Almost left at a Reef

[steve from maine]

Very interesting reading,
Thanks to the diver and captain for telling their stories. I have been on Blackbeards 7 times ,as mentioned they do have a on/off boat sign system, yet often people simply forget to put their names "ON THE BOAT" or even worse, do not place their names on the "OFF THE BOAT" list. (the list DOES require a diver to reach down the ships Stairway further then a diver can reach fully suited up so that unless everyone puts their name as "off the boat" side BEFORE they actually suit up, with tanks on, then chances are the tag will never be moved to the off side which makes it a useless system for knowing who is back ON the boat after the dive) For this reason, Blackbeards has always done a roll call in addition to their nametag system. I personally do not care if a captain can remember my face, my name, my job or what color fins I am wearing because I do not care what he/she remembers BUT I DO CARE WHAT THEY MIGHT FORGET THE ONE IN A MILLION TIMES.....ME.
When booking a dive trip I always call and spend time first discussing the dive issues that are important to me. (boat safety questions, time allowed at depth when using a dive computer, number of crew onboard, actual planned depths for the day, hunting policies, oh yeah and IF I MAKE A RESERVATION AND PREPAY WILL THEY UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES CANCEL (accept weather) THE TRIP BECAUSE THEY DO NOT FEEL THEY HAVE ENOUGH DIVERS). Simply put, I will not dive with that company or any other that does not do a roll call. I will not dive with any operation that uses engines (except for real emergencies and drift dives) as a signal due to concerns already discussed in this thread (such as propellers have already almost wiped out the manatee population, I do not care to be next.) My first , and I believe proper instinct is to dive deeper and stay far away from the surface at the exact time the captain is trying to signal me to come up. Maybe if the crew always used a ladder signal to alert divers, they would be less prone to "mistakenly" pull up a ladder when a diver is still down. (I can not help but ask the captain if he "remembered" the position of the ladder before starting the boat.)
Not that others care, but I also try real hard to not dive with any dive operation that allows spear hunting while I am diving (simple personal preference ....almost got shot in W.Palm waters once...same reason why no one goes hiking in Maine during deer season....)As far as time is concerned, on many diving boats I have had to wait 10 mins for all the other divers in front of me to get off the boat, so my 60 mins might seem like 70 mins to the captain (who I hope did not leave 10 mins ago). I am confused about the surfacing issue, are we not trained that divers with buddies SHOULD SURFACE WITH BUDDIES EVERY TIME? There are thousands of things that could happen (on my last Blackbeards trip someone got banged in the head in heavy seas by the life boats being towed behind, the resulting injury MAY have been avoided if her buddy had seen and warned the diver, but her "buddy" stayed below for an extra 8 mins of diving time...). So go ahead and surface as a team, THEN TELL/ASK crew member for permission to go back and hang out at 15 feet if you must. Then at least you know the crew is aware AND you have been responsible to your buddy till he/she gets on the boat.

 

[MikeJacobs]

I wouldn't be so quick to throw the operation under the bus. You admitted you were part of the mistake. You should have stayed with your buddy and exited the water.

I get the impression you used your pony to extend your dive. This is why some operations do not allow pony bottles.

Yes, the operation made a mistake, but it was preventable by proper actions on your part.

By the way CA Diver, did you tip? ROTFLMAO! Glad you're safe, bud...

 

[ShakaZulu]

Imagine you were wearing jets, would have been a long swim, but then again, you would have had jets.......

 

[FlIrishman]

Here is my dive report from Sunday April 24 while diving with Florida Keys Dive Center in Tavernier.

A minute later I noticed the sound of the motor and saw that the boat had moved a short distance. I then ascended and noted that while the current line was still in the water , the ladders were both raised.

Although there is always the chance that he was moving the boat to pick up a diver that had drifted away??

But aside that - this and other stories and events that I've seen is why I pick out certian dive boats to use and those that I would NEVER use. I've used Conch Republic in Tavernier for many years and there the ONLY operation that I'd use in Key Largo or Tavernier! Ya see one problem with one dive operation and I cut them off immediately!

Dive Safe

 

[AlexRodriguez]

Regarding roll call. I am an unusual captain (and I've been criticized for this) but I actually memorize the manifest when we do roll call at the dock. Not only do I know how many are on board but I have memorized their names and faces. Therefore, I know who is on and who is still out. I have been warned that some divers will not understand this and think I'm being careless; however, in over 20 years, I have never left a diver on the reef.

