Diver Conflict: What is the right thing to do in this case?

[TSandM]

I find this thread fascinating in a train wreck kind of way.

If I had lent this guy my bag and fin to use, and he lost them, I'd expect him to replace them.

But having something fall out of a boat just lies in a different category for me. If the guy who owns the boat had insisted that you put things somewhere you didn't think was safe, and had been a jerk about it, I'd want him to replace stuff when his strategy turned out to be bad. But if I put something down someplace without realizing it's at risk, and it falls, that's just bad luck. If the boat owner had OFFERED to replace the missing stuff, that would have been a gracious gesture of responsibility on his part. But if I'd been in your shoes, I wouldn't have asked or expected it. And if I owned the boat, and had taken you out on it as a nice gesture and a good way to get in a dive, and you got all upset about losing a bag and a fin off my boat, I probably would have agreed to pay for the replacement, but I wouldn't invite you back on my boat again.

 

[Cyclops_Diver]

Well, Reckon I'm in a totally different mindset with the people I "befriend."

So far, all the people I have been underwater with are people I would trust with my life above water. With the limited exception of my diving Instructor who just doesn't hang out with me on dry land unfortunately...cause she cool! But all of my buddies would care for my gear as if it were their own, most of them would care for it as if it belonged to their WIFE! I believe most of you know what would happen had you lost or broken something that belonged to your significant other! If any one of us lost or broke something that belonged to another it would be, and has been, replaced or compensated for immediately. Without question.

As for people outside our probaby abnormal group, if we don't know you and you don't know us, we wouldn't be putting your belongings at risk by taking or moving them. If said Captain O' the Dinghy was one of my previously mentioned buddies I would have handed him the bag and never had a second thought about it. Since he wasn't and I handed him my bag, just as soon as my hands were free again I would be taking my bag (and my responsibility) back. It isn't his responsibility it's mine.

Reckon I'm off my soap box for the moment.