Check dives, private DMs, and local/shop policies

[Lorenzoid]

OK. Another question: to what degree is customer demand the cause of divers being taken to sites that are well beyond their skills/ experience?


I ask for this reason: when I was very new, I most definitely tended towards trusting the judgement of the DM/ instructor/ dive op a bit too much. On the other hand, I really didn't feel any need to do the 'bucket list' sites. I would have been quite happy with an op taking me to an 'easy' site if they thought that was best. I was (and I still am to a large extent) just happy to be in the water.


Am I the exception? Or are there dive ops (some, at least) who take customers to inappropriate sites because of /perceived/ demand for that, rather than actual demand? Having never worked in the dive industry, I have no idea -- I can only answer for my own personal preferences.

I'm not sure what you mean in making a distinction between perceived demand and actual demand.

In any event, consider dive sites like Belize's Blue Hole. The dive ops have created what amounts to an entire sub-industry of taking people on a dive that is "appropriate" for pretty much nobody. There are threads about Belize's Blue Hole where this has been discussed ad nauseam. Anyway, is the demand for Blue Hole dives perceived or actual? I believe I am in your camp, in that I generally don't mind a DM who is apparently competent and knowledgeable about the local sites sizing up my skill and taking me to sites the DM thinks are suitable for me. That said, I have dived Belize's Blue Hole.

 

[Landlocked123]

Just want to say that respectful conversation in a thread like this is helpful to us new divers. Just got certified last year. I have only 300+ minutes of bottom time under my belt but if you added the time I have spent reserching, studying, reading, listening, and learning from those who have a ton more experience and are willing to share it would probably be 100+hours. For what its worth coming from a noob perspective i think its too easy to get certifed. I do not feel it prepares us new divers to safely dive at a level where we can extricate ourselves out of emergencies that could take place at a location such as the one I am hearing described here. That is unless one goes out of their way to put the time into listen and learn out of the water to at least have a better chance of a positive outcome in the water when something goes wrong.

 

[budaman]

There have been many posts indicating your log book should be your proof of diving expertise and qualification of your ability by the Dive Op is not neccessary. I believe I fit into the middle 50% of divers that frequent Cozumel. Not a newbie that is afraid of their shadow, but not neccessarily ready to tackle the more advanced sites to the North & far South. I know what I think I can safely handle on the majority of the dives and do not wish to put my wife or anyone else on the dive into a dangerous situation because of ego. So, bear with me if I ramble, but maybe someone out there reading this can relate and not do something in the future that results in what this family is coping with now. This is my story:

I met my future wife in the mid 80's. She was a certified diver & wanted me to go to Cozumel on our first trip together. She requested I get certified so I could experience the wonder below the surface in Cozumel that she was so enchanted by. I got my certification in Lake Travis and my first ocean dives were on that first trip. She has been my dive buddy on every dive I have ever taken and trust her explicitly. If you look at my logbooks, I have 150+ dives, with most of them being in Cozumel from as far south as Columbia to just about every site in between to Paradise. I have dove with countless Ops including BlueXTSea, Dive Paradise, Aqua Safari, Dive w/Martin along with some that no longer exist. If you were to judge my abilities by looking solely at my logbook, I should be able to confidently dive at any location. But, I have a problem....I've had it since day one and still have it today and will probably have it until I can dive regularly enough to overcome it. As such, I always let the Op & my DM know prior to diving. And to a one, they have all been understanding and have been patient with me. Not once have I been required to have a Private DM accompany me after discussing this with them and have never been taken to a site that I felt was beyond my capabilites, nor have I been taken to a site that was boring. My problem is putting my frickin head underwater on the first dive. It is frustrating, embarrassing and I wish I could get over it, but it's been over 25 years & it's still with me. I'll huff on that regulator on the surface until I come to terms with it and steady my breathing and relax enough to descend. Once underwater, I am fine. Confident in my skills if I need to clear my mask or change regulators, bouyancy is controlled, breathing relaxed, etc. Unfortunately, those first few minutes usually results in me using 300-500psi more than my wife and having to ascend sooner than she does. Usually, the DM will deploy his SMB & I will make a solo ascent, keeping the rest of the group in sight and in arms length of the SMB line in case I need to do a pinky hold if our drift rates are different.

 

[diverrex]

I have been following this thread since it's inception as we just returned from Cozumel this past Sunday and my first dive this trip was at Palancar Caves.

