The Fling cancels all(most) June trips to Flower Gardens

[ReefHound]

Is it frustrating to have a trip cancelled, whether it's due to waves or economic contingencies? Of course, but that's part of the game going in, so it pays to make appropriate alternate plans when possible.

With all due respect, no it isn't. The possibilities of weather cancellation is certainly part of the game and there are mentions on their website about this possibility and how it will be handled. Show me anything on their site that warns that the trip won't go if they get a better offer. When someone asks for my business and I give it to them, I expect a little appreciation. Canceling out on the deal they had with me to do business with someone else makes me feel anything but appreciated.

 

[ReefHound]

I commend the Fling owners trying to help with the oil spill. If the Fling is unavailable this summer, but is able to fill the cofers with money to be viable and return next summer for divers, then so be it.

If a Hurricane disrupts Cozumel, will everybody simply stop going because there plan for a summer vacation was cancelled and start going some where else? I doubt it.

I don't think some of you are quite getting the distinction between a cancellation due to something beyond anyone's control versus an arbitrary decision to do business with one party rather than another.

 

[Phreatic Fanatic]

Well, I for one, understand the concept of guaranteed income versus possible income, especially in today's economy.

 

[tripntx]

I don't think some of you are quite getting the distinction between a cancellation due to something beyond anyone's control versus an arbitrary decision to do business with one party rather than another.

And hopefully the "decision to do business" due to the magnatude of the huge mess in the Gulf will be understood by prudent people, which I believe most divers are. The oil leak is out of our control, but if they (operators) have to sacrifice some dives to help our environment on what I'm hoping is a once in a lifetime event (huge oil leak), then I really do not see what all the fuss is. What would happen if all operators (fish, scuba, etc) on the coast decided not to contract out and help with clean up because they were afraid to loose a couple of customers? Should we divers be more concerned with making a dive on the Flower Gardens this summer or understanding that a small sacrifice must be made this summer to help clean up the mess?

 

[Wookie]

Todd, look at the July bookings on the Fling website. That's only a month away and they look like crap. When you can get dive shops to sell Flower Gardens again, hell, even I'll come back. Until customer counts pick back up, (which will never happen), you can't blame a 66 year old man from making one last run at a profit. If you do, I guess that makes you kinda small.

 

[ReefHound]

Todd, look at the July bookings on the Fling website. That's only a month away and they look like crap. When you can get dive shops to sell Flower Gardens again, hell, even I'll come back. Until customer counts pick back up, (which will never happen), you can't blame a 66 year old man from making one last run at a profit. If you do, I guess that makes you kinda small.

Frank, what I said in my first post is if running a dive charter here is not economically feasible then so be it. If "one last run at a profit" is what this is about, then fine. I'm not blaming anyone or demanding Ken go bankrupt or even saying he is making the wrong decision in his immediate economic interests. No need for personal insults. All I am saying is that I do not think it is conducive to a long term business model as a dive charter and will only make it harder to rebuild customer counts (which you think is futile anyway). I think it's the wrong decision if he intends to continue long term as a dive charter. Perhaps this decision tells us something about that?

 

[Phreatic Fanatic]

What would you do if you were me?

I'd quit whining about it and move on.

 

[Guba]

Well, it's not looking too good for the "Educator's cruise" in mid-July. The project leader's last email basically said, "things are on hold--we'll keep you informed". Sounds like an "uh-oh" to me.

I hate it, but I certainly understand it, too. And that's from someone who had to actively put effort into submitting applications to get accepted to the program (starting last year), invested in a full, mandatory physical (including labwork, EKG, x-rays, etc...), blocked out the time for the course, and now has to look for other courses to replace the SBEC workshop hours the Gulf program was to provide.
But I still understand. That's just the nature of the Gulf and its dynamics as well as the realities of business in an extremely volatile economic environment. Things happen, and they seem to happen dynamically in the Gulf.

Now then, where is that listing for dive trips in Cozumel?

 

[texbob]

I spent Memorial Day weekend on the Fling and under the Fling over the Flower Gardens. When you start to realize that the oil spill could wipe out life in the Flower Gardens for possibly the rest of our lifetime, then perhaps a summer helping to minimize the effects is not such a bad thing.

The Houston Chronicle had a very insightful article this morning

 

[scubafanatic]

I spent Memorial Day weekend on the Fling and under the Fling over the Flower Gardens. When you start to realize that the oil spill could wipe out life in the Flower Gardens for possibly the rest of our lifetime, then perhaps a summer helping to minimize the effects is not such a bad thing.

The Houston Chronicle had a very insightful article this morning

....the oil is moving EASTWARD with the prevailing currents, AWAY fron the Flower Gardens, and there are no indications it be moving westward...FG isn't in danger from THIS particular oil spill.