Dissapointed in RAJA(!?)

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LOL.
How would you implement your dream?
There is NO scuba police anywhere in this world.
For training divers: using examples of bad behavior in classroom videos and discussions at the instruction level.

For bad operators: using examples of bad behavior on social media to alert potential customers of their practices, and sending videos of that behavior to the operator's certifying agency to have them reviewed by the certifying agency for possible sanctions.
With the amount of competition in most places, I am sure that other, more reputable operations, will assist in weeding out bad actors that put their livelihood at risk.
 
For training divers: using examples of bad behavior in classroom videos and discussions at the instruction level.

For bad operators: using examples of bad behavior on social media to alert potential customers of their practices, and sending videos of that behavior to the operator's certifying agency to have them reviewed by the certifying agency for possible sanctions.
With the amount of competition in most places, I am sure that other, more reputable operations, will assist in weeding out bad actors that put their livelihood at risk.
Diver was taught not to touch anything in ow training. Then what.
Who is going to carry out your suggestion?
Who is going to deal with the incidence.
Do you think diving agency would care about the misbehaviour of the diver/operator.
Have you ever contacted the various agencies with your suggestion and what was the reply?
 
1. Diver was taught not to touch anything in ow training. Then what.
2. Who is going to carry out your suggestion?
3. Who is going to deal with the incidence.
4. Do you think diving agency would care about the misbehaviour of the diver/operator.
1. Yes teach 'em not to touch anything in training. Take Only Pictures, Leave Only Bubbles.
2. The very same bad actors, people will post Anything on social media. Yes, I'll admit they're idiots.
3. The owners of the boats with misbehaving divers and staff; who wants to have their reputation tarnished and then go out of business?
4. PADI is protective of their Five Star facilities, as it generates lots of business, they also don't want to see their reputation tarnished.
 
I brought this up in another thread a few years back. Had a guy on a boat over the course of several dives that was pushing off of coral, grabbing coral, kicking giant barrel sponges, in order to get the next “shot” on his camera. I did end up confronting him on the boat after one or two failed attempts to have the dive master “correct” his behavior. He was, according to him, a very experienced diver.

Two things come to mind…. My wife tells me it’s not my job to police other divers, it’s the dive masters job. She’s probably right. The other thing is, the divemasters don’t want to police (confront) their clients because it will most likely result in a lower tip.
Comes down to human nature. Some people care, some people don’t.
 
Two things come to mind…. My wife tells me it’s not my job to police other divers, it’s the dive masters job. She’s probably right. The other thing is, the divemasters don’t want to police (confront) their clients because it will most likely result in a lower tip.
Comes down to human nature. Some people care, some people don’t.
This can be part of it, but trip dynamics can absolutely play a role too. Anyone who has ever been on a liveaboard with horrible tension/conflict/potential blow-ups between guests knows what I am talking about. Depending on the personality of the "offender", sometimes the lesser of two awfuls is to not blow things up and potentially destroy the trip for all the other guests.
 
I just came back from Raja after 8 nights on a liveaboard and 10 nights on a land resort. What you see on one dive site is that particular day, and not representative. I was at Manta Sandy and spent 45 minutes kneeling and holding onto a rock and never saw a manta. All I saw were the tiny fish around my rock. My first Blue Magic dive was amazing with 30 minutes of mantas! The second dive there was fine, but no mantas. Melissa's Garden was great both times. Manta Ridge had amazing mantas. There was no one at Two Coconuts, and it had pools of fish and a huge field of golden node coral. But the dive where I saw more new critters than I've ever seen was Blue Lagoon in Paintang-sp? Bay in Bali. The place I've seen the most big balls of fish is Thailand, in both the western side of Koh Tao or at Sail Rock.
 
Hey
I just left R4 a few hours ago, after 12 days, 21 dives. I have been twice before - both times on Mermaid LOB... 10yrs and 5yrs ago.

I do not think it is nearly as good as I remember... fish-wise or coral-wise. But of couse how good is my memory v/s how much has it changed??? Some of both likely. Too many people, climate change, overfishing... the reefs will degrade. When I went 10yrs ago it was already much worse than 10yrs before. It was still great diving, and I will come back, but Im not in a rush.

I could have stayed as long as I wanted, but decided I was done. Mostly done with repetitive lackluster food at homestays, rats in my bed, no hot shower for a couple weeks... I can be a dirtbag for months, but I also feel the value of R4 homestay-life is lacking and I decided I had enough. Diving-wise, I could do more. Next time I will stay at a nicer place... I would have this time but they were booked.

I dove with Arborek Dive Center and Tarzan. Both top operators.
My first Blue Magic was nothing short of magic. No other groups were there. I had my own dive guide, and we had amazing manta encounters. My guide got a >3min video of a manta just circling us and playing. That was one of several great encounters on that dive. But we went there again this afternoon and it was PACKED. Way too many divers getting way too close... Scared them all off. I saw one manta.

I did also have a fantastic trip to Manta Sandy. Again we were the only group, and it was swarming with mantas.

I also went to Melissas Garden and was not blown away like I was 10yrs ago. Maybe it was memory, or the sunlight, or the guide not diving the site very well... I think a bit of all that.

I did not get to Misool, so I cant speak to how that has changed.

It's an open ocean. And unfortunatly there are many divers and operators who do not dive the way others would like them to. It sucks that this acitity ruins it for others. But diving is no different than many other things in that respect. Perhaps Thanos will fix it. Until then, I shall continue to dive, and enjoy as much as I can.
Jeremyl, sorry to hear you share my initial disappointment.
I can totally relate to your message.
I went to Abeif homestay and we ended up with a group of 7 divers of which 3 OWSI and we did really nice dives around Pam. Melissa Garden was empty one day, but after a big rain we went out again and it was full of life and only one boat. About the homestays i noticed some are just not putting much efford in their experience. Here at Abeif it is very nice, so you have to be lucky i guess.

Next week ill visit Misool for a week, ill let you know. If its beter that might be a nice one for some other time.

There is a homestay with diving facility and they have a group. Fingers crossed!
Wishing you a good time, wherever you are!
 
Thanks, Dan, you fixed it for me. :checkbox: All 3 of the dives there were great. The last one one was a muck dive- so much fun! Can't say enough good things about Zero Gravity Diving!! Saw my first frogfish and a blue ribbon eel!
 
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