Random (but targeted) thoughts

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wtcreaux

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Debated on where to post these. After thinking about it, I thought "Basic Scuba Discussion" would be most appropriate and educational.

Yesterday, we dove in T&C (I am leaving the operator un-named as they handled as best I could see and do NOT think them as part of the problem)

Observations:

1) we saw several folks walking on the boat with shoes on AFTER the employees asked everyone to put their shoes in the dock bucket (this seemed to set the stage......of NOT listening to directions)

2) there were 2 women talking rather loudly (chatting) while the crew attempted to give a boat briefing (I had to ask the women to quieten down so I could hear)

3) At the dock, the captain repeatedly talked about monitoring one's air and computer for NDLs (this was added from last year, leading me to think that it is becoming a problem).

4) At the dive site, multiple people walked by and dunked their masks with defog solution in the fresh-water camera tank.

5) At the first dive site, several folks asked others "Is my air on??"

6) After a dive, a diver went to dunk his weightbelt in the camera tank and I told him "please don't" (OK, rather sharply as there were expensive cameras in the tank, and yes, the captain had stated at the dock that it was for cameras ONLY). He seemed offended and replied he wasn't going to drop them.

7) After the first dive, the captain repeated the need to monitor air and computers (I didn't overhear specifics).

8) Before the second dive, a woman asked if she could use a computer "I think I would like to use one." The captain asked if her's had a problem (from the first dive). She replied, "my husband had one"

9) After the second dive, one women was upset that the divemaster had made her "sit at 30 feet forever". When the captain, checked her computer, he commented that she had entered "deco" The woman's attitude was cavalier and commented "I guess I need to pay closer attention" but her tone was NOT one of learning.

10) After the second dive, another woman asked a dive master what it meant when her SPG showed ZERO.



This experience was a TOTAL change from last year. There seems to be a different attitude in folks participating in an inherently risky sport (though these same risks can be mitigated by education, training, and adherence to safety rules).

My daughter was doing a deep-diver class on same boat and she commented later on how "stupid some people are."

I work in Emergency Medicine and one axiom is that "Emergency Medicine can only do so much to negate the effects of stupidity"

After reading MANY posts in the Accident section of the forums, I now better understand how things happen. For several on the boat yesterday, it may only be a matter of time before something untoward happens.


PLEASE FOLKS:

1) PAY ATTENTION - from the moment you step onto the boat until you step off

2) KNOW YOUR EQUIPMENT - know how to check it and operate it

3) DIVE CONSERVATIVELY - many of the folks I listened to were "Resort divers" though the woman who went into deco said she was SDI-trained

4) PAY ATTENTION - to your air (SPG) and your computer

5) LISTEN TO THE CAPTAIN/DIVEMASTER - they are there to ensure your safety (BUT, INMHO, NOT responsible for your stupidity)

6) PAY ATTENTION (did I already say this??) - to your air (SPG) and your depth/time

7) ENJOY YOUR DIVE


Sorry for the ramblings.........After yesterday, it will NOT surprise me to read about one of these folks in the Accident forum (sad to say)

I will finish with a saying from Emergency Services - "somethings in life don't give you second chances"

DIVE SAFE (I chose the Basic Scuba Discussions forum on purpose and, as such, the comments/commentary are geared for same)

William
 
Wow, that's a lot of bad stuff all at once! Where was this?--Not specifically, but ,like, in the tropics, or just off the Texas Coast? ei.: I would imagine these are "vacation only" divers, as they are called? Or just as Dirty-Dog said--stupid?
 
Around here we just say "You can't fix stupid."

That is true.

Tha ms for the post. I've noticed more and more, like you, that there is ALOT of this type of stuff going on in the dive community. I'm one that will say something when someone is doing something that is dangerous, or this is incorrect. And in this type of situation I find myself doing it so much that it makes the dive unfun for me.

What I do then to TRY to avoid this is to usually go on boats with a smaller number of divers (I really like the 6 pack dives), try to dive with people I know, and generally make sure I do my part and try to lead by example on the boat (i.e. Not talking while the captain is, following procedures, etc.)

Sorry you had such an experience, but glad you saw it firsthand and glad you and your daughter had good dives.

