AquaSafari
- Thread starter teknitroxdiver
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I am willing to put money on it that the captain simply didn't see the dive flag until he was on top of it. I can't imagine any dive boat captain intentionally running over a dive flag.
cicopo
Contributor
Yes I am saying that the boat captain DIDN't intentionally run it down based on whether or not they were using park waters legally. He couldn't have known one way or the other, and therefore in my way of thinking would not be approaching it for such a reason or excuse. One posibility I have thought of which is unclear to me is was it a flag? If so it might have been flying straight towards or straight away from the boat making it very hard to see. A sausage is much easier to see, and might have been the difference here re what took place.
I agree, not even on a bad day. I even have a hard time imagining him or his DM being as rude and insensitive as described after the diver approached them. It'll be interesting to hear their version. To act like that in front of your own paying customers certainly isn't the way to make your customers happy and eager to tip. I wouldn't tip a DM who was treating *somebody else* like dirt even if he was friendly to me.
Charlie99
Contributor
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That's my guess too -- that the Captain was distracted while setting up to drop divers and NEVER saw the flag. That's the only thing really consistent (other than attempted homicide) with the OP report that the boat ran over his flag, went 40 more feet, and then backed down nearly running the flag over again.
Also, reading about the exchange between the OP and the boat, my guess is that the Capt either 1) never realized he had run over the flag and was pissed off at this guy that swims out and gives gives him a hard time for no reason, or 2) from where the OP surfaced, the Captain realized that he must have ran over the flag and was so worried and upset that he reacted inappropriately.
======================================================
Almost all accidents, whether automobile, aviation, scuba or whatever, have several things that go wrong in order for the accident to occur. In this case, it sounds like the Captain screwed up, but luckily the divers stayed submerged and nobody was hurt.
scuba_guy62
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This has been quite an interesting read so far and given my first ever diving in Coz over 15 years ago was with Aqua Safari and they had a great reputation then as they seem to now makes me wonder wherein lie all the facts as to what actually did happen and what was said.
I wonder if anyone who was a diver on the boat in question will chime in with what they witnessed as I am sure that both sides to the story will have their own unique perception of what was said and what happened. I am also sure that in each of their minds this is actually what happened from their perspective.
The one thing I have noticed in 15 plus years of diving around the world is that it tends to be a very testosterone driven environment (no offence to the female operators/dive guides as I think you bring much to the table) and quite often common sense goes out the window when males interact and authority is challenged.
.I have also noticed on one or two trips in Coz. with another big and fairly well respected operator that not everyone they employ acts as the good ambassadors for their company that they perhaps could all the time.
On those occasions it was pointed out to me on commenting that they were not what I expected in quality of service that the individuals were from another state and neither Islanders or from Q.Roo.
I did notice a change in behaviour after their colleagues had a talk with them and the "propinas" was not all that it could have been given the service.
We all have bad days and we all have different perspectives, and quite literally different perspectives when floating on the surface we can see many more boats than can initially see us.
I do suspect that the owner of Aqua Safari will stand behind his employees if he feels he needs to but he is also a very successful operator and a long time operator so I also suspect that he will try and come up with a satisfactory resolve.
As I mentioned at the start it would be interesting to hear a few more accounts from both sides of the same incident to fill in some of the blanks and given the amount of trips that go out in Coz. it is a credit to all the dive professionals on the island that this and other negative encounters are a rarity.
I wonder if anyone who was a diver on the boat in question will chime in with what they witnessed as I am sure that both sides to the story will have their own unique perception of what was said and what happened. I am also sure that in each of their minds this is actually what happened from their perspective.
The one thing I have noticed in 15 plus years of diving around the world is that it tends to be a very testosterone driven environment (no offence to the female operators/dive guides as I think you bring much to the table) and quite often common sense goes out the window when males interact and authority is challenged.
.I have also noticed on one or two trips in Coz. with another big and fairly well respected operator that not everyone they employ acts as the good ambassadors for their company that they perhaps could all the time.
On those occasions it was pointed out to me on commenting that they were not what I expected in quality of service that the individuals were from another state and neither Islanders or from Q.Roo.
I did notice a change in behaviour after their colleagues had a talk with them and the "propinas" was not all that it could have been given the service.
We all have bad days and we all have different perspectives, and quite literally different perspectives when floating on the surface we can see many more boats than can initially see us.
I do suspect that the owner of Aqua Safari will stand behind his employees if he feels he needs to but he is also a very successful operator and a long time operator so I also suspect that he will try and come up with a satisfactory resolve.
As I mentioned at the start it would be interesting to hear a few more accounts from both sides of the same incident to fill in some of the blanks and given the amount of trips that go out in Coz. it is a credit to all the dive professionals on the island that this and other negative encounters are a rarity.
