How about the People we meet on the dive boats?

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My favorite was:
Diver: where you from?
Me: West Virginia.
Diver: Washington, thats far.
Me: Yes, yes it is.
 
I always talk with the other divers on the boat about what they and I do the rest of the time. I am an electrical engineer and a musician, and a few years ago I met a guy who was also both of those things. He was an engineer at IBM and a guitarist. In our talking I found out that he was the guitarist on Van Morrisson's Brown Eyed Girl. I asked him if he got residuals. He said no, he was an engineer at IBM. :D

He got paid a flat $500 for the session.
 
It's always an experience to say they least. On almost every trip there's the guy with all the bells and whistles. He usually doesn't know where to put all his stuff but is sure he's going to need it so he ends up looking like a Christmas tree with gear hanging everywhere. Then there's the guy who loves to talk about ALL the dives they've made. They will try to corner you and tell you how this one time in blah blah blah he saw ya da ya da. #coolstorybro However, the guy I most gravitate to is the old timer who's still diving his Aqua Lung backpack with UDT fins. I love hearing about how things once were and how resourceful people were back in the early days of diving.
 
I'm very lucky to live close to one of the top rated dive spots in the world, the Poor Knights Islands, New Zealand, a dive tourist magnet.
Hence, get to meet a lot of interesting people from all over the world.

I've buddied with an ex marine fighter pilot with real world experience who used a missile I helped design, a manufacturer of ROV's, two professional international underwater videographers, free spirits traveling the world trying to make enough money to keep diving, etc.

It's not hard to start a conversation with strangers on a dive boat. The skippers here are trained to get people to laugh and relax within minutes of boarding so they open up easily and enjoy their experience more.
 
But that is part of the fun being close to those you dive with. Somewhat unlike about liv-a-boards, but at Scuba Club and Aldora-- one can easily actually get away from the from the real bores.

Dave Dillehay
Aldora Diver
 
I have had many dives where nothing was discussed other than diving. Which is great. I have met some interesting people diving, fishing, etc. and I enjoy finding out what they do. It is up to them and what they want to volunteer. To quote an instabuddy on a boat in the Keys when I asked him did he care who led? His reply was "at home I tell several hundred people what to do every day. I am on vacation. You lead and make the decisions." Further discussion after the dive was about the pair of big eagle rays that swam past us.
 
Over the years, on various liveaboard trips in British Columbia, and several trips to Cozumel, I have met many interesting people from all walks of life. Doctors, specialized surgeons, fighter pilots, teachers, dry cleaners, dive shop owners, nurses, gun shop owners, and retired people to name just a few. Every person is unique, and has a story to tell.

As Dave says above, in some places like Aldora or Scuba Club, you have space to get away from the bores, while on a live aboard you are stuck with them for the duration. On the first liveaboard I was on, there was a convenience store owner. He made one dive during the whole week, and drank the rest of the trip - his choice. There was an instructor who brought his girlfriend - she was a new diver, and he would not let her dive most of the sites - they were "too difficult" for a newbie.

When I go on a trip, it is all about the diving, and meeting new people. I still have contact with some of the people I have met, and have become very good friends with them, even though they live several provinces to the east. We are getting together again next March, for another two week adventure in Cozumel. :thumb:

Divegoose
 
My dive buddy told me he once had this conversation after BP Deepwater Horizon explosion. He was the one being asked for his job.

Q: What do you do for living?
A: Oh, I am retired.
Q: How about before retirement?
A: Uh, you don't want to know.
Q: No, I want to know.
A: Ok, I worked for oil industry.
Q: Which one?
A: You really don't want to know.
Q: I really want to know.
A: I work for BP.
Q: What is your position?
A: You really, really don't want to know.
Q: No, I really, really want to know.
A: I was a safety engineer.
Q:........
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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