There have been many posts indicating your log book should be your proof of diving expertise and qualification of your ability by the Dive Op is not neccessary. I believe I fit into the middle 50% of divers that frequent Cozumel. Not a newbie that is afraid of their shadow, but not neccessarily ready to tackle the more advanced sites to the North & far South. I know what I think I can safely handle on the majority of the dives and do not wish to put my wife or anyone else on the dive into a dangerous situation because of ego. So, bear with me if I ramble, but maybe someone out there reading this can relate and not do something in the future that results in what this family is coping with now. This is my story:

I met my future wife in the mid 80's. She was a certified diver & wanted me to go to Cozumel on our first trip together. She requested I get certified so I could experience the wonder below the surface in Cozumel that she was so enchanted by. I got my certification in Lake Travis and my first ocean dives were on that first trip. She has been my dive buddy on every dive I have ever taken and trust her explicitly. If you look at my logbooks, I have 150+ dives, with most of them being in Cozumel from as far south as Columbia to just about every site in between to Paradise. I have dove with countless Ops including BlueXTSea, Dive Paradise, Aqua Safari, Dive w/Martin along with some that no longer exist. If you were to judge my abilities by looking solely at my logbook, I should be able to confidently dive at any location. But, I have a problem....I've had it since day one and still have it today and will probably have it until I can dive regularly enough to overcome it. As such, I always let the Op & my DM know prior to diving. And to a one, they have all been understanding and have been patient with me. Not once have I been required to have a Private DM accompany me after discussing this with them and have never been taken to a site that I felt was beyond my capabilites, nor have I been taken to a site that was boring. My problem is putting my frickin head underwater on the first dive. It is frustrating, embarrassing and I wish I could get over it, but it's been over 25 years & it's still with me. I'll huff on that regulator on the surface until I come to terms with it and steady my breathing and relax enough to descend. Once underwater, I am fine. Confident in my skills if I need to clear my mask or change regulators, bouyancy is controlled, breathing relaxed, etc. Unfortunately, those first few minutes usually results in me using 300-500psi more than my wife and having to ascend sooner than she does. Usually, the DM will deploy his SMB & I will make a solo ascent, keeping the rest of the group in sight and in arms length of the SMB line in case I need to do a pinky hold if our drift rates are different.

Thank you for candor. No offense meant but if I was a dive op and saw from your log that you were certified 25 years ago and you now have 150 dives I would assume you are at a basically novice level and are not qualified to dive most any site, not at least until I saw you dive.

I wouldn't say logs or cert cards are useless in evaluating a diver but are only one small part, and an initial in-water evaluation is the most important part.

 

[budaman]

No offense taken....and I still do consider myself a novice. To expand....I actually have two diving cycles over that 25 years. We dove pretty regularly the first 5 or so years, then I got into golf & on the trips we took, she dove, I golfed. Around 2005, I realized I sucked at golf and started diving again, so the bulk of the dives have been since then.

One point.....in all that time, I have never been asked to show my logbook. As long as I had my C-Card, I was on a boat. I'm sure I was being observed, but like I mentioned....once under, my skills are fine. I'm not flailing, kicking sand & coral, going up & down like a yo-yo and sucking air like there was no tommorrow.

I guess the point I was trying to make was to not be afraid to be open & candid about your abilities or concerns with the DiveOp & DM. They won't laugh or ridicule you for being honest.

 

[Mike]

I've never shown a log book to anyone, at no place I've dived. I've dived at one place -St Kitts without a c-card. I had a Stuart Coves shark dive T-shirt on and the owner said, well since you have that T-shirt you'll be okay.

 

[Shut up & dive]

I have no issue with a Mexican making money, I have an issue with an utter disregard for experience, log book and certifications and an inflexible policy. I won't be diving with that Aldora.... with that policy of arrogant disregard.... I am very appreciateive of the owner explaining his policy in clear and understandable terms.. Pay for another DM to babysit you or they dictate where you dive... Is that like "professional courtesy" LOL

PLEASE don't ever dive with Aldora. I would cringe if I had to be stuck on a boat with you, your 5,000 dives and some Mexicans making money.

 

[Gdog]

Mike, if that would work, then my Deep Blue Cozumel dive tshirt should get me in about anywhere, kinda like Visa...its accepted everywhere! :cool2:

 

[Mike]

Here you go, you're set now

 

[Oldbear]

I've never shown a log book to anyone, at no place I've dived. I've dived at one place -St Kitts without a c-card. I had a Stuart Coves shark dive T-shirt on and the owner said, well since you have that T-shirt you'll be okay.

Hmmm now that is funny...when Dive Operators see my T-Shirt I always have to pay more!