Showing up in mobility scooter/wheelchair?

[cowprintrabbit]

Call dive-charters ahead of time, and explain your situation. See if they're okay with that.

I'm not an operator myself, but if I received such a call, I'd have a few questions. "How much diving experience do you have? How many dives in the last year? What kind of assistance do you require?" If you have a bunch of recent dive-experience, and don't require an extraordinary amount of assistance, I'd maybe be okay with that. It may also depend on the conditions as well, for example, I'd perhaps have some safety concerns if there was a current.

Whether the charter/shop/operator would be okay with that is another matter. You could be turned down over legitimate safety or liability concerns. They may simply not be able to offer the assistance you require. They may lack space or ramps for a wheelchair. They may also be ignorant, and reject you for ignorant reasons.

And if one rejects you, call the next on the list. That said, try to get CONFIRMATION, perhaps even written confirmation (an email, text-message, etc).

I don’t actually need the chair on board, I’m just worried about them seeing me arrive in it…

Good point about getting written confirmation!

 

[Seaweed Doc]

I suspect you'll find ops that can serve you. Some ops that work out of small boats have divers put their kit on in the water, regardless of ability.

 

[tomfcrist]

Best to call ahead as others have said…if nothing else so the operator is aware of any limitations you have.
It’s not uncommon for paralyzed divers and amputees to really enjoy this sport…some need more adaptation or assistance than others. I was at Ginnie a couple weeks ago and saw an obviously paraplegic diver cave diving. No fins. How he was managing the flow? No idea. Dude looked like he was having a blast.

 

[ps444mike]

ask others have said call email the dive op.. my dive buddy is in a wheel chair.. our group of 49 divers just came back from Curacao a few months ago.. we explain about her diving (shes a instructor) an her needs ended up teaching the capt and crew how to help her get on and off the boat.. here in calif she slides off the side of the boat and swims to the swim step puts on her kit and we dive when we come back to the boat kit comes off it gets sent up to the deck i usually go up (deck hand in the water with her to help with bosom chair and we winch her up capt works the winch and i work the tag line.. if you ever get out to southern calif let me know me and my dive buddy and other friends would love to dive with you.

 

[CWK]

Movie time
Wheelchair in Socorro