AquaSafari

[Christi]

I think a lot of us learned the hard way the dangers in replying to a post before reading all the thread. It's just that typically the foot in mouth is less dramatic and more trivial.

It's easy to start reading a thread and see a post for which we feel a need to respond. We want to reply right then while it's fresh on our mind even though there are many posts still to read. Don't. When coming into a conversation late it's better to listen for awhile. Chances are what we were going to say has already been said or things have changed to make our reply irrelevant or inappropriate. Incorrect information gets corrected pretty quickly, offensive remarks get called out promptly, disputes get resolved, etc.

Well stated.

 

[kckid]

Yes, of course you're right I was just a little floored, but at least he admitted it...I think this thread has had 99 lives...haha!

Boo on me and I'll take my beating for not reading. I still stand by the statement that "if" it occurred like it was posted, an apology would not be enough for me. But it wasn't done to me so I will just S T F U and move on...

 

[augie]

This thread should be required reading for a sociology class...

 

[TheUWPhotographer.com]

The past couple of days I've been on jury duty and see an interesting analogy.

In this felony case a 25 year old Mexican man was being charged with seven counts of rape of a minor. When the judge read the charges the audience gasped. I got really angry and sympathetic for the victim, and was all ready to blow off my dive trip to Socorro next week on the Solmar V to be on this jury so I could make sure the guy got his due punishment! As we sat through the 2-day jury selection process we had plenty of time to speculate what probably happened. And we did!

One fellow prospective juror was a director in a children's center. He told me that many years ago he had been falsely accused of molesting a child in the center by the child's part-time mother. After spending tens of thousands of dollars to prove so, it came out in court that the mother was a homeless drug addict and was just trying to get money out of the guy. This man's spotless reputation was now marred for life. He was financially ruined and hurt beyond description by the charges. He pointed out to me that perhaps the charges against this Mexican man could have a similar background. His story certainly changed my mind and made me realize that I wasn't in any position to judge at this point. I wasn't there. I didn't know what happened. People do exaggerate, lie and exploit the media to defend their side of the story. No, I am not accusing anyone HERE of this, so please don't accuse me of that. I'm merely pointing this out in the above case.

The moral of my story? Be careful when you point the finger. Especially in a public forum like this. By doing so you are asking us to be the judge, jury and executioners, which is exactly what everyone here has done, including me. This is not a trail. From the get-go, this was not the right way to resolve such an issue. It appears as though the parties involved had settled things between themselves, which is how it should have been done in the first place. So why do you all continue to argue?

I was not selected for this jury and I'm going diving next week! Which is what you all should be doing too.

 

[The Chairman]

IMO, the most important lesson in this thread will not be about the incident itself, but about how unfair and damaging internet comments can be.

I see the exact opposite. This shows just how HELPFUL the internet can be in resolving these kinds of rumors. This is especially true of ScubaBoard! There are always (at least) two sides to every story. Like the movie just out about the differing perspectives, sometimes there are mitigating circumstances that can make something look WORSE than it is until you get the other side of the story.

Back during the invasion I was appalled to see a government boat go roaring near a group of divers. Later it turned out there was an accident victim aboard his boat. My perspective was FLAWED and I now applaud his actions.

Maybe this thread will eventually promote more reflection and restraint in those who are so quick to castigate others.

It's always best to try to work things out PRIVATELY before you make them public. You shouldn't try to humiliate someone until AFTER you try to resolve things in person! It most often will backfire and they come out looking great and you don't look nearly as reasoned as you would like.

 

[Aqua Safari]

Dr. Plana's prescription for Captain Ernesto Witzil and on the back wrote "does not merit corrective lenses" after speaking to Bill on the phone. Dr. Planas is an opthalmic surgeon who speaks English and her phones are on the prescription.

 

[scubadale]

Like I said "if"...

Maybe they worked it out, that's good for them. I re-read the inital post and from boat driver, to the dive master there was a common theme of "screw you" your in our way.

Whether they worked it out at this point or not, after reading the inital post again I'm just disgusted. I'll take my $1500 somewhere else...

Aqua Safari,

Having him get an eye exam and publishing the results. I'm impressed. I was in a hurry yesterday when I posted so I didn't have a chance to review the entire topic before I went off the cliff. I'm sure I missed a few things. That's what I get for reading the initial post and then responding to it on page 18 or something.

Looks like you are following up on the incident in the nth detail. Let me apologize for not doing my diligence in reading the entire topic before flaming a response.

What is being done is more than an apology. He is posting more details on what other steps are being taken and taking care of business. Yes, if it occurred as stated, I think an apology would not be enough. Whether the actual events that occurred are or aren't as originally posted is another matter. My post was based upon what I had read and I screwed the pooch not going through every post before flaming the guy. My impression was someone who has been here on this board that long would have some level of trust. Now if he had just joined 2 days ago, that would have been a different story. No I don't expect you to accept anything.

Boo on me and I'll take my beating for not reading. I still stand by the statement that "if" it occurred like it was posted, an apology would not be enough for me. But it wasn't done to me so I will just S T F U and move on...

Don't leave us hanging, we want to know if Bill and Aqua Safari are going to get your $1500.

 

[DandyDon]

Don't leave us hanging, we want to know if Bill and Aqua Safari are going to get your $1500.

"sorry we're sold out, like everyone else"

 

[Aqua Safari]

This picture is of Captain Ernesto Witzil holding his Opthalmic prescription.
He was prescribed drops for "incipient tension", but does not need glasses as his vision is 20/20.

Point of interest
Why would I post this picture?
To show you that everyone in the shop has been discussing boats and divers, buoys, Paradise and traffic, and captain's eyesight since Sunday.
It has been a learning experience; not a secret to hide.
When accidents happen in Cozumel, we go out and find out what happened and write it up internally so we don't repeat the same mistake. When something happens on one boat, the lessons learned are shared with the entire team.

Who would be the most interested in Chivo's eyesight?
The divers whose bubbles he follows every day. The divemasters, the instructors.
A couple of clients got into the picture and I have my arm around Sergio Sandoval, a wonderful dive operator and friend who was waiting for a ride from the Aqua Safari dock out to a yacht.

We have all been under a dark cloud since Saturday. My towel is all bloody. This morning when I gashed my lip shaving, I realized I've cut myself every day this week. I'd changed blades thinking it was dull, but today when I really cut myself, finally realised I cannot shave and be thinking about scubaboard, boats and divers, buoys and eyesight.

How do you know when a dive operator is safe?
When a Captain comes in and tells you he has a celebration, a party Friday night, and instead of coming in Saturday in bad shape and a danger to himself and others, asks to switch his day off. That sort of confianza takes years to establish.

The cloud is lifting, I'm beginning to regain my sense of humor, I hear laughter in the shop once again; it's time to write up the incident report.

Saludos from sunny Cozumel,
Aqua Safari
Bill Horn

 

[ReefHound]

So is Bill the one with the sexy boots?

Never mind, what was I just saying about a foot and a mouth and replying too quickly?