Unfriendliness at Rockport

[FreeFloat]

Who would you rather come to your establisment 3 divers who would have a bowl of soup and coffee or 40 tour bus passengers that would eat a full lunch.

This whole situation is down right ridiculous. Last weekend I ate at the restaurant and paid my $10. There was about 15-20 patrons in the restaurant the whole time I was there, ALL DIVERS. To me it seems kind of dumb to ban your only business.

And I personally can think of quite a few divers who like to lnch there.

By the way Under_Michael and I had made it perfectly clear that we were with a group of divers (we didn't say there were the four of us) who all intended to have lunch there following the dive. The impression I got was that we (as customers) would be grudgingly tolerated, but not overly welcome.

 

[knives]

And I personally can think of quite a few divers who like to lnch there.

By the way Under_Michael and I had made it perfectly clear that we were with a group of divers (we didn't say there were the four of us) who all intended to have lunch there following the dive. The impression I got was that we (as customers) would be grudgingly tolerated, but not overly welcome.

I got that feeling too. I think he would rather have some quiet old folks in having wine and a long lunch in their sunday clothes and not a group of well you know "divers" in there taking up all his tables....

 

[DrownedRat]

I like the CCRA idea They would make short work of him lol.
On another note to Snuggle.. How is it having your CAR stolen is the same as a SIGN you don't own??? Some crayon drawn ten year old sign vs a 10000-50000+ vehicle? Please, I'm sure you're smarter than that.

 

[Limestone Diver]

I have to agree with Tom R-- Every spring the politics of Rockport get in the way of diving. I have been diving rockport since 1993- back then the warf was Federal roperty. The main Jetty is now owned by Eric and his family- it is also their only parking area. Tourism is the big business in Rockport- if divers expect to get the same treatment as the bus tours do --someone needs to negotiate a deal with the owners of the parking lot, jetty and boat ramp. It is has been my observation that most divers just assume they can use a dock or beach. While most do this without much fanfare and commotion-- that is not always the case.
Most shore dive access areas are used by a multitude of people-- but for some reason it is usually the divers that get in trouble. Just as in Rockport- we in Kingston have the same problem every spring when the dive season opens up. The difference is that for most shore access areas in Kingston someone has come forward from the dive community and represented "divers" in formal talks with the land owners. This results in a list of rules- and access for divers. If you obey the rules then everyone is happy-- the rules also lay out what divers expect as far as access and facilities go.

So if you want to dive in Rockport-- then ellect someone to represent you and talk to Eric and his family. I have done this for myself and my own divers-- but we dive during the week and usually have our breakfast or lunch before diving at his restaurant. We have also collected garbage- cleaned up the broken glass- and collected all of the Condom-Caths that are laying in the bushes. (You can't blame that garbage on the locals)

Cliff

 

[JamesP]

So if you want to dive in Rockport-- then ellect someone to represent you and talk to Eric and his family. I have done this for myself and my own divers-- but we dive during the week and usually have our breakfast or lunch before diving at his restaurant. We have also collected garbage- cleaned up the broken glass- and collected all of the Condom-Caths that are laying in the bushes. (You can't blame that garbage on the locals)

Cliff

I have to agree with Cliff and Tom on this one, regardless of how you feel about your treatment by Eric. If you want to dive the area you need to represent yourselves in a positive light. The folks at Rockport believe that divers stole the sign. It does not really matter if this is the case or not. It is what they believe. You would all be far better served to raise the money as a group of concerned individuals and have the sign replaced. At a dollar each there would be more than enough to do this and possibly make a plague with a dedication to Rockport for allowing divers there.

I have been diving out of Rockport for a number of years and I have seen every kind of upset created by divers. Like it or not you are guests and unwelcome guests are simply asked to leave.

