Divers getting bent

[mikerault]

Actually, I can't. I'll bet the site owners here would be a bit angry if I posted copywrited material without permission. Sorry! I would if I could...

Mike

 

[wolf eel]

mikerault .

I am sorry if Canada screwed you, it isn't germane to the issue we are discussing. It took three tries to get my daughter on disability here in the states even with their doctor, their psychologist and their advisors saying "Yes she is disabled", we finally had to get a lawyer and give up 1/3 of her settlement to him to get it done. He probably split it with the Judge. So based on that I should tell the rest of the world to go stick it where the sun don't shine?

I am sorry if you took it that way. The point is that being able to sue is a good thing sometimes. I never say screw you I would be doing that if however I boycotted the food because that puts food on there table. The point was also that we dive that much here.
Forsure Canada has not screwed me.

 

[H2Andy]

It pains me to agree with H2Andy

oh dude, you're doomed now

:11:

 

[derwoodwithasherwood]

The point was also that we dive that much here.

I won't comment on the British Columbia WCB. Suffice it to say I've heard other horror stories about them. But other provinces are not necessarily that bad -- yet.

However, I was under the impression that BC has some pretty stringent regulations in place governing commercial diving. A certification process, O2 on board/shore, minimum staffing, compliance with DCIEM tables, hard bound dive logs (in duplicate -- diver's personal log and operator's logs) etc. etc. The complaints that I've heard comes from the divers that say the regulations are too stringent, cutting into their earnings. I've heard of divers lying to the dive supervisor about depths, etc. to extend their dives.

Hardly the stuff of the third world subsistence diving described in the original post.

FWIW it sounds like Ontario is also going that route. They've had inspectors out actively enforcing similar compliance by commercial divers for a while now. And they define "commercial" as anything for recompense other than instructing/guiding rec divers. If you accept a case of beer in return for checking your neighbour's foot valve, you are considered to be engaged in commercial diving. You must have a dive supervisor, safety lines and line handler (separate from the supervisor), O2 on site, deco chamber on site if depth exceeds 95 feet, etc. etc.

A little birdie tells me that Ontario is now about to address certification. They will no longer accept certification from the traditional dive shop agencies -- at any level. College level commercial certification courses will be mandatory. There's about 50 divers they are currently aware of and working with that will be allowed to grandfather in but everyone else will have to pay the $15,000 and go through an accredited commercial diving college program.

 

[pilot fish]

It pains me to agree with H2Andy but he is correct. It's too easy for we "civilized" westerners (or easterners, or wherever) to rail against deadly lobster diving, shark finning, seal pup beating, etc. but it's the demand for the final product and the fact that almost everyone, everywhere needs to earn money to feed their family that will keep those industries alive and well regardless of the death toll or the heinousness of the deeds. To truly help those poor buggers you need to send them money or help them find a less dangerous job.

Send them money? Send who money? How would one do that, if one were so inclined? Why is this a problem that Americans or Canadians should solve? Has anyone gone after the lobster boat owners, or their Government?

If you want change you go after the root cause of the problem and that is the people that own the boats that are sending these poor divers down so often and their Government.

 

[Hockeynut]

Here's a link to a different source for those who wanted to read about it.
http://www.cdnn.info/news/article/a040928.html

 

[zboss]

How do these guys make money ? Everybody wants it to be just like home and that is just not going to happen. They need to feed themselves. The more we try to bring our lives to them they will get less and less. I would hate to say it but sweat shops pay the bills. Maybe mister cheaney could donate a billion or five to a world cause since he is still making money on the war. Our lives and how we live should not be imposed till we can afford to pay the bill.

Go back to skool... nobody forces anybody to do anything of the sort. I'm not a fan of cheney but the man earned his money like a good capitalist and dosn't need to give it to anyone. I am sure his portfolio is full of donations to all sorts of charities, he probably donates more money in one year than I will ever in my lifetime.

You can't save the world with money. Period. Even Bill Gates, donating BILLIONS a year makes such a tiny impact. The only thing that will keep people alive and proposering is science and invention.

Half the time these folks simply see "help" from visitors as "interference" and "American's with their fancy cars and big ideas". Frankly - they don't WANT to be bothered.

 

[zboss]

this is a good and noble idea, me thinks we would see the equipment turn up on ebay. Countries like Nicaragua have no interest in sustainable living unless 'sustainable' means they will have enough for this week.

 

[Hickdive]

Unfortunately the guy who gets a s/hand computer will be the guy who cannot dive as deep or as long as his competitors and lands less lobster as a result. He will also be the guy who chucks the computer in the bin when he realises this.

A noble idea but one doomed by harsh economic realities.

 

[wolf eel]

derwoodwithasherwood I won't comment on the British Columbia WCB. Suffice it to say I've heard other horror stories about them. But other provinces are not necessarily that bad -- yet.

However, I was under the impression that BC has some pretty stringent regulations in place governing commercial diving. A certification process, O2 on board/shore, minimum staffing, compliance with DCIEM tables, hard bound dive logs (in duplicate -- diver's personal log and operator's logs) etc. etc. The complaints that I've heard comes from the divers that say the regulations are too stringent, cutting into their earnings. I've heard of divers lying to the dive supervisor about depths, etc. to extend their dives.

Hardly the stuff of the third world subsistence diving described in the original post.

This is what the topic is divers diving for pay and doing it in a way that could harm them. I know you may think that the above is part of a day as a commercial diver on the BC Coast but not at all. The course you take is a huge waste of money and time and it only teaches you how to dive or play at 130' and thats it. What you have heard is true they have interferred where they have no knowledge at all. It is away for them to make money that is all. Don Buckner and I and others where teaching a course way before the WCB one and it saved lives then they realized they could make money now you have a four thsound dollar course and four weeks to stay and feed yourself ontop of it. The course is a huge expendature and the Goveren bodies do not help. The only ones who take this course are rich kids and it is. And all of your saftey procedure you spoke of never happen. NO inforcement. More people have died or had troubles since the course which is mandatory and we have less farms go figure. The divers in the third world may dive with less gear and knowledge but we do the same dive profile here which makes it the same to a point. And as for WCB they suck all round.