Aquanauts CDC Pattaya, Course Director Roger Smith EXPELLED from PADI

[Connor McB]

they cleaned up the shop as PADI made them remove all PADI related materials asap.. so it should have been empty for a while..
the shop has been sold recently to the other CDC in Pattaya, Mermaids,
so it means they will have a lot of locations to work from now then.. Jomtien and North/Central Pattaya.

the websites are not updated yet to this sale i see

mermaids published the acquisition of the 2 shops - soi 6 and former Aquanauts shop in Centara hotel

[url]http://www.mermaidsdivecenter.com/mermaids-announce-the-acquisition-of-two-dive-centers/ [/URL]

 

[lord khram]

This day has been long overdue, good riddance to one of the worst dive operators I have ever had the misfortune to come into contact with.

Not only the Aquanauts name, lets hope its also the end in Pattaya / Thailand for the Owners / operators of the old Aquanauts shop.

 

[Colsom]

they cleaned up the shop as PADI made them remove all PADI related materials asap.. so it should have been empty for a while..
the shop has been sold recently to the other CDC in Pattaya, Mermaids,
so it means they will have a lot of locations to work from now then.. Jomtien and North/Central Pattaya.

the websites are not updated yet to this sale i see

While I lived there in 2006 I had the opportunity to experience life in both Schools, I did my IDC up to MSDT with Aquanauts and then did my Staff Instructor with Mermaids and did a couple of IDC’s as staff for experience with Mermaids. I also had the pleasure of getting to know Steve Blumenthel before he was taken from us too soon, RIP Steve. He was a lovely man. I know the people that took over after Steve, if it’s the same crew I am glad for them and I wish them well.
I posted an honest report about the two schools after coming home to help any perspective candidates with information if they could not choose between the two schools. It was at that time ex Aquanauts truly pinned his flag to the post. Any way they have gone, to be honest the whole thing leaves a bad taste in my mouth as back in 2006 I should have maybe made a report out to PADI about breach of standards that I knew about. I choose not to for my own reasons and possibly because for a short period of time I had the wool pulled over my eyes.

 

[Ex-Aquanaut]

Colin "Colsom" Stuart, 2009:

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ne...96-training-thailand-pattaya.html#post2326041

 

[Zippsy]

Damn, doesn't water ever go under a bridge?

 

[lord khram]

Damn, doesn't water ever go under a bridge?

Of course 'water passes under the bridge', but people do not forget about their experiences. What is wrong with people posting about their past experiences both good and bad for others to learn from? Is that not the whole idea of such internet forums? I for one wish I had known more about Aquanauts prior to booking with them. Should the ex owners of this very unprofessionally run company set up again, either in Pattaya, Thailand or elsewhere, why should their reputation not go with them?

When I reported about numerous serious faults I had experienced with Aquanauts in the past, I seem to remember countless 'dive professionals' (ex Aquanaut included) telling me how wrong I was, and what a wonderfull professionally run company Aquanauts was, even though not one of them had any actual knowledge or personal experience of the day concerned. I would be interested to hear from some of those 'dive proffesionals', now that aquanauts have been shown for what they really were, I feel they are all conspicuous by their absence from this thread.

Personally, 'water under the bridge' or not. I would rather read on this forum about factual experiences from divers, rather than a lot of mutual back slapping amongst dive professionals, which used to happen on a very frequent basis.

 

[Uli Kunkel]

When I reported about numerous serious faults I had experienced with Aquanauts in the past, I seem to remember countless 'dive professionals' (ex Aquanaut included) telling me how wrong I was, and what a wonderfull professionally run company Aquanauts was, even though not one of them had any actual knowledge or personal experience of the day concerned. I would be interested to hear from some of those 'dive proffesionals', now that aquanauts have been shown for what they really were, I feel they are all conspicuous by their absence from this thread.

Personally, 'water under the bridge' or not. I would rather read on this forum about factual experiences from divers, rather than a lot of mutual back slapping amongst dive professionals, which used to happen on a very frequent basis.

The problem, as I seem to recall from my lurking days, is that you went on your own crusade against ALL dive operators, and professionals. Pardon me if I am wrong, but thats how I saw it.

Its one thing being able to post about your own experience; but then not to listen to anything the DC or "pros" say is a bit hypocritical.

 

[lord khram]

The problem, as I seem to recall from my lurking days, is that you went on your own crusade against ALL dive operators, and professionals. Pardon me if I am wrong, but thats how I saw it.

Its one thing being able to post about your own experience; but then not to listen to anything the DC or "pros" say is a bit hypocritical.

Not at all, yes I voiced my opinions about several DC's in Pattaya, one of which is still unfortunately in operation, I would love to see them go the same way as Aquanauts. Also yes, I had a go at the relentless posts telling me how wrong I was, virtually all the posts I had a go at were from 'dive pro's' who had absolutely no knowledge of the situations I complained about, but kept telling me I was wrong. I felt then and still feel now my actions were completely justified, particularly in light of recent events relating to Aquanauts, it was never intended as a crusade, I was simply reporting actual malpractice to which I had been witness.

Also, I didn't say in my post that I didn't listen to anything from dive pro's or DC's, quite the contrerary, I value rational balanced advice from where ever it comes. What I objected to was all the mutual and self praise amongst the dive pro's on this forum at the time, particularly when quite clearly some of it was coming from those that were not doing a particularly good job.

As far as Aquanauts shop is concerned, all irelevant now, lets hope it stays that way and the previous owners stay away from diving, although I somehow doubt that will happen.

 

[penguintom]

Not at all, yes I voiced my opinions about several DC's in Pattaya, one of which is still unfortunately in operation, I would love to see them go the same way as Aquanauts. Also yes, I had a go at the relentless posts telling me how wrong I was, virtually all the posts I had a go at were from 'dive pro's' who had absolutely no knowledge of the situations I complained about, but kept telling me I was wrong. I felt then and still feel now my actions were completely justified, particularly in light of recent events relating to Aquanauts, it was never intended as a crusade, I was simply reporting actual malpractice to which I had been witness.

Which DC are you refering to here? I had some really bad experiences myself with one shop in Pattaya. I went to Dive South East Asia, after my first not so good Pattaya dive with Aquanauts, and unfortunately jumped straight from the frying pan into the fire.

 

[lord khram]

Which DC are you refering to here? I had some really bad experiences myself with one shop in Pattaya. I went to Dive South East Asia, after my first not so good Pattaya dive with Aquanauts, and unfortunately jumped straight from the frying pan into the fire.

Yes it was. Things seem to follow the same general theme in Pattaya Lets hope they go the same way as Aquanauts. By far the worst 2 DC's I have ever experienced.