Interesting Experience

[Eels]

Just curious if anybody else has ever experienced somebody like this.

I was on a charter a few weeks ago and a shop or club (not sure exactly who they were was on it). I was gearing up and one of they guys asked me who I was buddying up with. I let him know I was not with the group but appreciate the offer. The captain made it clear in his briefing I was not with them and on my own). I checked with the shop and captain beforehand who had no issues with me diving solo and I do have my sdi solo.

Turns out it wasn't an offer and he was angry at me saying there is no such thing as a solo cert and repeatedly told the rest of his gang the same thing.

Even if they were students, don't hide things from them. The shop where I did my solo said people are going to do it so I may as well teach them the right way.

Somebody also made a comment on the age of my gear and pointed out my tank was older than 1990. It was a steel from the early 60s with a 1/2 tapered thread. I am also a psi inspector. I was polite and explained to the gentleman the difference between the different tanks and alloys and why some shops won't fill older aluminum etc. while the guy who scolded me earlier gave me the death stare.

Everybody has the right to an opinion but don't tell other people how to dive or criticize equipment when you are not qualified to make the statement.

 

[WarrenZ]

I was on a Liveaboard in the Caymans where I was told that solo diving was illegal in the Caymans however after the first dives of the trip this law was not enforced on me.

 

[drrich2]

Interestingly enough, I'm told there's no actual law against solo diving in the Cayman Islands. I kept seeing that mentioned, but no source, so I e-mailed one of the popular dive op.s on Grand Cayman; in a nutshell, there's no law against it, they teach the PADI Self-Reliant Diver course, and their shop has a prohibition against solo shore diving, but that's a business's policy, not a law.

There does seem to be enough opposition to solo diving in the Caymans such that a number of people think it's illegal there.

Richard.

 

[Eels]

I am from Canada but I love when people state something is law.

Like:

• Eddy current test - Canada does not even mandate it on 6351 tanks at time of hydro and despite what some shops day they are not illegal to fill
• 1/2 tapered threads on scuba tanks - they are standard in the compressed gas industry in which scuba tanks make up a small portion
• I have an e-mail from Transport Canada (DOT in the US) that there is no federal requirement for yearly visual inspections (it is provincial and covered under workplace safety) so a shop might require it for insurance purposes
• The + rating - I have had many tanks re-qualified with a + even when the previous hydro was not as long as it has the REE on it

Just had a shop refuse to fill my old 72s because he didn't like the way they looked. I explained they were just re-qualified (hydro) and given a federal visual inspection (and my own - PSI) but this was not good enough for him. I respected his choice.

I think dive shop owners should spend a day in an industrial cylinder facility.

 

[Nemrod]

T

Just curious if anybody else has ever experienced somebody like this.

I was on a charter a few weeks ago and a shop or club (not sure exactly who they were was on it). I was gearing up and one of they guys asked me who I was buddying up with. I let him know I was not with the group but appreciate the offer. The captain made it clear in his briefing I was not with them and on my own). I checked with the shop and captain beforehand who had no issues with me diving solo and I do have my sdi solo.

Turns out it wasn't an offer and he was angry at me saying there is no such thing as a solo cert and repeatedly told the rest of his gang the same thing.

Even if they were students, don't hide things from them. The shop where I did my solo said people are going to do it so I may as well teach them the right way.

Somebody also made a comment on the age of my gear and pointed out my tank was older than 1990. It was a steel from the early 60s with a 1/2 tapered thread. I am also a psi inspector. I was polite and explained to the gentleman the difference between the different tanks and alloys and why some shops won't fill older aluminum etc. while the guy who scolded me earlier gave me the death stare.

Everybody has the right to an opinion but don't tell other people how to dive or criticize equipment when you are not qualified to make the statement.

Tell him to mind his own business. You are under no obligation to show him the SOLO card he says does not exist.

There is always the busy body who knows everything and is willing to share it with you.

This thing of setting a "good example" for adults is the most stupidly silly thing. If they are so daft and brain impaired that they cannot see the difference between solo qualified and beginner diver, well, there is the Darwin Award for that.

N