Things I have seen:
1. Divers using Eric’s parking lot and not first going into the office on first arrival. If you use the parking lot, common sense dictates that you obey the clearly posted signs and check in before you start unloading gear and making dive plans.
2. Every single yoyo that decides to either surface swim out or back to the Kinghorn. This happens every Easter weekend. The cruise boats have to either shutdown or steer off to avoid running the divers down.
3. Every single yoyo that decides to do the trip to the Kinghorn underwater but then pops up without warning into the boat traffic and main shipping lane in and out of the dock.
4. As Tom has mentioned divers that think they are doing Eric a favour by taking up space in his restaurant for 1 to 3 hours and spending a whole $10.00 to boot. At these numbers there is no benefit to your business. Eric’s is simply offering you a service for little or no return. Even at 50 divers a day Eric would be better served closing the doors. Eric is doing you a favour in opening the doors in the off season.

You are guests in Rockport, obey the rules and respect the people and the property of the community. If not you will lose more access to the river.

It is their rules and their community, either obey them or loss access to yet another dive site.

Personally I will continue to patronize the restaurant. I appreciate the service, the food and the people.

 

[amobeus]

What this all come down to is that its private property and if your not welcomed stay clear, don't expect every one to apreciate the sport of diving.

Amobeus

 

[Over The Egde]

I am on the side of Cliff, Tom and James. You are all guests in Rockport and as such you should all be on your best behaviour. Remember you represent not just a small group but a whole community. We have had problems with shore diving in Rockport for years and have always been able to resolve any problems that have arised. You are all very fortunate that Eric has allowed you to use his property. I have even seen Art pretty pissed of at divers during the summer.
For those of you considering using the boat ramp against the posted signs and not using a dive float and flag, please keep in mind this is a very busy ramp come spring. Even as charter operators we have to be diplomats with all the local business owners and residents. Unfortunately we even get stereo typed with the few bad apples in the dive community.
The best thing you can do is let this whole thing go. Pay your fee and eat somewhere else if you so desire.

 

[JJ1]

IMHO I will not pay to be a guest at a location I feel unwelcome.

Just because 1 person (that may or may not have anything to do with the group I associate with) does something bad - doesn't mean I should be branded. I didn't try to run over the guy.

Sounds to me like he's styling his restraunt (& neighborhood) on 1940 Alabama........soon enough they'll make us sit in the back of the restraunt, use our own bathrooms and toss us in jail for walking out of line.

 

[gatorboy]

Quote - "4. As Tom has mentioned divers that think they are doing Eric a favour by taking up space in his restaurant for 1 to 3 hours and spending a whole $10.00 to boot. At these numbers there is no benefit to your business. Eric’s is simply offering you a service for little or no return. Even at 50 divers a day Eric would be better served closing the doors. Eric is doing you a favour in opening the doors in the off season."

I'm going to have to disagree with you on this one James. Here's my example. A boat tourist spends $8 to $20 on food. Tourist can be cheap too. Half of that is the actual cost of the food not including what it costs to prepare and serve the food. A diver goes down there and spends $10 to dive. That's free and clear, pure profit. He doesn't do any maintenance to the dock or shovel it. At least not when we dove there 3 times this winter. If he treated divers a litltle better we wouldn't mind spending money in the restaurant. It would seem too me that during the off season when there are no tourists, the divers are paying his bills. Just my thoughts

Jody

 

[knives]

IMHO I will not pay to be a guest at a location I feel unwelcome.

Just because 1 person (that may or may not have anything to do with the group I associate with) does something bad - doesn't mean I should be branded. I didn't try to run over the guy.

Sounds to me like he's styling his restraunt (& neighborhood) on 1940 Alabama........soon enough they'll make us sit in the back of the restraunt, use our own bathrooms and toss us in jail for walking out of line.

yes I agree with you JJ1 and Gatorboy...but it is his place and he can make his rules...and I can choose to go elsewhere .
Overthe edge...I am a paying customer at Rockport just like any other public place ...and of course always on my best behavior...a guest , no I would not put it that way ...