Smoking Protocols on Dive Boats?

[MXGratefulDiver]

It was Popeye that said/did that

Ah ... thanks ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[frankster1138]

Unfortunately, we live in a world of extremes, but those extremes are magnified here in the U.S. Be it politics, religion, smoking, whatever, there is almost no moderation left.

That said, I wish smoking were outlawed just so I would never have to smell smoke again. I promise, I try to see all sides of issues, but with a nose like mine, it is really hard to avoid smelling smoke. :sarcasm:

So, I wish smokers all the best in killing themselves as quickly as possible. :crossbone Seriously, I will try to avoid smoke when I can, so I will be playing Leonardo DiCaprio on the bow while you smoke.

Lets talk about Bush and Kerry; maybe Evolution and Creation; the Second Amendment… It is all pointless! Why can't we all just get along?

 

[kjunheart]

Now I can understand that it is up to the captain but if smoking is allowed on the boat & not specified where, then it is a matter of respect and courtesy for the people around you - both for smokers and non-smokers. To the non-smokers, no BS...sometimes smokers just forget that not everyone smokes and all you have to do is ask politely for them to relocate, etc. And yes, there are those people who are jerks about it but then they obviously are the type that will be jerks about anything so you will never win with them.

This past weekend we were on a boat that allowed smoking. A guy lit up "inside" (http://www.islandhopper.com/dive.html) the cabin. Another diver got insulted, cornered herself up in the "cabin" and acted indignant/pissed and kept throwing the smoker dirty looks. At first I didn't know what was wrong with her - she looked so miserable - so I asked if everything was o.k. She then told me she was upset with the guy smoking. While I understood her being upset and thinking it was inconsiderate to be smoking in the cabin, all she had to do was say something. The moment the guy heard she was offended by the smoke he immediately went to an area where he would be downwind of her. IMHO she wasted a lot of energy being indignant when all she had to do was ask.

Later during our SI, there was a crowd of divers at the stern hanging out and talking. He lit up where he was sitting which was directly upwind of us. I was the only one who was getting queasy from the smell (clove like cigarettes). So I asked him if I could switch places with him...he thanked me and accepted my offer. He said he was trying to not offend, but at the same time he was afraid of offending someone by asking if he could sit in the corner to smoke. Kind of a catch-22 for him.

I am currently a non-smoker and love it. Notice that I say currently...just like someone who has quit drinking - it is a day to day thing. There are times that I would love to have one but since I had my baby, it makes me green. But when I was smoking, I always asked the people around me if they minded if I smoked. If smoking is allowed on a boat, then others should realize that the smoker has probably taken the time to find a boat to accomodate his/her habit. I think that if you are a non-smoker and know you won't bend about having people smoke around you, then I believe it is your responsibility to find a boat that accomodates their preferences.

Just my thoughts :10:

 

[cdiver2]

Now I can understand that it is up to the captain but if smoking is allowed on the boat & not specified where, then it is a matter of respect and courtesy for the people around you - both for smokers and non-smokers. To the non-smokers, no BS...sometimes smokers just forget that not everyone smokes and all you have to do is ask politely for them to relocate, etc. And yes, there are those people who are jerks about it but then they obviously are the type that will be jerks about anything so you will never win with them.

This past weekend we were on a boat that allowed smoking. A guy lit up "inside" (http://www.islandhopper.com/dive.html) the cabin. Another diver got insulted, cornered herself up in the "cabin" and acted indignant/pissed and kept throwing the smoker dirty looks. At first I didn't know what was wrong with her - she looked so miserable - so I asked if everything was o.k. She then told me she was upset with the guy smoking. While I understood her being upset and thinking it was inconsiderate to be smoking in the cabin, all she had to do was say something. The moment the guy heard she was offended by the smoke he immediately went to an area where he would be downwind of her. IMHO she wasted a lot of energy being indignant when all she had to do was ask.

Later during our SI, there was a crowd of divers at the stern hanging out and talking. He lit up where he was sitting which was directly upwind of us. I was the only one who was getting queasy from the smell (clove like cigarettes). So I asked him if I could switch places with him...he thanked me and accepted my offer. He said he was trying to not offend, but at the same time he was afraid of offending someone by asking if he could sit in the corner to smoke. Kind of a catch-22 for him.

I am currently a non-smoker and love it. Notice that I say currently...just like someone who has quit drinking - it is a day to day thing. There are times that I would love to have one but since I had my baby, it makes me green. But when I was smoking, I always asked the people around me if they minded if I smoked. If smoking is allowed on a boat, then others should realize that the smoker has probably taken the time to find a boat to accomodate his/her habit. I think that if you are a non-smoker and know you won't bend about having people smoke around you, then I believe it is your responsibility to find a boat that accomodates their preferences.

