What makes a GOOD dive OP to you?

[vondo]

I don't really care about food, but drinks are nice.

Don't like to feel rushed to get back on the boat in 60 minutes so the charter and can get back for the next trip out, but it's not common to find a charter in the US that doesn't make 2 runs per day.

An operator who rents HP 100s gets extra brownie points.

Would prefer a longer SI at a beach instead of geting increasingly queasy on a boat. Again, uncommon in the US.

I guess I'm easy to please.

This is something I've been wondering about. Would an operator in the U.S. (Florida, let's say) be able to make money by providing a full day of diving with 3-4 dives at different sites, nice long surface intervals, snacks, lunch, and no trip back to the dock to pick up more divers?

I'm guessing I'm not alone in enjoying the "foreign" dive experience much more than the Ft. Lauderdale/Keys experience.

I'm on vacation, but I feel rushed and not relaxed. Whereas on the foreign ops I've been with it's more like a day activity which includes diving. And sitting in the sun talking with DMs and other divers can be enjoyable too.

I have nothing to add to what makes a good op; it's all been covered I think.

 

[TheRedHead]

I'm guessing I'm not alone in enjoying the "foreign" dive experience much more than the Ft. Lauderdale/Keys experience.

I don't know, but I would dive a lot more often in Florida if I could get an experience similar to Cozumel. I would certainly pay more for it too. When I can travel to Cozumel for the same price as Florida, it's a very easy decision to go to Cozumel.

 

[BKP]

I'll add that Florida's operators are the worst I've seen about having proceedures to eliminate leaving someone behind. I was left behind while diving in Ft. Lauderdale. Hollywood to be exact. Head counts don't work. Amazing as it may seem, I've yet to dive from a boat where a roll-call is taken.

Don... I'm *very* curious... what happened here, and what was the offshoot?

(Based on the existence of your recent postings, I'm assuming it had a quasi-happy ending...)

 

[pir8]

come on you cant be serious, stop being so lazy. kit up yourself. if you dont you may not pick up a problem and that is the height of lazyness. I do how ever agree with the point, the staff should change out the tank for the second dive. I also like most of the other points and O2 kit is a must.

Honestly, I don't want someone else setting up or changing my tank out. Its my kit and I don't want anyone else responsible for it cause I'm the one diving it.

 

[HowardE]

Amazing as it may seem, I've yet to dive from a boat where a roll-call is taken.

That is amazing, because I've yet to be on a Florida dive boat that doesn't take a roll call.

Let me say - for the record that I have dived in other places - other than Florida, and taken dive boats there. I've never had the horrible experiences (like some here describe) when I've been on "cattle" boats. But I've also never been at the mercy of having to dive with other less skilled divers, or stay in a tour group. I usually try to keep my own agenda, thus a dive op that lets me dive my dive is important to me, and sometimes, it so happens that they have 20 people on board which would make it a "cattle" boat.

 

[Hank49]

I haven't dived a "cattle boat" but once (one trip) in the last 8 years or so, but it was nice. I like being last in the water because it's a really beautiful sight seeing 15 streams of bubbles coming up from 60 feet or so in 120 foot vis. Multi colored wetsuits, tanks, blue water....Honestly, it was a nice change.

 

[ScubaSista]

A good op for me:
Has enthusiastic personnel who take the time to make themselves familiar with the divers they have that day and offer individualized service. Flexible crew who will set my gear up if I want but not yours if you don't want. By the way, I know how to set my gear up and do it on a regular basis. But when I'm paying for a trip, this is an area of customer service I'm happy to let the staff offer. Yes, my gear is still my responsibility and I do check over what they've done, but it's nice to let someone else do the work in what are frequently close quarters. Again with the staff: those working for a good op can not only find and point out critters but later tell me a bit about them too. I like to learn when I go on a dive trip. And I like someone who is an expert in their area to point out unique and rare sea life that I may not find on my own.

Bad op: Again, I think the crew makes or breaks it. The crew who hangs out in the front of the boat chatting amongst themselves and ignoring their customers...what did they want to be tipped for again? Helping me on and off the boat? I don't think so. The guys who act like they've seen and done it all and seem bored with the whole diving thing? Get a new job!

 

[Walt1957]

I'll add that Florida's operators are the worst I've seen about having proceedures to eliminate leaving someone behind. I was left behind while diving in Ft. Lauderdale. Hollywood to be exact. Head counts don't work. Amazing as it may seem, I've yet to dive from a boat where a roll-call is taken.

We have used Ocean Divers out of Key Largo, not that far from Ft. Lauderdale, several times and liked them, and they do a roll call not head count. I liked that much better than a head count of people that are walking around the boat.

 

[Walt1957]

I usually try to keep my own agenda, thus a dive op that lets me dive my dive is important to me, and sometimes, it so happens that they have 20 people on board which would make it a "cattle" boat.

I disagree. If they let you do your own thing it is not what I would consider a "cattle" boat. I think of the ones that take 20 people and put a DM out front, tell you that everybody must stay with the group, and then have another DM or two behind to make sure you don't stray.

 

[SCUBAJENNIFER]

We have used Ocean Divers out of Key Largo, not that far from Ft. Lauderdale, several times and liked them, and they do a roll call not head count. I liked that much better than a head count of people that are walking around the boat.

Ocean Divers is definitely a cattle boat. I went out with them on the 4th of July weekend. And if you would have asked me after the first dive if I would ever dive with them again, I would have said no.There were WAY too many people on that boat. But as it happens I took a very nasty fall getting up for my second dive, I tore up my knee and banged my head. I don't even remember them taking my gear off and putting me back on the bench. They took such good care of me, constantly switching out my ice pack, packing up all my gear, loading it in my car. They even called later on in the day to check on me. It makes a difference in my mind that they really went out of their way to help me.