Smoking on a dive boat

[Damselfish]

I like when they say the designated smoking area is hanging off the life preserver on the tag line 100 ft behind from the boat...

 

[Angry Turtle]

I've seen it happen on JDC's boats in Jupiter. In fact one of the boat captains sometimes smokes cigars (or used to, I haven't been back in a few months) while underway. One of the DM's (who I like) smokes but waits until the diving is done and the boat is headed back.

For the most part people try to be polite and go up with the captain, or go aft where the smoke usually goes away.

Some of the smoke still makes it the diver's area. It bothers me, specially in heavy seas where I am typically ok with seasickness but the smell of diesel fumes and cigarette can put me over the threshold. If I had my way, I would not allow it.

 

[Wingy]

Pretty much common place in Asia and the south pacific islands - particularly french protectorates like Polynesia..if the DMs arent smoking the boatmen are. Apres dive. Out of courtesy if I am smoking on a boat where the crew and other passengers are smoking or on a private liveaboard trip I will smoke as far away from everyone else as possible.

 

[drbill]

Back in the Dark Ages, I smoked and dived. Fortunately, on my second attempt to quit in 1975 I was successful. I know I showed a lack of courtesy at times before that. Mea culpa.

Today it is rare to find many California divers who smoke. On boats that I've been on that allow it, it is done towards the stern of the boat where the smoke blends in with the diesel fumes. I have little problem with that and most here seem to respect it. I've traveled in many places where smoking is more common (Asia, Europe) and have found that courtesy is not always present in smokers there.

Living on a small tourism-based island, it is interesting to note that I can always tell if a cruise ship is in town by the number of smokers, many of them rather inconsiderate about where they light up.

 

[DevonDiver]

Ban smoking and ban the obese..... both a danger to themselves and others, especially when diving. Or don't.... and mind your own business.

 

[KeithG]

Ban smoking and ban the obese..... both a danger to themselves and others, especially when diving. Or don't.... and mind your own business.

Smoking becomes "my business" as soon as they exhale.

I do not mind the obese unless they are blocking my way to the buffet.

 

[wedivebc]

This is a 21st century problem. As other have alluded to, smoking was much more common a couple of decades ago. In fact the smell of smoke was ever present in most public locations 20 years ago and most people hardly noticed. I was in a bar the other night and the smell of tobacco smoke wafted in from the door outside and several heads started twisting, looking for the culprit.
Boats in Asia seem to have more smokers than in North America.

 

[cb5150]

I'll take a dive boat with polite smokers on the stern anyday over a dive boat with tobacco dippers who spit in trash cans and/or leave their friggin' spit cups laying around.

 

[261311]

For what it counts as I can barely breathe if I've just finished my diving and have to breathe in smoke. It chokes me up in such a powerful way because my lungs are so sensitive from the dry hair and working over time to get the humidity back when I'm out of the water. I'd probably count myself as one of those people who would ask everyone to at least stand down wind on a boat. I'm also a pretty avid "anti-smoker" though even though I was raised with two chain smoking parents; not blaming them but this may have played into my discontent for it. It stops being your right when you're infringing on mine for clean air, kill yourself privately, sure but in front of non-smokers, it's just annoying and painful to say the least. I don't have a problem with smoking, people can do what they wish privately. If every smoker enjoyed a scent free, nontoxic exhaust stick to themselves, that's when I'd be encouraging smoking. Until then, you can't "know the effects" of what you're making others put up with until you become a non smoker and deal with someone who thinks you're being an ass asking them to stand down wind or suggests you quitting after hearing you hack up a quart of blood and half a lung. I relate this to the enjoyment of a hobby, I enjoy moderately healthy living and I think after hearing that, others would too. I get the addiction and the habit, I don't understand the ruthless attitude for everyone else to just "deal with it" (I also recognize there are polite smokers, they're just few and far between in my experience).

 

[rmh84]

I don't think I've ever been on a dive boat with a smoker - either in FL or Bonaire where I've done most of my boat diving. That said, I would probably not care all that much as long as it wasn't blown specifically in my face, or in an enclosed area.

I agree wholeheartedly though about not chucking the butts in the ocean - YUCK! I'll chuck fruit peels or crusts of bread overboard - butts however are non-biodregradeable trash.