Disturbing trend in diving?

[landphil]

Diving with Living the Dream in Grand Cayman (which is a super bougie guided concierge operation) before we owned our own gear, every rental had a pretty basic computer on the console. And we were instructed on how to use the computer. Mainly they emphasized the NDL number, which was dead center on the display. We were told to watch that number and make sure that it never got below 5:00. Super simple and exactly what we needed to know.

 

[The Chairman]

nobody’s truly elite until he trains to be a Mixed Gas Bloviater.

Not silent, but still deadly!

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

If I ever become "one of those divers" the only thing I will demand is that they use Charmin ultra soft.

 

[boulderjohn]

Just for the record, in the Pompano Beach area, the dive operations I know do not ever put a DM in the water.

 

[boulderjohn]

But that's US waters where the injury lawyers at Dewy, Cheetum, and Howe are looping their "If you did something stupid and got hurt, we'll find a way to make somebody else pay for your stupididity!" ad every 20 minutes on channel 4 from 09:00 AM til 02:00 AM every day.

I have seen it more outside of US waters.

 

[MB NZ]

The most negligent company I ever dived with was in Florida. They saw our BSAC cards and let us get on with it. It was a terrifying dive for my wife and even I thought the conditions were a bit too sporting. Anyway, we survived and didn't sue.

 

[elmo]

Well, I think the ScubaBoard Internet Bloviating Association (SIBA) has done a superb job training Basic and Advanced Bloviaters but nobody’s truly elite until he trains to be a Mixed Gas Bloviater. Only a select few achieve that level of proficiency in technical, litigious bloviating.

Is the Mixed Gas Bloviater flatulent and full of hot air?

 

[rongoodman]

Funny, and I won't mention names, someone sent me a DM, referring to me as "Grandpa" and included a pic of an old man on a walker,

Funny aside, I've been used to being the one of the older guys on dive trips for a while now, but last week out at Cocos Island several people approached me and asked "How old are you anyway?" I guess it must be showing (but the Iron Diver medal is still hanging in my kitchen). I do think a return visit in a couple of years for my 80th birthday is in order.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I don't know the answer. I only started diving in SE FL in 2009 and now have a few over 1,300 dives in Boynton, Palm Beach, and Jupiter.

All of the operators I have ever used in Jupiter and Palm Beach have always put a guide in the water who you could follow or not. Underwater Explorers put a guide in the water out of Boynton from at least 2009 until a few years later, when that was discontinued. None of the other operators I have used in Boynton have ever put a guide in the water. As above, all groups and solo divers carry a flag.

Just like in Jupiter and Palm Beach, the current in Boynton is usually north, but can be south, and varies between nothing and absolutely ripping. The outside reef in Boynton is nearly as deep as the inside in Jupiter but is a bit harder to dive, particularly in current, due to the spur and groove (fingers and channels) rather than reef wall. The inside at Boynton is generally shallow, 50-60 ft.

I wish I knew the answer to this question, maybe someone else does.

I’ve been diving these areas the same amount of time but with not as many dives as Craig. I too have never heard on explanation of the reason for the difference. Boynton can be every bit as challenging as Palm Beach & Jupiter, just a bit shallower. I’ve always assumed the difference was partially due to increasing depth as you approach and get north of the Lake Worth Inlet and partially due to larger boats with more visiting divers in Palm Beach & Jupiter vs Boynton. But that’s just my thinking. I’ve never heard any definitive rationale.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Just for the record, in the Pompano Beach area, the dive operations I know do not ever put a DM in the water.

None of the operators from Boynton south all the way down to Miami put guides in the water afaik. Not until Key Largo do they start putting guides in with divers, and that is only Rainbow Reef I believe.