USVet
 
Where was this?--Not specifically, but ,like, in the tropics, or just off the Texas Coast? ei.: I would imagine these are "vacation only" divers, as they are called? Or just as Dirty-Dog said--stupid?

Turks and Caicos.

The woman who wanted a dive computer was from France. Her husband (?) was the one who tried to dunk his weightbelt.

The woman who was SDI-trained (her words) was from the US.

One of the women talking during the boat briefing was from New Jersey.



It was good to see a father-daughter team discussing and doing things on-purpose. She (~16) handled herself well, both on the boat and in the water, and came up smiling every time.
 
If T&C is short for Turks & Caicos you most likely got on a boat with sometime divers. This type of diver is a walking nightmare.

Sometimes one just has to help school other divers on correct boat protocols. For example, If my camera were in the rinse tank and I saw another diver dipping anything but a camera into it, I would certainly correct their behavior.

Those who don't feel the need to pay attention to a dive briefing generally are those who only take led dives and rely upon the Divemaster for everything but wiping their noses and other mucus membranes.

But still, the "accidents waiting to be" do indeed slip through the cracks.
 
That is true.

Tha ms for the post. I've noticed more and more, like you, that there is ALOT of this type of stuff going on in the dive community. I'm one that will say something when someone is doing something that is dangerous, or this is incorrect. And in this type of situation I find myself doing it so much that it makes the dive unfun for me.


USVet

Attitudes mean ALOT to me. If you are open to learning, I'll help everywhere I can. BUT, if ALL I get is attitude, you're on your own. :no:

Sigh......I find as I get older, I tend to have less tolerance of stupidity but also less inclination to step-in (unless direct threat to me or mine's safety.......I know, a bit cynical but MOSTLY based on experience :shakehead:)
 
Attitudes mean ALOT to me. If you are open to learning, I'll help everywhere I can. BUT, if ALL I get is attitude, you're on your own. :no:

Sigh......I find as I get older, I tend to have less tolerance of stupidity but also less inclination to step-in (unless direct threat to me or mine's safety.......I know, a bit cynical but MOSTLY based on experience :shakehead:)

That's my point exactly. Most people doing the stupid things know better and just don't care. When you say something it turns into an issue because they don't want to be told that THEIR way is the wrong way. They aren't doing it wrong because they don't know the right way, so you can't really teach these people.

Being older you just want to enjoy your time and your trip and be in a safe environment, not babysitting others. And that I can totally understand and totally agree with also.
 
Being older you just want to enjoy your time and your trip and be in a safe environment, not babysitting others. And that I can totally understand and totally agree with also.

BINGO!!!!!:D


Sad to say but this "stupidity" will never change unless the diver(s) mentioned decide to make a change but that is not likely. Most folks just want to do their dive for the year and go lay on the beach unlike your average obsessed SB diver. Nothing wrong with that. The best way to avoid it is to avoid diving with resorts and resort like/cattle dive boats unless they are dive specific resorts and even then some stupidity will generally remain. If the place offers unlimited beer, daily beach activities, and a buffet then it's a good bet your dive quality will decrease. Better yet, just shore dive. I love boat diving but if I can't get on a boat that doesn't attract stupidity then I just go shore diving. I tend to spend as much time researching on SB about the dive ops when I pick a new spot as I do diving with them. I'm not saying the dive op was bad, but sometimes some ops in some destinations attract bad divers more than others do for many reasons that I have become better and better at spotting over the years after research here and a few questions to the Op. As a new diver these things didn't bother me but now they do cuz time is money and I spent a lot of money to simply enjoy my time.

Good luck with the rest of the dives! :wink: I generally don't mind being on a boat with stupid divers and try my best to ignore them or even help them if they ask for help. That said, I do try to avoid these boats as new and especially stupid divers (and there is a difference between the two of course) will generally lead to shortened BT for the rest of the boat and that is just plain annoying. I like new divers, but I hate shortened BT beyond my control.
 
I am new to the sport of diving but take my training and diving seriously. Was diving off West Palm last week. After the last dive we were disassembling our gear and the guy next to me went to dry off the regulator cap and when he opened the tank valve it literally went "PPHHFF" with about a seconds worth of air. Tank was completely empty. He looked at his dive buddy and said " I think I called that one too close". After talking to him, found out it was his 8th dive. Wonder how many more he will complete?
 

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