last time I was asked to dive with an instant buddy I was on a boat off Key west with my wife and was asked to dive with an unknown..I pay for my liability insurance at a rate of close to $600. I paid $160. to get on boat to dive with my wife. I carry a camera. The unknown wanted to kill fish.I pay instructor dues.I keep current with my teaching abilities by attending/working IDC's that I staff. If the unknown or dive op wants me to dive with someone who will surely be disruptive with my dive I expect to be paid. If something happens to the unknown guess who gets sued..I was a passenger on a boat off New Jersey that had a fatality. I was not the deceased persons buddy, another diver was. I GOT SUED for being there. Of course it was dismissed as I had no dealings in training or diving with deceased. I instruct divers and get paid for it. I love what I do, if I didn't I would not have lasted doing this for more than 40 years. What do you do in your day to day job that you would do for free? Would you be willing to offer your services for free? Services that if something happens horribly wrong that you can lose your home,savings, etc.. The "scuba diving community" is just like any other activity. You have recreational people doing it as a recreation and "pro's" that do it as a business.Just like golf pro's/tennis pro's/.. Having certified over 1,000 people over the years from basic ow to asst.instructors and being active in instructor development I think I can say I earned the right to make these statements. With your statement of "its all about the mighty dollar" I am glad I did not have you as a student as I do not cut corners to create a "cheap course" .
