we know, following their dives, provide quite a bit of business for the Boathouse by having lunch there between and after dives, but this didn't seem to impress the owner and he said he really didn't care [if we divers took our business elsewhere].

So I believe my buddies and I intend to boycott the Boathouse restaurant at Rockport.

There was however a good ending to this story. I was able to fill my water bins (and use the bathroom) at the little Olco service station immediately East of Rockport along the 1000 Islands Parkway. Not only were they very friendly but we all went there for lunch after our dives and the food was quick, hot, HOMEMADE and served in a friendly fashion. Not to mention cheap! So we know where we're going from now on when we have post-dive munchies.

 

[d33ps1x]

I knew your water bottles were going to get you in trouble some day.

 

[FreeFloat]

It wasn't my water bottles - as a matter of fact we told a couple of other divers on-site about our bad experience and they shrugged and said that sounded about right. Apparently that's not the first time the Boathouse owners have expressed a lack of tolerance towards divers.

 

[barb]

You're quite right to boycott the restaurant if they treat you poorly!
They are definitely NOT diver-friendly possibly due to some bad experience that has left a lasting impression.
Although it is their right to refuse service or use of their facilities, their unfriendly attitude will take away business in the end.
I'll have to check out the place you went to!

I hope your experience did'nt spoil your dive.

 

[Groundhog246]

Well evidently the night previous, according to him, at about 11 pm, he saw divers trying to remove the sign prohibiting diving off the boat launch ramp. He went out to confront them and was "nearly run over by them" [in their vehicles]. As a result, divers were no longer welcome around his establishment.

Since the "proper" thing for him to have done would be call the police, not go confront the "divers". And unless they were wearing or carrying gear at the time, who's to say they were even divers. University or College students looking for signs for decorations are just as likely. It got so bad around here, that both local universities will suspend any student found with a traffic sign in their room (dorms). If they buy a used one somehwere, they better have the paperwork to back it up and prove it's not stolen.

Ditto on the boycott.

 

[gatorboy]

A couple of us from the St.Catherines area go up there all of the time and quite frankly the guy makes a fortune from divers. He was rude to a group of us in the late fall, about 8 of us. We had gotten there and we were just going over some plans and he came out and wanted us to pay him immediatley. None of us were in the water or even ready to get in. It's not like we could "dine and dash", our vehicles weren't going anywhere. We were all planning on getting food and warming up after the dive, in the restaurant, which we told him, but his policy is to be paid upon arival. We ended up going for food in the restaurant after the dive because we were going to talk to a couple of the other local divers that were already in there. Honestly, the food isn't that great, it's expensive, and one of the waitresses forgot to bring one of the orders out so one guy watched the rest of us eat while he got nothing for 25 minutes. Now we just go into Kingston on the way home for food. Kelsey's has better service better food and better looking waitresses!!LOL
For me, I'll just swim to wall, I refuse to pay his $10 a person. $20 a carload would be more than reasonable. That's more expensive than parking in Toronto!!!!! I'll avoid his restaraunt at all possibilities. There is a public restroom in the parking lot beside him. Problem solved. Hell, I'd almost rather pay Wayne Green for a charter to the wall, he's polite, works for his money and gives you cookies on his boat!!
Just my 3 cents

Jody

 

[artw]

I agree with Gator Boy. lets use the ramp. or go in by the cruise ship/ You can't even shoredive rockport anywhere anyway during the summer (boat traffic) so when we can we'll just use the boat ramp in the off season.
what gets me is the people give you a hard time about using the boat ramp to dive. well when there is 100 feet of ice going out from the boatramp it's hard to launch a boat.

 

[Groundhog246]

Who own and maintains the boat ramp?

 

[Kevin R]

I responded to this on our store list as well.

As with every other Sunday this winter, we dove in Rockport today and one of our group discussed the incident with the Boathouse owner. Apparently someone removed the "No SCUBA Diving From Boatramp" sign a few evenings ago and while the act was in progress the restaurant owner confronted the culprit. The individual apparently attempted to run over the restaurateur (according to him) while fleeing the scene, hence his disparagement with divers. We have been informed that the Boathouse owners will be meeting with Rockport town council and will be attempting to have diving in Rockport banned unless it is from their dock, where you will have to pay $10 to "park". In 3 years of winter diving in Rockport every weekend, we have not heard of a problem until now.

I would like to point out that the ladders at the Boathouse restaurant are inadequate for exiting with a full set of gear on, unless the water is very high. It is my belief that there will be an injury from this in the future, if there hasn't been one already. I would also like to mention that none of the boaters, or diners are asked to pay $10 to "park". In the future, if you choose to pay your $10 you should mention up front that since they are charging you for this privilege, they are responsible to provide safe exit and entrance points, so we as divers, if forced to dive from the dock, should expect to see a proper exit system put in place. You may also want to point out that you will hold them accountable if any member of your group is injured through thier negligence. If any HSA divers are out there, perhaps you should ask where your wheelchair accessible entrance and exit is at. I believe they are required to provide that as well since they are charging a fee and wouldn't want to discriminate.

Personally I'm glad I am getting my scooter next month so I can "launch my boat" from the boatramp.

 

[snuggle]

well im sorry that you were treated that way and i can relate but at the same time its the owners right to do what he chooses as well..if thats the way he is ..oh well.. hes not going to change because us divers want him to.i dont blame you for boycotting him either ..thats your choice..im sure he wont care though because hes already shown that he doesnt care about divers period.but it goes both ways as well..i have seen divers who are exremely rude to others and that they think they know it all as well and if they dont get what they want theey are worse....all kinds of people in this world i guess..and groundhog how do you know it wasnt divers?it could have been or maybe not we dont know we werent there..remember though its his property and he can do what he wants..he or anyone else dont have to cater to us thats the bottom line..we just will have to find somewhere else to dive and not be around those kind of people i guess..im sure tht there are those that will reply ..well we spend money there so they should accomadate us ..well it doesnt work that way by the way that he treats divers..im sure that he doesnt give a hoot what you think..