Divemasters/Resorts making you flood and clear?

[jd950]

Well I asked if my issues were unreasonable and it seems most think they are, so I have learned something here.

It is not in my nature to make a scene so if I go somewhere and am told to demonstrate skills I would most likely do it without saying anything in most circumstances. Sorry if I took some comments too personally.

Since it appears to be a separate checkout dive at most of these places, I don't really have a problem anyway. By the way, don't take the pretty fishies comment wrong, I take safety very seriously, but I also do not push the limits of my abilities or safety, and I completely support protecting reefs. I do think the resorts should publish information about the scheduling of checkout dives though, for trip planning purposes.

Interesting that this appears to be mostly a Roatan thing.

Someone said something about "more JD's willing to sue." That term is new to me...what are JD's?

 

[WJL]

Someone said something about "more JD's willing to sue." That term is new to me...what are JD's?

JD = Juris Doctor, a/k/a lawyer. Your screen name has led some to make perhaps unwarranted inferences.

 

[Carribeandiver]

Bay Island Beach Resort makes you remove and replace your mask also. I seem to recall they ask for other tricks too but I cant remember what. It is not a big deal.
Close your eyes if need be.

 

[muddiver]

Im of the view is the boat is just a taxi, a good divemaster is there to give me a good brief and stay on the boat and every diver alone takes responsibility for their own safety without relying or expecting someone else to. Thats off topic for here though.

I've got some bad news for you dude. In Hawaii it is now a U.S. Coast Guard mandate that you dive with, follow and follow the direction of a Professional Dive Leader (aka DM) on any paid dive from a commercial boat. Big Brother is making your safety the responsability of the dive boat operator now.

Also, jd950, try a TUSA Liberator mask. I use to dive with one all the time and it would only leake past my mustach on every fifth or sixth dive. Now I dive a Kirby Morgan M48 absolutly leak free.

 

[jd950]

J and D are my initials. 950 was a number assigned to me as part my identification within a gov't agency many years ago. Probably before some of you were born. I have a certain attachment to it do to my experiences under that ID.

Actually, though, I do have a juris doctorate degree, and I guess I should have figured out the reference. Few lawyers refer to themselves as "JD' except when signing documets and court papers and technically, lawyers don't sue people...people sue people. I thought it was a term for some level or type of diver or something.

My work does not invlove suing diveshops, resorts, instructors, or personal injury work for that matter, so that isn't my issue. People with law degrees do many differnt things both in and out of the "legal" profession. Funny, it never occurred to me that using my initials would cause people to think it referred to a degree or profession. Perhaps I should use something else.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

That happened to us too. We got there in the afternoon and had to wait until the next morning's briefing. But there was one obnoxious, pompous guy who put up such a fuss that they let him shore dive that afternoon anyway. He was there with his ex wife, and I can understand why she was his ex. The only reason she went with him was because he didn't have anyone else to dive with and he paid for her. And she was as nice as he was obnoxious. Go figure.

Oh dear ... I didn't realize we were there at the same time ...

(actually, my ex and my two friends shut me up by putting a snorkel in my mouth and shoving my face in the water) ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[fairybasslet]

Oh dear ... I didn't realize we were there at the same time ...

(actually, my ex and my two friends shut me up by putting a snorkel in my mouth and shoving my face in the water) ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Oh come on. That wasn't really you, was it?

 

[CompuDude]

J and D are my initials. 950 was a number assigned to me as part my identification within a gov't agency many years ago. Probably before some of you were born. I have a certain attachment to it do to my experiences under that ID.

Actually, though, I do have a juris doctorate degree, and I guess I should have figured out the reference. Few lawyers refer to themselves as "JD' except when signing documets and court papers and technically, lawyers don't sue people...people sue people. I thought it was a term for some level or type of diver or something.

My work does not invlove suing diveshops, resorts, instructors, or personal injury work for that matter, so that isn't my issue. People with law degrees do many differnt things both in and out of the "legal" profession. Funny, it never occurred to me that using my initials would cause people to think it referred to a degree or profession. Perhaps I should use something else.

I think it's a bit of a stretch for someone to link "jd950" with Juris Doctor, and in fact, I disagree that the person who made the JD reference was referring to your initials at all. I've heard the term JD applied to lawyers a number of times, although it's not terribly common. Stick with what you have.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Oh come on. That wasn't really you, was it?

Hopefully not ... although I'm afraid I was a bit grumpier than usual when I found out I couldn't dive that day (we did go snorkeling, which was delightful in the Front Yard) ... when were you there ???

(edit) ... we were there in late April, 2005 ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[CompuDude]

Im of the view is the boat is just a taxi, a good divemaster is there to give me a good brief and stay on the boat and every diver alone takes responsibility for their own safety without relying or expecting someone else to. Thats off topic for here though.

I've got some bad news for you dude. In Hawaii it is now a U.S. Coast Guard mandate that you dive with, follow and follow the direction of a Professional Dive Leader (aka DM) on any paid dive from a commercial boat. Big Brother is making your safety the responsability of the dive boat operator now.

Wow. That blows.

One thing I have always appreciated about SoCal diving is the hands-off policy of the local dive boats. The DMs are there for surface support, general assistance, and emergencies, but they do not accompany you on a dive unless you have made special arrangements for them to do so. I dive my own profiles.

Suddenly a lot less interested in diving in Hawaii... although I think there are number of other tropical locations that have similar policies so perhaps I should just be grateful for what I have...

(and sign up for that DM class)