Coz dive shops......give me the good the bad and the ugly??

[Iguana Don]

NO!

I wave to cars and trucks as I drive down the road, I bet Dee does also, (It's a Southern Thing), but that don't make them my firiends. Jus being curteious.

 

[scorpionfish]

Aren't all divers friends?

Iguana Don once bubbled...
NO!

I wave to cars and trucks as I drive down the road, I bet Dee does also, (It's a Southern Thing), but that don't make them my firiends. Jus being curteious.

I thought she wrote, "Aren't all divers fiends?" Of course, the answer to that is, "Yes, perhaps!"

Friends--The only group that I know of that are all friends are the Quakers!

Well, I'm backrolling outa here--in a friendly way.

Scorpionfish

 

[seaangel]

Natasha, you go girl. I am with you. It is a matter of preference and personally I am at a point in my diving that I feel a certain obligation to be there for the new diver that may need someone a bit more experienced around. I don't mind being in a group large or small of divers. I just look to the reason I am there, to get wet and dive. Any dive I do is better than the one I didn't do.

 

[Dee]

It's nothing personal to the divers on the boat, whatever their experience level. It's called a cattle boat because ALL the divers are treated like cattle...all geared up, crammed together and standing in line, patiently waiting their turn to get permission to get off the boat. Just like a line of cattle crammed into small pens at the auction yard, waiting their turn to be sold...or worse!

Some divers, new and more experienced, like being told where to dive, how deep to dive and how long they can dive. I guess it gives them a sense of security for some reason. Alot of us like more personal control over our diving experience. It's common for large groups to charter these 'bigger boats' because they want to stay together and dive together, I've done that myself. But for me, personally, it's not the best diving experiences I've ever had. Some divers have no experience with anyting other than those big boats and have no idea of the differences.

So, see, it has nothing to do with thinking less of anyone on a cattle boat. It's a description of the way those dives are conducted and the way the divers are treated. Hey, if your customers are happy, don't sweat it!

And yeah...I wave at folks I pass on the road. Some with a big ol wave, some with a simple lift of a finger off the steering wheel. Maybe it IS a southern thang!

 

[scorpionfish]

Dee once bubbled...
...some with a simple lift of a finger off the steering wheel. Maybe it IS a southern thang!

Dee,

It all depends on which finger!

Scorpionfish

 

[Rooster1]

ff: hey hey hey......what about my original post????????

now that we have order first let me say that thanks for the replies ( I would appreciate more on topic). Also Natasha the cattle boat reference is not an attack on other divers, definately not at all; in fact my heart goes out to them. The attack is against the operators who make them cattle boats by over booking for $$$$$$$$$.

This is the kinda of input I was looking for.....who runs cattle boats? who will make you surface with 1500 psi because you got a hoover on the dive? who has good price for service you receive?

I am with the Iguana Don, that I don't want to be cramped gearing up or have someone else on my lap or vise versa while trying to gear up. Again this is not other divers faults, they paid good money to dive just like everyone else did, it is perhaps a high profit driven operator that can make your dive boat experience an uncomfortable one.

 

[Dee]

With almost 100 dive shops in Coz it would be impossible for us address even most of them. If you have a few in mind, put them out here and we can comment on those.

One way to tell if an operation runs a catt....bigger boat, is to see who they are accociated with. When you see the hotel/dive packages, the dive op listed usually runs bigger boats. Dive Paradise, Del Mar Aquatics, and Aqua Safari are just 3 that have boats that hold 12 or more and there are others. That's not to say they may not also have small boats.

Always ask what size their boats are and/or if they have small boats. And small boats are not necessarily going to guarantee you have plenty of room to spread out! But no one will be not walking all over your gear and you'll get to the southern dive sites quick!

Caballito del Caribe, Papa Hogs, Blue Angel, Living Underwater, are all good and your dives can be easily arranged through email. But no matter what dive op you use, ask questions to get the info you need and tell them what you expect.

 

[Rooster1]

Thanks Dee.....I have always heard good things about Papa hogs and Caballito del Caribe

 

[DivingGal]

I've heard so much about the "joys" of Coz, that I hope to get there one day.

Yet another thread I've made note of so when I do get around to booking the trip, I'll be able create a great one.

 

[Caribbean Carla]

hey Dee!!! South Texas here in a pickup. The raised finger is a great "hello"


Hope I sent this one right I am still new here lol!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!