Caribbean DMs: Do you care if someone doesn't want your tour?

[boulderjohn]

flots am describes my idea of a great dive. However, when Debbie and I want to "do our own thing" I always clear it in advance by showing my DM credentials AND my current DM insurance card. With the presentation of those things, I have only rely been denied the privilege of "leading my own dive." There are really three components: professional credential, insurance, and a buddy. There are plenty of dive concessions that will let you dive your own profile without professional credentials or insurance, but all that I know will want you to have a buddy. If you are "stuck" on a tour, it is because that is what you signed up for. Talk to the operator before the dive and your will probably improve your experience on the dive.
DivemasterDennis

In general, I have found that to be true. I went through a lot of really boring dives before I truly learned to scout things out ahead of time and make sure it would not happen to me.

I have never taken a cruise, but from what I understand, it is harder to get to that situation where they know you enough to trust you when you are diving off of a cruise. You have to do more careful advance planning. Frequently cruise shops arrange very basic dives for their customers, and if you want something different, you have to deal with it ahead of time carefully.

Finally, I hope that the dive professionals who keep insisting that the smart thing to do is to show an OW card rather than their professional card will think about that when they complain about being trapped on a basic OW dive without be getting a chance to dive at their levels of ability.

 

[Doubler]

I haven't been on a dive boat yet that didn't make you sign a waiver that eliminates all responsibility for the dive op in case of any issue no matter how small or large. So the " legal Responsibility" argument seems silly to me as they all bale at the first sign of trouble waving the Waiver as a shield. I would rather not dive then be led around by the nose by a DM that brings pod people through overhead environments, to depths deeper than they should go, that ignores low air signals etc. Much rather the boat where the DM stays aboard and let's me do what I want.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I do almost entirely cold water diving, and do quite a bit of it. However I end up in the tropics once or twice a year on a cruise because non-diving friends and family want to go "someplace warm".

This generally means I end up on a boat dive with a bunch of random strangers, and a DM or two that plan on leading a tour.

The problem is that I don't like tours. I don't want to see the pet eel, or swim though the remains of a wreck that you go through three times a day. I want to drop down the mooring line, wander over to a chunk of coral and wait for stuff to come out and say "Hello." I'm perfectly happy to watch a 10' square patch of reef for the entire time you're leading around the rest of the group.

Do you really care if someone doesn't want to "follow the leader"?

flots.

I think where you go in the Caribbean has a great deal to do with the answer you'll get.

In Bonaire I think even out on the boats it's pretty much a "go with us if you want to" attitude. In Cozumel, it's more of a "stay with the guide" mentality. Conditions have a lot to do with it ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)