Diver to diver etiquette

[DailyLunatic]

Gloves and knives are not allowed in a number of dive areas, including Cozumel and Grand Cayman.

Their area, their rules, got it. Safety gear is not allowed there, got it (don't like it, but got it).

I guess what I'm trying to get at, is that I am surprised there is not more of an outcry.

 

[jefffalcone]

Was this guy brittish by chance?

 

[Riger]

Their area, their rules, got it. Safety gear is not allowed there, got it (don't like it, but got it).

I guess what I'm trying to get at, is that I am surprised there is not more of an outcry.

There is a direct relationship between the number of people that wear gloves and the number of people that grope the coral and for this reason the policy of not wearing gloves is indeed safety..... safety for the reef. (of course this applies in warmer waters where gloves are not required for thermal protection.

Best Regards
Richard

 

[mts0628]

Greetings all,

First time post for me. I just wanted to see what the general feeling is regarding an experience I had recently.

My question is what do you do when you are on a boat with a know it all diver who may not be as great of a diver as he (or she) thinks he is ?

I was on a boat for several dives with a guy who claimed to be a "wreck diver" and had advice for everybody else, but also grabbed on the reef at every opportunity (I mean, full on grab right arouond the base of some fan coral and anything else he could find to hold on to), came up with a very low amout of pressure in his tank (to the point of damage to the cylinder and making the crew upset), and used a couple other techniques that bugged me, but were not really hurting anybody or anything.

My real problem was with the damage to the reef. I asked the crew to ask all the divers not to grab on the coral at their next dive briefing, which they did, but to no avail as the guy continued to grab on to the reef seemingly every time I looked at him.

I did not say anything to the diver directly, mostly due to the insistence of my dive buddy who said that if I said anything then I would be the "pompus, know it all jerk". I struggled with how to say something nicely and off hand, but could not come up with anything so I let it go.

So curious if anybody would share like experiences and/or ideas for future situations.

Hey EZ 2000:

Were you a crew member of the boat, as in a Mate or a Divemaster of a group, or were you a, I hate to say it, but fellow diver of the know it all (KIA)? If you are a Mate or Divemaster with scuba divers under your supervision, then you have an obligation not to let this super diver spoil the trip for those under you or who look to you for safety and a great dive. Tact is of the utmost paramount when representing others, but how far is too far? Everyone has their limitations to what they want to engage in, and your employer may have the ultimate say in the matter.

As a personal diver, you could look at it two ways. You are a paying customer and you'd appreciate it if he kept his poor techniques from ruining your dive experience. Or, you could just keep to yourselves and snicker afterwards with your dive buddy and warn your dive buddy to take anything the wreck diver has to say with a grain of salt, if even that. His actions will speak louder than his words. Of course, any damage to aquatic life is nothing to laugh at, and the Captain would probably like to know about this bone head because after all, when you're gone, the Captain still has to take others out to the same site. What fun would it be for others if everything was "wrecked" because of a wild wreck diver.

Personally, I don't usually shy at confrontation, I welcome it. So, if someone is just being a jerk and I am feeling froggy, well then I jump. But do as I say and not as I do in this instance. I respect you for the action or lack of action you took and in the long run, you know you did right. No one likes a know it all but by us responding to them, what are we saying about us? And finally, the old saying, if you can't say anything nice...

These are opinions from a personal diver and a former Mate on a 16 passenger vessel, and I have acted accordingly in each role. My Captain would not mind squaring someone away if she or more usually he was upsetting the passengers. I have never seen better finesse and order.

I hope this helps and again, good job!

With kind regards,
Thomas

 

[Prostar]

Has there ever been a thread on "That Guy" on the boat? It looks like there are plenty of stories. I think I see a spin-off here.

 

[Blu Diver]

There are a lot of "know it all's" and ego's in diving. A lot of times folks will talk a good game and fail to produce results. They use this type of talk as a front, knowing that their skills are inferior to others, among other reasons. When confronted by someone who behaves in this fashion, attempt to steer clear. This type of behavior could get themselves or others in serious trouble. Address the issue with the jerk diver and do so calmly and professionally. If personally confronting this diver makes you feel too uncomfortable, then utilize the staff. Always know yourself (your physical and mental limitations) and your skill level. The odds are always 50/50 with someone like this, they're either going to be able to back their behavior or fall flat on their face. Nine out of ten times, they're not as good as they boast!

 

[Jan Kruger]

When we dive and some diver hangs on to the reef or steps on the reef , we would there and then show them by various hand signals to get off the reef . If this diver is part of our group we will afterwards have a calm discussion with him or her about it and we would point out that it is absolutely unacceptable to hang on to the reef or to touch it for that matter.
We also have had our fair share of 'Know it all' types, but if you ignore such a person he or she soon has nobody to impress .

 

[Diver0001]

Was this guy brittish by chance?

Any specific reason why this should matter?

R..

 

[vladimir]

Any specific reason why this should matter?

R..

The British are well-known know-it-alls. For example, they generally know how to spell "British."

 

[Rick Murchison]

It is never easy to figure out what to do, ... -- I got his attention, pointing to the coral, shook my finger for "no", and then pointed out a nice protruberance of bare rock that was ideal for hanging onto. He glared at me, shook his head, and went elsewhere.
I tried.
I don't know how you educate people who are not looking for any education.

Your attempted solution is pretty much what I do... except I generally precede the finger wagging with an "OK?"/"OK" response//point to and then grab an acceptable hold point//"OK?"/"OK" response//point to live stuff in question, then the finger wag followed by another "OK?"
I usually get pretty civil responses with this approach.
As to your final observation, one answer is to make that education in their own self interest. If their interests don't include the health of the reef, they usually do include concern about their public image - take a picture, show it to them... if necessary, show it to others, ... etc...
Rick