Just my thoughts :10:

What a great post I would dive with you any day

 

[sea nmf]

This is definately something that should be discussed ahead of time, when booking the trip if possible.

That being said, I have developed a pronounced greater sensitivity to smoke in the past year. I discussed it with my boss who wondered if I just didn't like the "smell" of smoke.

I grew up in a home where both parents were chain smokers. I hate the smell of smoke. But this is something more. My throat seems to sieze up. I feel as if I can't get air.

Just last week I spoke to my doctor about it (I was there for another malady). She said that "they" are finding out that adults who grew up in smoking homes are developing asthma in their 40's & 50's. When I mentioned that I had been out of the home since 18, she said it doesn't seem to matter.

What I'm trying to say is that there ARE non-smokers who really DO have a health condition that is brought on by breathing smoke.

If I don't breathe it, I'm fine with someone smoking. In your situation, I believe you should have put the cigarette out. But I'm not you (or any smoker) so I don't know how much of a hardship that would have been for you.

It is nice when a boat operator tells the rules ahead of time. Had that been done here, I would have set up my gear far away from the "smoking area". However, since I am a non-smoker, I don't think about a smoking section on a boat and would have been oblivious to that unless told.

 

[MikeFerrara]

A couple weeks when ago my wife an I took my daughter back to school after her spring break. We stopped in a super walmart to get her some stuff and I waited in the truck because I can't stand to be in a crowd any place for any reason and this colledge town store was packed.

Any way...as I sat there I watched dozens and dozens of people leave the store, put their stuff in their car and drive off. Most folks were well dressed and were driving expensive cars. All but one or two people left their shopping carts just stand where they were even though the parking lot was on a hill and it was a windy day. I'll bet that while I sat there I saw or heard at least a dozen cars get hit and I sprinted accross the lot to stop a couple of rolling carts about to hit cars. I would have stopped them all but there were just too many.

That day I witnessed a large percentage of that local shopping population knowingly and intentionally do something that would cause real damage to their fellow shoppers property rather than walk a short distance to put the cart where it belonged or even just lay the thing down so it couldn't roll.

 

[UWSojourner]

Sounds like we're in serious need of smoking-related SCUBA products. How about:

1. Smoke fills - like air fills, but with smokers favorite cigarette smoke in them. Need new tank stickers - Nitrox, Trimix, Menthol, etc. One advantage - don't need dive flags since exhaled smoke would rise from surface to alert boats. One disadvantage - most sharks don't smoke and they can be a bit more "persuasive" than vocal non-smokers ... but hey, if you can face cancer, don't sweat the sharks.

2. Smoke suits - these are wetsuits, but the inside is lined with one big nicotine patch. Surely this would help alleviate the need to satisfy the nicotine addition on board. Related product - Dry Smoke Suit ... you could actually have a lit cigarette with an attached cigarette tray inside the suit. Its the SCUBA equivalent of a smoking jacket.

3. Asmokes Regulators - kinda like sealed APEKS regs, except the sealed chamber holds a lit bowl of the smokers favorite tabacco. Simple button allows a drag at depth. DIR would require dive buddies to be both smokers or both non-smokers.

There may be other product ideas. With a little ingenuity we can avoid the boat conflict. Peace.

UWS

 

[DiveKitty68]

tehe....I like your mind.

Tooo funny.

 

[DandyDon]

fftopic:

 

[Warren_L]

A couple weeks when ago my wife an I took my daughter back to school after her spring break. We stopped in a super walmart to get her some stuff and I waited in the truck because I can't stand to be in a crowd any place for any reason and this colledge town store was packed.

Any way...as I sat there I watched dozens and dozens of people leave the store, put their stuff in their car and drive off. Most folks were well dressed and were driving expensive cars. All but one or two people left their shopping carts just stand where they were even though the parking lot was on a hill and it was a windy day. I'll bet that while I sat there I saw or heard at least a dozen cars get hit and I sprinted accross the lot to stop a couple of rolling carts about to hit cars. I would have stopped them all but there were just too many.

That day I witnessed a large percentage of that local shopping population knowingly and intentionally do something that would cause real damage to their fellow shoppers property rather than walk a short distance to put the cart where it belonged or even just lay the thing down so it couldn't roll.

Geez, you don't see that sort of behaviour much around these parts.