How is YOUR diving etiquette?.......

[DiveScoop]

Read this story from Stacy Amberson of DiverWire.com. Can't say I agree with everything she says, but she DOES make some interesting observations. Anyone care to comment?

Minding Your DIVING manners

 

[Sas]

I like to call my fins flippers just to see most people on the boat wince so I guess my etiquette isn't the best.

The tipping is only relevant in certain areas, just not required where I am. Though before I travel I check what is customary ever since being chased after down a road in Egypt for not tipping a toilet attendant after failing to research how baksheesh works.

I like to argue politics and religion and I get tired of people saying these things should not be discussed. If people don't want to talk about it they are free to avoid the conversation but to expect others not to do this is lame.

The rest is well said (although it is common sense). I wish all divers read this and followed this etiquette.

 

[thanksforallthefish]

Most of what she said is in my opinion common sense, however I feel there are some exceptions.

You do need to cut some slack for new divers, divers that have never been on that charter (all charters do things differently) and those that may be from another country and are unsure of local diving etiquette.

There are times however when i do wish the scuba police existed

 

[vladimir]

Check your gear before you leave home, the shop or hotel. Make sure you have everything you’re going to need and that it’s all in good working order. It serves a similar life-preservation function as skydiving equipment and you wouldn’t wait until 10, 000 feet to check your parachute.

My gear doesn't serve a function remotely similar to skydiving equipment. Her diving must be pretty extreme.

Save the hairspray, make-up and for the love of all that is holy the perfume/cologne for after the dive.

Yes, I get the hairspray and cologne complaint--it can be close quarters on a boat. As for make-up, go wild, as far as I'm concerned. It's not my business, really.

You can however, contribute to the overall ascetics on the boat.

Unfortunately, the internet has democratized media to the point where "writers" don't know the difference between "ascetics" and "aesthetics."

Resist the urge to argue or fight with your spouse/significant-other on the boat, it makes everyone uncomfortable. Save it for when you’re in private, and afterward you can move directly to the making up. Comparatively, the dive boat is not the right forum for a political, religious or opinionated tirade; just because you have a ‘captive audience’ doesn’t mean you have to take advantage of it.

Like much of what she said, this is common courtesy and is not specific to diving.

 

[RJP]

Read this story from Stacy Amberson of DiverWire.com. Can't say I agree with everything she says, but she DOES make some interesting observations.

It all boils down to the most basic thing you should have been taught when you were a child...

"Don't be a d--k!"

:cool2:

 

[princessaprilia]

Gee, thanks Scott.

Just what I need...another excuse to spend time on the internet reading about diving. I swear the hubby is going to think I'm having an internet affair.

Good article. I was unaware of the tipping thing when I first started diving, and would have appreciated a quick "this is common practice" guide.

 

[Gdaaym8z]

Wow....soap box much?

Most of the article seems to be common sense but comes across as quite the rant.

Must have been one helluva trip! (trips)

Should be some interesting commentary on the way

 

[Dr Wu]

• Please don’t try to be in charge unless the DM or crew requests your help. You may very well be the most knowledgeable, highly certified, physically fit, geographically erudite, ultimate diver who ever lived but here and now you’re one of the group, so sit back, relax and enjoy it.

No. I absolutely am not.

 

[pj5]

About being one of the group...

During my first dive vacation, I had the misfortune to end up on a boat with a couple of vacationing DMs. Not the ones the dive shop was supposed to send on the trip with us, but didn't (The whole point of booking through the shop was to have at least one DM in the group to keep me from taking up an undue amount of the local DMs time/attention with my inexperience). A couple random DMs who fortunately (because I probably won't cross paths with them again) hailed from a different state. The female half made sure we all knew they were DMs. And she decided she knew better than the local DM who was actually in charge. More than a little arrogant, since we were not in her home turf. She did nothing but criticize the DM in charge the whole week. Too busy complaining, bragging and running her mouth to listen to the dive briefings.

She actually hijacked a dive in progress and griped (after the dive) about the DM "wasting time" in a sandy spot: never mind that he had briefed exactly why we were spending a little bit of time there at the beginning of the dive. He allocated the first 10-15 minutes to search for some sort of sandy-section-dwelling critter and the rest of the dive to the reef. She wanted to be on the reef, darnit, so she disgustedly waved the group to the reef after less than 5 minutes. As that particular boat trip was ending, she was threatening to report him as doing a bad job because he didn't go the reef immediately.

My take on it was: (a) she should have listened to the dive brief and raised her objections to spending any time in the sandy section before the dive started, (b) she should not have hijacked the group in the middle of the dive (we stuck with the *actual* DM who had to follow when most of the group followed her), and (c) her constant loud complaining was unprofessional. Granted she was on vacation and not at work, but after she made such a big deal about being a DM, I expected her to treat the working DM like she'd want folks to treat her when she's working (ie pay attention to the DM and do what the DM says/signals). So much for expectations.

She was so obnoxious that I sent an email to the resot manager praising the DM and describing her bad behavior (particularly not paying attention the dive briefings) just in case she made good on the threat. The DM gave VERY good dive briefings, and saved one of my early dives when I had a gear issue. The only thing the actual DM did wrong was to not send her and her buddy to the surface when she hijacked the group. Probably bad for business to do that though...sigh. That man was much more forbearing than me.

 

[Sas]

• Please don’t try to be in charge unless the DM or crew requests your help. You may very well be the most knowledgeable, highly certified, physically fit, geographically erudite, ultimate diver who ever lived but here and now you’re one of the group, so sit back, relax and enjoy it.

No. I absolutely am not.

It depends on what you mean by group. If by group they mean you are on the same boat as me then I don't want you acting like a d**k as it makes things annoying for me. But if group means 'all together underwater' and 'we have to hang out and chat on the boat' then I see your point. But I don't think that was the implication.