TheUWPhotographer.com
Guest
I just stumbled across this post and I am really amazed at what I'm reading.
I've been to Cozumel 29 times and am planning my big 30 in March. I've dived with Aqua Safari on hundreds of dives, on every one of their boats many times. I know every person who works there, from the maintenance guys to the owner Bill, and all the boat captains too. Some of their boat captains have worked with them since before a lot of you were born. In my diving experience I have never once, ever witnessed then do anything to put a diver in danger or at risk. I have referred many, many friends to them and will continue to do so.
When I read the words described in this alleged conversation, my first reaction was that I don't know anybody at Aqua Safari who would talk like that. Especially that boat captain doesn't speak English quite that well. Also, in your picture there are no divers on board. If that photo was taken when you said it was then where are all the divers getting into the water after the DM said "Come on, we're descending now." Besides, one might think you would have a whole boatload of witnesses. Your picture looks to me like just another beautiful sunny day in Cozumel. By the way, according to Picasa that photo was uploaded on June 17, 2007. When are you claiming this happened??
What creates even more concern is that the person who posted this on these public forums, picked C D N N Scuba Forum as one of them! Nobody posts there unless you intend to do some serious damage. What's next? The National Enquirer?
Lastly, if I were ever in a confrontation like the one described here the first thing I would do is report the incident to the authorities and let them take the appropriate action, rather than trying to spawn a public lynching based on one person's perception of what might or might not have happened.
Something just isn't right with this picture. I simple don't believe it.
Bonnie Pelnar
I've been to Cozumel 29 times and am planning my big 30 in March. I've dived with Aqua Safari on hundreds of dives, on every one of their boats many times. I know every person who works there, from the maintenance guys to the owner Bill, and all the boat captains too. Some of their boat captains have worked with them since before a lot of you were born. In my diving experience I have never once, ever witnessed then do anything to put a diver in danger or at risk. I have referred many, many friends to them and will continue to do so.
When I read the words described in this alleged conversation, my first reaction was that I don't know anybody at Aqua Safari who would talk like that. Especially that boat captain doesn't speak English quite that well. Also, in your picture there are no divers on board. If that photo was taken when you said it was then where are all the divers getting into the water after the DM said "Come on, we're descending now." Besides, one might think you would have a whole boatload of witnesses. Your picture looks to me like just another beautiful sunny day in Cozumel. By the way, according to Picasa that photo was uploaded on June 17, 2007. When are you claiming this happened??
What creates even more concern is that the person who posted this on these public forums, picked C D N N Scuba Forum as one of them! Nobody posts there unless you intend to do some serious damage. What's next? The National Enquirer?
Lastly, if I were ever in a confrontation like the one described here the first thing I would do is report the incident to the authorities and let them take the appropriate action, rather than trying to spawn a public lynching based on one person's perception of what might or might not have happened.
Something just isn't right with this picture. I simple don't believe it.
Bonnie Pelnar
OP
teknitroxdiver
Contributor
1. I took that picture a few minutes after the exchange between myself and the divemaster. All his divers were under the water at that point. If you actually read my whole story, you would know that "come on, we're descending now", took place well before the end of the conversation.
2. What is C D N N Scuba Forum? Please post a link.
EDIT: After a quick google search I learned what that forum is. I assure you I am not a member there. I have thus far been unable to find any trace of anything about AquaSafari there. I challenge you to produce proof that anything about this even exists on that webpage.
Thank you for calling me a liar. Please get your facts straight before you do it again.
Since you edited your post to add some more, I'll do the same:
I can't see that anywhere on there. The only date I see is to the right of the picture where it says "Jan 11, 2008"
UnderSeaBumbleBee
Contributor
http://www*****. /forums/scuba_diving_safety/scuba_diving_safety_22.html
where you see those ***** type in the following: s {without the space} cuba-forum.com
Posted the story so many places you forgot them all? There is the above link to your post from the C D N and N the forum you posted on is theirs. Is it coming back to you now?
I am starting to not believe your story laddy. If you don't even know the places you are posting, how can we believe that you know what happened out in the water???
where you see those ***** type in the following: s {without the space} cuba-forum.com
Posted the story so many places you forgot them all? There is the above link to your post from the C D N and N the forum you posted on is theirs. Is it coming back to you now?
I am starting to not believe your story laddy. If you don't even know the places you are posting, how can we believe that you know what happened out in the water???
TheUWPhotographer.com
Guest
I will not support those cyber-terrorists by linking to them. You're going to have to find it yourself. Its your story with your name on it. NOT a good website to be affiliated with if you're hoping to have any credibility at all.
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