Best Dive Op Kauai?

[odysseybird]

concerning our recent dives with bubbles below -- june 2008...

i do believe that if a power inflater gets "stuck" it would be traumatizing for any diver. being shot to the surface due to faulty equipment is the last thing you would expect to happen when you dive with a reputable company. at least worthy of a conversation with the diver to discuss the details. a dm with more experience would perhaps even use this as a teaching opportunity to discuss ways to "rescue" yourself if this were to happen again -- and at least check-in to see if the diver was shaken up at all by the experience. rather than ignore that it happened.

as far as diving experience, i was told having an advanced open water certification and many dives in both honduras and thailand was sufficient for the diving we would be doing around niihau. we had also dove 4 times in kauai that week before joining your charter. i not sure how logging more dives would have prepared me differently for a defective inflater.
i do agree that being a responsible diver means assessing your comfort level realistically before you leap into the water. it is a leap of faith to use equipment you do not purchase and maintain yourself. lesson learned.
i too, know that you and your employees are good people, and wish you all the best and safest diving all over the world.

 

[Teamcasa]

concerning our recent dives with bubbles below -- june 2008...

i do believe that if a power inflater gets "stuck" it would be traumatizing for any diver. being shot to the surface due to faulty equipment is the last thing you would expect to happen when you dive with a reputable company. ...

Two things jump out at me here. One, I use my own gear when diving, that way I’m the only one to blame if it’s not functioning properly. Also I check my gear carefully before jumping in. Secondly, the fact that a stuck inflator traumatized you clearly demonstrates you should not be on a dive at Niihau where careful buoyancy is not to be taken lightly.

...was sufficient for the diving we would be doing around niihau.

Secondly, the fact that a stuck inflator traumatized you clearly demonstrates you should not be on a dive at Niihau where careful buoyancy is not to be taken lightly.

Niihau has steep walls and many times you are over a bottom that is hundreds of feet deep. Our dives there were mostly in the 70-110 fsw range and should you not be able to get a run away inflator under control by yourself, you would be in serious trouble.

Keep in mind you are doing deep dives, some are live boat drops and long drifts dives. All are a three hour boat ride from shore. A shore that does NOT have an operational chamber. The nearest operational chamber (and the Coast Guard) is on Oahu.

Niihau is an amazing, stunning dive but it is by no means an easy one that a newly minted or vacation diver should do. I don’t find fault in Bubbles Below requiring a check-out dive for those divers that don’t have or can’t demonstrate the experience needed for this dive.

Here is a video of my dive there last week. Link

 

[Instr.x]

concerning our recent dives with bubbles below -- june 2008...

a dm with more experience would perhaps even use this as a teaching opportunity to discuss ways to "rescue" yourself if this were to happen again --

Disconnecting your LPI (Low pressure inflator) IS part of your Open water training. You should already have this base knowledge