Almost left at a Reef

[StSomewhere]

Thanks for showing up here on SB and adding your side to the story.

Because the diver did not ascend, I started the engines to get the diver's attention - a method I've found far more effective than ladder banging.

I can't speak to the actual events but I'd like to respond to what you said above. As a still fairly new diver myself, I'd like to be told in the dive briefing that your signal was to start the engines. It seems like that would probably go a long way toward preventing misunderstandings. My two cents.

 

[JustJoe]

Welcome to ScubaBoard Capt. Greg. Thanks for your side of the story.

I will say that I agree with you about speaking your mind when something happens. I firmly believe that if you do not say anything to the people involved, you should probably keep it to yourself.

Joe

 

[dkramer]

Hello Capt. Greg,

Yes, I do agree, the diver should have made his displeasure known to you at the time. Then, perhaps, you would have been able to resolve the problem amongst yourselves.

I do have 2 comments to make, though. As a teacher, who has taken many students on field trips, I would strongly recommend doing a roll call. I believe it could be called CYA. That way not only are you aware that everyone is there but, also, everyone on board is aware, that you are aware.

My other comment is in reference to starting the boat as a recall signal. Now, I do not claim to be a master diver. I'm still rather new to the sport but I have done some diving in the Keys. I do dive regularly in an area where there can be a bit of boat traffic. Had I been the diver down & you had started the boat, without my knowing that it was a recall signal, I would have headed to the bottom. A banging ladder would have caused me to look up to the boat, but a starting motor would have sent me down until I was positive that the prop was not engaged. Not that you ever engaged prop, nor do I believe you ever intended to. That's just how I would have reacted.

 

[Puck]

Captain Edkins,

Thanks for taking the time to give us your side of the story. It sounds like a little misunderstanding mixed with a bit of miscommunication a dash of habit and just enough rule strecthing to make it read like a brittish farce. I am glad to know that everyone made it back to the boat and maybe all of us have a better understaning of how to act in the same situation -- listen and follow the dive briefing, roll calls, et all. I hope to have the chance to dive on your boat in a few weeks. I am easy to remember -- I'll be the guy with the snorkel.

 

[DennisW]

I, too appreciate hearing both sides of the story. Thanks Capt. Greg.

I do not agree with your not taking a roll call. If I was organizing a trip on your boat and you didn't do one, I would. And I would insist that I complete the roll call before we left the dive site. Memories are wonderful, but they are tenuous at best, especially the older we get.

 

[jviehe]

Greg, thanks for clearing up the details. Since this is your first post on here, please be aware that we are all a bunch of cyber divers and dont mean to sound as bad as we sometimes do (it comes from dry brain syndrome). You are right that when an incident happens, both parties should discuss it to find out what really happened, as perception is often different from reality.

Hopefully the diver in question's concerns have been alleviated and weve learned something about what the captain and customers go through.

 

[JustJoe]

I do not agree with your not taking a roll call. If I was organizing a trip on your boat and you didn't do one, I would. And I would insist that I complete the roll call before we left the dive site. Memories are wonderful, but they are tenuous at best, especially the older we get.

I am jumping on the me too bandwagon. If the crew of a boat I was on did not take a roll call (unless there were only a few divers, 6 or less) then I would not use the boat again. There are many reasons to do this verbally and the most important part is the peace of mind associated with knowing that the crew WILL account for me as a diver.

Joe

 

[DiverCatherine]

I was not on the dive Sunday so I can not comment directly on the events that happened.

I can't comment on any mistakes made or not made on that trip. I have a lot of experience with Captain Greg and with the Florida Keys Dive Center.

In fact, I have been on at least 30 to 40 dives with the Florida Keys Dive Center and most with Capt. Greg. I can say that Greg does memorize every name and face. I can even say that after a few months of non-diving with them, Greg remembers peoples names. I also feel it is important to say that he has done a roll call on every dive I have been on. I have seen Capt. Greg go to the aid of a diver in serious trouble by jumping in the water with a rope tied around his waste to get a diver back to the boat. There is no perfect captain, no perfect diver and no perfect shop BUT, I have and will continue to trust my life to this Captain. I will continue to use the Florida Keys Dive Center. Roll call is a must. I believe Capt. Greg knew the diver was in the water as he states in his response.

BUT, lets learn from this, and if roll call wasn't done out loud so that everyone could hear the names being checked off....just do it from now on.

 

[gpatton]

It is good that the capt from FKDC clarified the incident in question.

However, leaving people on the reef happens much too often..

FKDC has all these contacts with diver, identifying all the divers responsibilities...

DiveRelease.pdf 76k
EnrollmentAgreement.pdf 68k
GroupWelcomeLetter.pdf 58k
MedicalStatement.pdf 46k
Snorkel-Releas.pdf 64k

http://www.floridakeysdivectr.com/downloads.htm

So, Maybe the all of us divers need to get together and create a divers contract that the dive shop personnel have to sign that identifies the dive shop responsibilities and requires them to do x, y, and z - and oh, by the way make sure I am back in the boat before the boat leaves the dive site.. I don't thing that is too much to ask...

Sometimes relationship with Dive Shops seems like a one-way street....

Glenn

 

[drbill]

The captain's explanation certainly does clarify this situation a bit (thank you). I know of other boats which will start their engines as a signal if a diver is still in the water. However, as I believe Rick pointed out, this should be made clear in the dive briefing.

If I am told that dive time is a maximum of 60 min., I will make use of that time fully since the more bottom time I get, the greater the chance of getting good video footage. If others surface in less than the limit, that is not an issue that should affect my "down" time as long as I stay within the defined parameters set in the briefing.

As for CADiver not surfacing with his buddy, I think the dive operator has a legitimate issue here. Unless I'm diving with a known buddy, I always ask the operator before I enter the water if I can stay in the water should my assigned buddy surface early. Although I do not travel with my trusty pony bottle, like CADiver I would feel much more comfortable if I did when diving with unknown buddies.

Fortunately the boats I dive with here allow me to dive as a solo diver. I do understand and accept the rules of boats that do not allow such practices. When I'm diving in a new area with a new operator, they don't know my capabilities and I respect their desire to have me abide by the same rules as others.

Dr. Bill