what would you do?

[gbray]

recently my LDS called me and said a person came in and asked for a diver to help look for a pair of glasses they lost off the end of a dock at a private lake. I called the person and they agreed to pay me to look for their glasses.

we met at the dock and I geared up. The lake is about 150 acres. The water was very turbid from boat traffic and the vis was about 0 to 6 inches. The average depth at the area I searched was 10 feet. All I could do was crawl on the bottom and grope in the mud. The bottom was littered with sticks, limbs, huge fresh water mussells and the mormal beer bottles and cans. There is no swimming allowed in this area.The vis was so bad I ran right into the boat lift while blindly feeling for anything on the bottom.

I searched for 88 minutes and found no glasses.It was not extremely fun but it was interesting. I have been wanting to dive this lake for some time to see what it was like.yuk. To make it worse I was solo diving (which under these conditions even with a buddy it would be a solo dive).

Considering the drive there, the time in the water, the conditions and hazards, and the air fill, after not finding the glasses would you accept payment from them? To complcate matters I recently got layed off from my construction job. Just interested in what you would do.

 

[sabbath999]

Hey Gary, long time no see! We haven't been your way in a while, probably be a couple weeks before we are back but you never know.

Personally, I would take a few bux if they offered because air costs money (yeah, I know that's nuts, but it does) especially if you were diving your doubles.

Stuff like that is kind of nuts, you never know what you are going to find if anything... so there obviously is no guarantees. If they offered some bux, I would take it.

Especially since you gotta clean your gear out good after that muck.

 

[oggy666]

Take it!

 

[Rainer]

I'd just have worked out a cost ahead of time (glasses found or not).

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I had a guy come into the dive shop I was working at with the same problem. I closed the shop and walked over to his boat. I found the glasses in five minutes and when he tried to pay me, I refused. To me, it was enough just to get out of the shop and into the water. He later walked back in the shop, placed $60 on the counter and walked out. That came to $720 per hour. I must be in the long line of work.

 

[elmer fudd]

To me it would largely depend on what we had agreed on beforehand. Myself, not having much interest in diving murky lakes, but usually up for a dive anyway, I'd probably tell them to pay me $60 or so if I found the glasses and to reimburse me for air and gas if I didn't. A burger or fish and chips afterward wouldn't hurt either. I think that's more than reasonable. You've got to figure that if you're not doing this for a friend, relative or coworker, then you are to some extent in it for the profit and you've got an investment in time, air, fuel and equipment to recoup.

 

[Guba]

Upon request I've retrieved dental work (about $1200), a stainless steel anchor with 100 feet of steel chain (he said it was worth about $750), two pair of prescription glasses (I have no idea), and a bunch of fins, masks, and assorted dive gear (dropped by students during training).

So far, I haven't accepted any payment, though it was offered on several occassions. I just do that sort of thing for fun, and I'm always careful to stay within my training and limits. That said, I don't have a problem at all with others taking any gratuities that are offered. Go for it, my friend! If it means enough to them to have you retrieve it, then it means enough for them to offer the reward. Accept it in the spirit in which it was intended, with no regrets.

 

[TSandM]

I'd let him reimburse me for the fill and any fees involved in diving the site. After all, it doesn't sound much like a "fun" dive.

 

[peterbj7]

The only thing I've tried to find here (Belize) was a very expensive wedding ring (apparently several '000 $ worth), but no joy. AFAIK it's never been found, tho' it was lost in a very small and shallow area 4 years ago.

In Britain such "helping out" searches are actually illegal, as they deem special training is needed for safety. I have that training (and the US version, PSD) and I can say it opens your eyes to things that could so easily go wrong that you've probably never even thought of. You'd be amazed how many people have died on these "simple" search & recovery dives.

 

[Garrobo]

In this world there are two kinds of people: givers and takers. By the answer some of you have given it is easy to decide which you are.