Banana drama

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I think that the majority of the thread moved away from the actual act, which I think we all agree was over the top, and moved on to why superstitions exists, and whether or not someone's personal beliefs are worthy of respect, even if you do not agree with them. So far it has been a (surprisingly to me) rather civil and very well thought out discussion from both sides.

I just don't believe that, in this day and age, that MOST of these captains truly believe in this particular superstition. I believe that for them it is more a fun little way of playing a power game aboard their boat, and that by giving this importance, they are making everything a little more 'nautical'.

If the captain TRULY believes in this superstition, I'll respect that, but I really don't want to go to sea with them. If they make it a fun game of "someone just blew an oring, so who's got the banana, it's their fault", while laughing, then it is fun and I don't have a problem. But to go through someones carryon gear searching for contraband or to snatch the thing from someone's hands, that's going overboard for me.
 
Most superstitions to me are nothing more than a trigger to get the brain thinking positive. I doubt that most people "truely believe" that a rabbits foot is lucky. If they were, why are there so many dead rabbits on the side of the road? However, if by rubbing a rabbits foot, four leaf clover, lucky penny or whatever, you start to think about the outcome of an event or circumstances in a positive light, and the chances of a positive outcome are much greater.

And as far as dive boat captains go, from the ones I've met bad luck bananas are not even in the top ten personality quirks. Most are rather unique individuals. Who would you rather have a beer with, your dive boat captain (in port after the trip of course) or captain Stubing from the Love Boat?
 
Who would you rather have a beer with, your dive boat captain (in port after the trip of course) or captain Stubing from the Love Boat?

Isaac! He knows where they are stored! :D and he'll pretend to be listening to you. Is it just me or is this thread losing its ap"peal"?
 
Oh wow! I remember a CCV boat in Roatan that was going to take us to Utila to look for whale sharks. Out of season, but we were going to look. I took tanks too so I could try some scuba over there. I boarded, looked around, asked where the PDFs were, learned there were none for this channel crossing, :eek: went to my FIBR boat and grabbed a couple at least as there was one minor from our group onboard without her parents. She thot I was silly: "Can't you swim?" Smart kid. The boat didn't get far before the transmission started failing tho so they radioed in for more fluid so they could limp back. Hmmm, these guys pouring are going to pour that in a hot engine compartment? I offered to man a fire extinguisher, but they didn't have any of those either. I sit on the edge of the boat wearing my PDF while they poured.

Then there was the boat crew from hell in Belize. :silly:
 
Scuba is based on scientific theories, testing, and laws.

If the boat captain throws your banana overboard, find another boat next time because he is unfit to be involved in scuba in a leadership role.

That level of superstition shows a complete lack of critical thinking skills and is a bad indicator. Its one thing to think its bad luck, but its another thing to yank it out of someone's hand and throw it away.

There is no magic juju for fixing a DCS hit.
 
I just don't believe that, in this day and age, that MOST of these captains truly believe in this particular superstition. I believe that for them it is more a fun little way of playing a power game aboard their boat, and that by giving this importance, they are making everything a little more 'nautical'.

I think you might be right here. I suppose these are the same people that intorduce themselves as Captain So&So, as opposed to my name is Jim, and I am your captain today.

If the captain TRULY believes in this superstition, I'll respect that
I won't. In fact I refuse to respect such a rediculous belief. To respect something is to hold it in esteem or honor. Clearly the idea the bananas are magical is not something we should repsect. Nor are any other irrational beliefs, however mainstream they may be. They should be called out for what they are, silly. Most are some archaic explanation for how we got here, or designed to place more importance on us than on any other thing in the Universe. It is 2008, we have an understanding about the world we live in that is based on real world evidence, that is, objects you can see, touch, smell, or measure, and yet we still cling to old world ideas. And what is more, people are still dieing becuase of it, because we choose to "respect" those beliefs, empowering them, allowing small fundamentalist groups to gain power and fester and finally attack.

By not pointing out what idiots these people are, you are helping to empower groups of them to commit horrible acts on others.


If they make it a fun game of "someone just blew an oring, so who's got the banana, it's their fault", while laughing, then it is fun and I don't have a problem.

Sure, thats a joke, and a particularly funy one once you know the history behind it.
But to go through someones carryon gear searching for contraband or to snatch the thing from someone's hands, that's going overboard for me
Size them up for a straight jacket and take the boat keys away before someone gets hurt.
 
Oh wow! I remember a CCV boat in Roatan that was going to take us to Utila to look for whale sharks. Out of season, but we were going to look. I took tanks too so I could try some scuba over there. I boarded, looked around, asked where the PDFs were, learned there were none for this channel crossing, :eek: went to my FIBR boat and grabbed a couple at least as there was one minor from our group onboard without her parents. She thot I was silly: "Can't you swim?" Smart kid. The boat didn't get far before the transmission started failing tho so they radioed in for more fluid so they could limp back. Hmmm, these guys pouring are going to pour that in a hot engine compartment? I offered to man a fire extinguisher, but they didn't have any of those either. I sit on the edge of the boat wearing my PDF while they poured.

Then there was the boat crew from hell in Belize. :silly:

????WHAT?????

What does this have to do with bananas or the fact that you need to take out your garbage more often (the real reason you have fruit flies).
 
????WHAT?????

What does this have to do with bananas or the fact that you need to take out your garbage more often (the real reason you have fruit flies).
What? We supposedly have a focus to this thread? So that's why I get the buggers huh?

I was responding to this one...
And as far as dive boat captains go, from the ones I've met bad luck bananas are not even in the top ten personality quirks. Most are rather unique individuals. Who would you rather have a beer with, your dive boat captain (in port after the trip of course) or captain Stubing from the Love Boat?
 
Rude or not doesn't matter in this case as while at Sea the Captains word is law! If you ever spent any time in the Navy you would understand this. If not you never will. Thats just the way it is whether you like it or not.
I'm sorry to be the fly in the ointment again but please explain to me how you can say this is the point? Whether or not you respect the captain's wishes is very much a peripheral issue and very few people will disagree with you there.

The real issue, as far as I can tell, was the skipper's conduct as described in the original post. To quote from the original post:
"once the skipper saw me unpack and about to consume my bananna he snatched it out of my hands and threw it overboard"

Now come on please! This is not about respecting the captain's wishes. This is a bloody rude captain who should not be in business. You don't treat paying customers like that, full stop.

I have no qualms with him having his silly superstitions but snatching a banana out of somebody's hand and tossing it overboard is unacceptable, good luck if you're going to try to convince me or anyone else otherwise. Had he made his beliefs about bananas known before everyone boarded it would have been a different story and then I would agree that you should respect his wishes.

Frankly, I'm surprised to see that this thread has progressed to 200 and odd posts with so many people coming out in support of the skipper. After I read the original message I thought that there was going to be a flood of responses saying "what a knob, I hope you didn't use that charter ever again", not because he is superstitious or follow weird traditions but because he doesn't know the first thing about good manners and how to treat customers.
 
The one time i bring a bannana on a boat we run out of gas, luckilly we were close enough to a dock that sacaquaman and I could push the boat in and find someone to take him to a gas station.
I ask you bannan or poor planning? He swears he's made that trip with the same amount of gas before...

Don't blame the banana, blame the bonehead that can't calculate fuel consumption.:shakehead:
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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