Divers vs Underwater Tourists

[MXGratefulDiver]

I'm sure I'm way late at posting this and its already been said, BUT, who in the hell died and made you boss. O.K I've fed the troll today

Not just late ... but a bit short.

Who died isn't the point ... who doesn't have to die is.

If you knew the OP as I do, you'd understand how ridiculous some of the names he's been called in this thread really are.

Small wonder why so many of the people who used to give valuable advice based on thousands of dives worth of experience have left ScubaBoard to the 50-dive "experts" who so dominate it today ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[ScubaSteve]

If someone needs that much defending, perhaps there is something to it. Smarter thought in his original wording might have prevented all the name calling.

Just a thought

Not just late ... but a bit short.

Who died isn't the point ... who doesn't have to die is.

If you knew the OP as I do, you'd understand how ridiculous some of the names he's been called in this thread really are.

Small wonder why so many of the people who used to give valuable advice based on thousands of dives have left ScubaBoard to the 50-dive "experts" who so dominate it today ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Posted via Mobile Device

 

[princessaprilia]

Small wonder why so many of the people who used to give valuable advice based on thousands of dives worth of experience have left ScubaBoard to the 50-dive "experts" who so dominate it today ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

raying:

Bob,

Please, please, please.... don't leave.

That will make it very hard for me to continue to stalk your brain!

raying:

 

[SoybeanQueen]

I am a diver. I am responsible for my own actions

If you were a baseball player, and had to have a special guy show up and tell you how to hold the bat, people would think you were an idiot, and would be reluctant to call you a baseball player. I feel the same way about diving. If I have to show you how to put your rig together, I will, but you are the one who is in need of better skills.

I agree re: personal responsibility. My first dives post-training weren't with a DM in the water. I'm not sure that I'll ever hire a personal DM to go with me on a dive. My OW instructor was pretty clear that relying on a DM to keep you safe wasn't a very smart dive plan, so I doubt I'd be comfortable going that route. For now, I choose dive sites carefully based on the skills I know I have.

As for being a diver or a baseball player, there's a world of difference between hobbyists and professionals. Granted, people should certainly learn their gear, but that goes right back to the personal responsibility thing. Unfortunately, you've probably noticed it's lacking in more than just diving nowadays.

 

[Walter]

But it did refer to divers as "underwater tourists". Perhaps the OP could have been wiser in his choice of terms.

Perhaps so, but I still don't see why people object to being called tourists. We're all tourists from time to time unless we stay home and never travel. There's nothing negative about the word.

 

[GA Under Water]

There are some recent threads regarding personal responsibility and the newer diver and that is what caused me to start this thread.

If you are a new diver and only dive in tropical locales on vacation you are an underwater tourist not a diver and you should hire a DM to be your buddy (and only your buddy) on every dive.

There are quarries, lakes, whatever reasonably close to most people. If you are a diver, new or otherwise, you will take advantage of these to learn to dive in addition to your tropical dives while on vacation. You are a diver and are responsible for yourself whether you are new or not.

This is taking personal responsibility for your own actions. You can't change the way the dive industry is operated. You can't change PADI or the practices of tropical operators. You can't learn to dive and be considered a diver if you only dive a few times a year on vacation.

If everyone either put in the time actually diving or simply hired a personal DM as buddy many of the needless accidents we hear about would be avoided without hoping that someone else will make up for your lack of personal responsibility.

Personally, I think it's silly for people to think of themselves as divers and to have an industry tout them as such when they are actually just underwater tourists. I got on a horses back once and rode around for a while. I don't consider that I'm a horse rider or that I know anything about riding horses. In the dive world...I'm a diver!

I'm all for DM's and Instructors and charters being professional but the way the industry is put together it's just amazing that every other underwater tourist makes it out alive.

If anyone disagrees or has additional comments I guess this post will turn into a thread.

Hate to say it, but until we evolve Gills we are all tourists. On a side note in everything that humans do on and off this planet, there are people that do not want to apply themselves as much as someone else. and ya know something, who are we to stop them?

 

[matts1w]

Perhaps so, but I still don't see why people object to being called tourists. We're all tourists from time to time unless we stay home and never travel. There's nothing negative about the word.

Wlater,

Some of us are never tourists. Tourists are the knuckleheads in front of the Lani Kai, burnt like lobsters, puking on the sand, and making a$$es of themselves. Or the jerk pi$$ing in some conch's front yard 2 blocks off Duval Street. Or screaming at the top of their lungs at Senior Frogs while drinking the dumbest drink in the world.

Some respect the locals, realize many in the vacinity are not on vacation, learn about the culture, and don't get angry when the staff doesn't speak English or lives on island time. Like it or not, to call someone a tourist is an insult to many people. Perhaps at one time it wasn't, but to most it represents a certian kind of vacationer most prefer to avoid.

Knowing you, I am 100% sure you are not a tourist either.

 

[BDSC]

Perhaps so, but I still don't see why people object to being called tourists. We're all tourists from time to time unless we stay home and never travel. There's nothing negative about the word.

I agree. We are all tourists from time to time. Everybody probably agrees with that. But it was the manner and tone of his first post and how he used the term "tourists" that people didn't like. Perhaps if he had included himself as an "underwater tourists" instead of implying that he is something much more than that the thread wouldn't have gone nearly this far.

And of course many people, by nature, don't like being told what to do which is what he was doing in his first post. It's really not his place to be telling people (no matter what their experience level) to hire DM's to go with them etc.

 

[Cerberussss]

Wow! quite a response to this thread. As pointed out already there is more than one reason to hire a DM. Not just to hand off your own personal responsibility. I like to hire a DM because they know the lay of the reef/wreck, and I find a local is the best person to give you tips on where you are about to dive and they can show you cool things you might otherwise miss. As well as where to have an after dive pint Just curious, why is there a need to label what type of diver people are anyway? Either you enjoy Scuba or you do not. Why can it not be as simple as that.

I agree that taking responsibility for your own safety is most important but without the "tourist divers" most of the pros would not have a job.

I think it is ridiculous that people show their number of dives like it is some badge of honor. Sorry but diving in a cloudy quarry 1000 times does not prepare you for diving off Cocos Island or on the Osprey Reefs on GBR or any other challenging "Ocean" dive in my opinion. I do not enjoy ice diving or drysuit dives in sub 30 degree and 8 months of the year that is the only thing available in the location I call home. That is why I dive mostly on Vacation. Personally I dont count my dives anymore, I list the experiences I have been honored to participate in. All you guys with your "badge" of honor get over yourselves.

 

[scarefaceDM]

I can see where the Op is coming from and understand his point. Instead of TOURIST..try more RESORT diver. A more appropriate terminology. May have lessened the flaming...but I am sure the original poster has thick skin..right?

A resort diver is one that dives once or twice a yearon vacation. Maybe logging 6 to 20 dives depending on there trip.
Experienced divers( seasoned) log well over 60+ dives a year/season in all types of conditions and is relaxing while on vacation - logging there 6-20 dives depending on trip.
These divers will take the time to get into the pool and practice skills drills etc...while at TIMES a resort diver may get one pool session before taking off on there trip..they may take a refresher but often than not they just do one pool dive and off they go.

Now whom would you want to buddy up with ? Just keep in mind the **** can happen to anyone at any time. Being prepared for it is what separates the experienced divers from the resort divers. The key is to dive dive dive.

Some food for thought.