Dive Operator Requirement to Demo Mask Clearing?

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jpdunc

Contributor
Messages
112
Reaction score
3
Location
Fruitland Park, FL
# of dives
500 - 999
Typically, my wife and I find cruise trips to include not more that two ports with dive excursions.

We have booked a mid-March cruise with Norwegian out of Miami that has 4! They are:

George Town, Grand Caymen
Roatan, Bay Island, Honduras
Belieze City, Belieze and
Cozumel, Mexico

Seems like a great package.

One of the dive excursion descriptions in Roatan states that "All divers are required to demonstrate clearing a fully flooded mask before participation."

We both have our PADI Advanced Open Water Certification and about 55 logged dives and can easily do this, but this is the first time I have seen such a requirement.

Have others experienced similar requirements?

Also, any comments on Roatan and Belieze City will be appreciated. We have dived George Town and Cozumel before.

Thanks in advance.
 
Seen that requirement and others. Small Hope Bay Lodge on Andros requires partial flood, full flood, mask R & R, regulator R & R for all divers.

Certification level is not always proof of competance.

WW
 
We are taking that same cruise next week. We depart on Saturday Feb. 8th. I saw that same requirement and thought that is all they want to see if I am competent in doing? But, I then realized alot of new or very inexperienced divers have had alot of trouble getting passed that mask clearing. As a matter of fact it was the hardest part of my OW cert for me.

I have 100 logged dives and I am SSI Master Diver certified. But it is good to keep those skills tested and in check.

I am diving only in Grand Caymen and Coz on this cruise. Going to do the Old River excursion in Belize and the Catamaran, snorkle and beach day in Roatan.

I am so ready to go, can't wait. I have been planning this trip for months. I am ready for some warm weather and some time in the water.
 
seaangel once bubbled...
But, I then realized alot of new or very inexperienced divers have had alot of trouble getting passed that mask clearing.

In my 10 years of teaching I never saw a student who could successfully clear their mask and was then unable to complete another skill. If folks can't dive, the mask clear will show it.

WW
 
It is probably a good idea to have a check out dive, and offer help to someone who could end up in trouble later. But having said that, the check out dive at Coco View Roatan was awfull. A few of the dive personal did a shore dive with about 30 guests. The bottom got so kicked up, vis was about 2' and the instructers could not tell what was going on. The groups all got separated, buddys got separated. A couple of people panicked and went back in. We were supposed to swim across the channel, but by this point you could not see enough to follow anyone, well enough a group of 30 people. My wife and I went off by ourselves, and had a nice dive exploring the wreck. No one missed us.
I would not recommend going out with that many people. One instructor and a few people might be fun and even constructive.
Someone referred to their first dive there as a group ****

Enjoy your trip,
Mike
 
The one time we have been to Anthony's Key resort on Roatan Island, Honduras, we had to demo all open water scuba skills, and I'm a Course Director! Certification doesn't matter. They want to see if the divers are competent to be in the water. I am surprised there is not more of that happening across the Caribbean.
We have started requiring a pool session for Advanced Open Water classes before going to the lake. We run into divers, that have been certified elsewhere, who can't even assemble their scuba equipment.
 
If anyone dives with UNEXSO on Freeport - Grand Bahama, you'll find yourself in front of a pool before boarding their boats. The pool is very warm, and it also has a huge glass window in it from which the DM can signal you to take off your mask and then clear it while at the bottom of the pool. This eliminates those that might panick, and helps you think about what to do next. I didn't like to do this but I understand it's significance. This incident will also make you feel more confident with all those who you are diving with.

Dive Safe,
Caymaniac:wink:
 
Hi, gang!

I have been following this thread and I am beginning to think a demonstration of one's ability to clear his/her mask before being "allowed" to dive is a good idea. I have had a few dives screwed up by divers that were short on the required skills and this would probably help reduce that kind of event.

I agree, that clearing one's mask (fully flooded) is probably a good indicator of rudimentary skill level.

Scorpionfish
 
caymaniac once bubbled...
If anyone dives with UNEXSO on Freeport - Grand Bahama, you'll find yourself in front of a pool before boarding their boats. The pool is very warm, and it also has a huge glass window in it from which the DM can signal you to take off your mask and then clear it while at the bottom of the pool.

UNEXSO stopped doing the "pool check" a few years ago. Although it did weed out those with poor skills, their position for stopping was that if they approved divers qualified to dive they took on additional responsibility.
 
You are probably right it's been a few years since I've dove with them. I know that the pool dives increased anxiety amonst a few divers, but on the other hand it was a good thing. I wonder if the DMs are sorry?:rolleyes:
Caymaniac
 
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