MikeMeagher
Contributor
A buddy of mine owns an 80' dive boat in So. California. He is always calling me.. lamenting how some of his customers will get frustrated and complain when he cancels a trip due to bad weather.. he often cancels the night prior without even leaving the harbor.
What many of them do not realize.. is he is an old time diver and we used to dive the area from our private boats for many years prior to him buying his charter boat. Through our experience he's learned to be able to equate the diving conditions with the sea state. If the seas are at a certain rough condition.. the boat trip will be rough and the diving will suck when at the islands.
In the old days.. if the weather was iffy.. he used to make a show of putting in an effort to make the channel crossing, he'd load the boat with passengers and crew early in the morning make the run out the harbor then make an attempt at a runtowards the islands for about 45 minutes or so.. and often turning back with a boat full of dissapointed customers.
Now a days.. fuel prices are much higher, and instead he now often doesnt making the attempt.. . and he calls the divers the night prior..saving them the trip to the boat.. saves on his crew costs.. saves on wasting fuel... but he still gets a bad rap from some who dont "get it".
Damned if you do.. dammed if you dont..
What many of them do not realize.. is he is an old time diver and we used to dive the area from our private boats for many years prior to him buying his charter boat. Through our experience he's learned to be able to equate the diving conditions with the sea state. If the seas are at a certain rough condition.. the boat trip will be rough and the diving will suck when at the islands.
In the old days.. if the weather was iffy.. he used to make a show of putting in an effort to make the channel crossing, he'd load the boat with passengers and crew early in the morning make the run out the harbor then make an attempt at a runtowards the islands for about 45 minutes or so.. and often turning back with a boat full of dissapointed customers.
Now a days.. fuel prices are much higher, and instead he now often doesnt making the attempt.. . and he calls the divers the night prior..saving them the trip to the boat.. saves on his crew costs.. saves on wasting fuel... but he still gets a bad rap from some who dont "get it".
Damned if you do.. dammed if you dont..