I have been on at least 8 dives with Florida Keys Dive Center, in fact I was out with them Sunday morning (5/22), and have never seen anything like this. A friend of mine who recommended them to me has had well over 100 dives with them. I can confirm he memorizes everyone’s name as I am still impressed by it every time. Seems to me this should have been discussed before the dive center was thrown under the buss. My experience has been FKDC is a top notch operation and extremely professional.

Alex

 

[AlexRodriguez]

I also did not discuss it with the captain or crew but they knew I was pretty P@#### off about the situation.

That was part of the problem, its clear having read the response from FKDC the situation was not what you felt. I can certanly understand your concern but if you were going to take this public like you did you should have discussed it with them.

Alex

 

[steve from maine]

That was part of the problem, its clear having read the response from FKDC the situation was not what you felt. I can certanly understand your concern but if you were going to take this public like you did you should have discussed it with them.

Alex

No one is trying to destroy a business and I am truely happy to read that many of these readers have had great experiences with FKDC. Fact remains that there was no roll call and ladders were pulled up (and you already know my distaste for using engines as a non emergency singal). This is extreamly helpful info for other divers and I respectfully disagree with Alex that the diver was wrong to bring this issue to this forum. Although it may be very helpful, I do not believe it is the divers absolute responsibility to confront the crew that is being paid to do it right! For example, I previously wrote about the problem with Blackberads tag system and explained in detail why I do not trust that system (and why I am so glad that Blackbeards does a roll call) I have not discussed this with Blackbeards yet it maybe still useful info to pass on to others. I have continued to recommend Blackbeards to others even though I don't trust the sign off system. This is a great place to share your experiences, either good or otherwise with other divers. I , and hope others, will continue to do so.

 

[AlexRodriguez]

No one is trying to destroy a business and I am truely happy to read that many of these readers have had great experiences with FKDC. Fact remains that there was no roll call and ladders were pulled up (and you already know my distaste for using engines as a non emergency singal). This is extreamly helpful info for other divers and I respectfully disagree with Alex that the diver was wrong to bring this issue to this forum. Although it may be very helpful, I do not believe it is the divers absolute responsibility to confront the crew that is being paid to do it right! For example, I previously wrote about the problem with Blackberads tag system and explained in detail why I do not trust that system (and why I am so glad that Blackbeards does a roll call) I have not discussed this with Blackbeards yet it maybe still useful info to pass on to others. I have continued to recommend Blackbeards to others even though I don't trust the sign off system. This is a great place to share your experiences, either good or otherwise with other divers. I , and hope others, will continue to do so.

I do not have a problem with the diver posting his experience, I just fell he should have had ALL the facts first. Had the story been the way he first reported, it could have and should have been trouble for FKDC. I do not see anything wrong with expressing how he felt to FKDC.

Alex

 

[ParamedicDiver1]

nevermind

 

[Katherine L]

Let me begin by thanking those thinking individuals here who have posted in support of Capt Greg. He is one of the most well known and respected captains in the Florida Keys. He did not deserve this.

Now...

!. I believe it is highly irresponsible of the the forum management here to allow businesses to be damamged in the manner of this thread (and many others). If the purpose of these postings is to truly learn and not just trash dive operations without having the facts, then it would not be necessary to allow the posting of business names. And yes, even though totally unjustified, this thread (and others like it) are damaging to the businesses named. How many people are going to actually read all the way through to find FKDC's response to all this? And a dive operation doesn't have time to keep up with all this. In the meantime, those who haven't read all the way through are telling their diving friends "Don't dive with so and so, they'll leave you on the reef."

2. To all of you who are posting that you would not dive with an operation who did or did not follow various practices and are critical of the crew in this particular thread, I have one suggestion for you.... Get at least your divemaster rating and work for at least two months as a mate on a busy recreational dive boat. I guarantee you will actually learn more about diving from working the boat than you ever will from being under water. After you've worked 5-6 days a week, doing at least two trips a day, you will then have earned the right to make judgments that are being made here with such careless abandon and lack of experience.

When you've loaded 30-60 or more tanks on and off the boat twice a day in the broiling sun, hefted countless weight belts from overweighted divers who never learned how to properly descend, when you've been puked on and had weight belts dropped on your bare feet, when you've had to swim after panicked divers who attempt to drown you while you're saving their butts, when you've breathed air into and pumped chests of divers who didn't follow the basic rules (and paid the ultimate price), when you've done all these things plus a whole lot more that I won't go into... come back here and see if you haven't changed your tune just a bit. That is, if you've still got enough energy to even boot up your computer.

And to all my fellow dive boat crews here in the Keys and around the world... I salute you.