Colorado Abyss - would YOU go to them using this photo?

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Its just been sent around Facebook and its a groupon link to "abyss scuba" based in Denver or so it seems. Also known as Englewood learning.

The link is w*w.groupon.com/deals/abyss-scuba-1 (i won't link directly to it as dont want them getting a hit or potential sale out of it).

The picture they're using in all their ads is this:-

Surely this comes across very very poorly for a supposed professional dive centre?

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[boulderjohn]

Interesting, but it might not be their fault.

A while ago I started teaching a course called TecReational Diver. Among other things, it teaches buoyancy, trim, and propulsion skills that are normally introduced in technical diving. For those who do not know what that means, the diver will learn to dive and hover in horizontal position prior to learning more advanced finning techniques. I wrote a nice blurb for it so that the shop with which I am associated could send out an announcement for the class and an initial meeting for it. The person who put out the announcement did not want a drab looking item hitting the email, so he decided it needed a photo. He saw the word "buoyancy" in the description and put in a huge shot of someone doing the Buddha hover--the exact opposite of what the course teaches. I am quite sure many people who were truly interested in the real course content saw that picture and dismissed the class without reading a word I had written.

Similarly, when our group published our article in the PADI professional journal a few years ago advocating teaching OW classes with students neutrally buoyant and in horizontal trim, the layout artist had a problem. When the article was put in place, he had extra space. He did what layout artists always do--he went for a stock photo. He knew that the article was about OW instruction, so he put in a stock photo of OW instruction--with students planted firmly on their knees.

Abyss Scuba may never have even seen this photo. Or they might have. I don't know.

 

[flots am]

Its just been sent around Facebook and its a groupon link to "abyss scuba" based in Denver or so it seems. Also known as Englewood learning.

Holding a fish like that?

Not only wouldn't I take a class from them, but I'd send a copy of it to their state's Fish and Wildlife Department.

I took a PDF of it and attached it to this message, in case it mysteriously disappears.

flots

 

[String]

The website (although terrible and out of date) does list a MI and CD attached to them. Im tempting to send something off to PADI aware as its being used to advertise PADI courses. The photo is used on another discount site as well by them so i think it must be supplied by them. Certainly people i know that have used groupon had to supply their own photo.

 

[DMDavid]

What a shame, hopefully they will see the error in their ways and fix this.
If they're actually allowing this to happen on their dives they need to stop.

 

[otis24]

Fish molestation at its finest.

 

[SaintsReturn]

It seems a little premature to judge the shop as we do. Or know the circumstances, that being said they will never have my business


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[flots am]

It seems a little premature to judge the shop as we do.

A little premature? Really? How long should we wait before it would be appropriate to decide that what's going on in the picture isn't right?

It's not like the picture is going to change.

I'm not sure what kind of fish it is, but if it's a protected species, it's a good way to land in jail.

 

[tangfish]

It's a Napoleon Wrasse, and they are being decimated, by people who kill them to harvest their lips (and usually throw away the rest of the fish) because of the purported health benefits to the mainland Chinese who are devouring them just like shark fins, etc. sad situation for a great species of fish, once very populous here in Southeast Asia.

 

[Deitsch]

It is endangered. http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/4592/0