Divemaster did NOT get in the water...

[CathyE]

I used to feel the same way until I figured out my cold water dives kept my skills up and made those tropical dives so much better, not only because I had the skill and recent experience to enjoy the dives but also the dives were just so much more different than my normal dives.
If you restrict yourself to one type of diving you cheat yourself of the wow factor of a dive in a different environment.

To each their own.
For me a few late summer dives in a 7mm is enough to reinforce my skills.
Three trips south and one bunch of crappy St. Lawrenence dives per year works. I don't feel that I am cheating myself out of anything.
Cold, low viz, wreck dives hold no 'wow' factor for me. I like pretty, colourful fish and interesting corals. I have learned this over the almost 10 or so years that I have been doing it and it is unlikely to suddenly change now.
Cozumel, Roatan, Cuba, and the DR diving are all good different. I personally find my local diving mediocre different.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Up here in Canada, I've never heard of a DM being on the boat, let alone dive with the guests. In Tobermory, you can hire an Instructor or DM to come with you, but I don't think it happens very often.

One of my fondest memories is Captain Tom single-handing the Bruce Isles. No DM aboard. No other crew. Just Captain Tom and us divers. His briefing was thorough enough and full of historical facts.

 

[muzikbiz22]

This may help clarify a few things, see attached.

 

[broncobowsher]

7 pages into this. Pretty well answered I think.

I've watched all the above. From never getting wet. To they would tie off the boat and stay on board as the rest of the dive then go back to untie the boat. Not uncommon for them to go out on the first dive just to make sure the people on the boat were really competent but not dive with the group again. Only once were they a "guide" but that was for something unique. But in general, they stayed on the boat.

 

[Stoo]

One of my fondest memories is Captain Tom single-handing the Bruce Isles. No DM aboard. No other crew. Just Captain Tom and us divers. His briefing was thorough enough and full of historical facts.

Tom's a good guy. I was chatting with him on the dock last weekend.... or the weekend before.

 

[Stoo]

Cold, low viz, wreck dives hold no 'wow' factor for me.

I would never "judge" someone's diving preference, but if you're basing your impression of "cold water diving" on the St Lawrence, you're doing yourself a disservice. I may go there once a year, typically the last week of April and it's nice, although chilly.

You should come see us in Tobermory... for our crappy visibility if nothing else. It was about 160' this spring.

 

[CathyE]

I would never "judge" someone's diving preference, but if you're basing your impression of "cold water diving" on the St Lawrence, you're doing yourself a disservice. I may go there once a year, typically the last week of April and it's nice, although chilly.

You should come see us in Tobermory... for our crappy visibility if nothing else. It was about 160' this spring.

View attachment 475693

I'm sure it was lovely. Any brightly coloured fish or corals?

 

[Marie13]

I'm too old to spend that kind of money to dive somewhere I don't even like.

I hate heat and humidity. Why would I pay $$ to go dive somewhere with that kind of weather?

I have absolutely no interest in pretty fishies or corals. Local/regional diving is cheaper, too.

 

[Stoo]

I'm sure it was lovely. Any brightly coloured fish or corals?

Not especially colourful, but we do get the occasional Lesser-known Greater Georgian Bay Wood Shark.

 

[Dogbowl]

Not especially colourful, but we do get the occasional Lesser-known Greater Georgian Bay Wood Shark.

View attachment 475695

Seriously? Sharks in Toby?