Boat captain encouraging wreck penetration

[boulderjohn]

I have told this story before that I heard from a veteran diver, so you can skip it if you have seen it already.

It was 1967 (I may be a year off), and the diver was preparing for an exciting week of diving on a boat in Australia. The captain demanded to see everyone's certification card. The diver did not have one. The captain said he could not dive. He argued, saying his father had taught him to dive when he was only 7 years old, and he had done thousands of dives without certification since then. Nope. No card, no dive.

Fortunately, the crew talked the captain into making an exception in this one case, and he got to dive. As soon as he got back home to California, he went to PADI and got a C-card, which he was still carrying in his wallet when he told us the story. He never wanted to go through that again, so from then on he always had a C-card with him.

His name was Jean-Michel Cousteau, the second human being to ever use a Cousteau-Gagnon scuba regulator.

 

[Storker]

That is quite surprising to me. I don't think I have ever been able to get a tank on my back without filling in a form with my cert number and showing my card. I've been diving for far less time than you; perhaps you are very well known.

Most of the times I need a fill (or anything else dive-related) I've never been asked for a card. But then, most of my diving is local and all the local clubs and LDSs know that I'm certified (insert joke here).

When I travel abroad to dive, I'm prepared to present whatever documentation the OP requires to allow me on the boat. Whether it's a c-card, a log or a doctor's certificate.

 

[kafkaland]

@stretchthepenn
Instruction was to be back on boat with 500. As I didn't know instrabuddy's air consumption, I told her turn pressure was 1000.

As your instabudy, this would likely rub me the wrong way. Instead of being told what my turn pressure is, I'd expect a conversation along the lines of "Me: To be back on the boat with 500, and both of us to be able to ascend safely, I'd like to be back on the anchor line with XXX, or with more than X min of NDL remaining. You: I'd like to have a little more of a margin - can we make it YYY? Me: Sure, YYY it is. Let's have fun and enjoy!"

 

[TMHeimer]

If they know me obviously no showing of card. Some places asked for it at the shop beforehand and in one case you showed the DM at the dock. Both cases for paperwork procedures. No,I can't recall
a Capt. requesting it for whatever that's worth here.

 

[Marie13]

As your instabudy, this would likely rub me the wrong way. Instead of being told what my turn pressure is, I'd expect a conversation along the lines of "Me: To be back on the boat with 500, and both of us to be able to ascend safely, I'd like to be back on the anchor line with XXX, or with more than X min of NDL remaining. You: I'd like to have a little more of a margin - can we make it YYY? Me: Sure, YYY it is. Let's have fun and enjoy!"

Instabuddy had just under 20 dives. Excuse me for being extra conservative and careful, which appear to be four letter words.

 

[Dizzi Lizzi]

At just under 20 dives I know I would have appreciated Marie's suggestion, and would have thanked her.

edit: though I admit I might have wanted just a little bit more cushion...

 

[Storker]

Instabuddy had just under 20 dives. Excuse me for being extra conservative and careful, which appear to be four letter words.

Just as an MHO: you might get better traction for your opinions if you were a little bit less snarky in your responses.

Sugar, vinegar, flies...

 

[kafkaland]

Instabuddy had just under 20 dives. Excuse me for being extra conservative and careful, which appear to be four letter words.

I think you missed my point: I was saying that dive planning is a collaborative exercise of the team, no matter whether someone has as few as 20 or 100 or as many as several thousand of dives to their name. It has to be a discussion, and in the end, the plan everyone is comfortable with, usually the most conservative one, prevails. Just telling a buddy "your turn pressure is XXX 'cause I have more dives than you" does a disservice to everyone.

 

[Marie13]

Just as an MHO: you might get better traction for your opinions if you were a little bit less snarky in your responses.

Sugar, vinegar, flies...

Doesn't matter how I respond.

 

[Dizzi Lizzi]

SMH