Diving San Juan Islands July 4th weekend

[Steve Egner]

Bob (Grateful Diver) said,

"Frankly, yours is the only shop I have ever been into that I can honestly say I will go out of my way to avoid."

...and you never seem to miss a chance to knock their shop on a public forum, do you?

Did you happen to miss Dawn's reply to your charges? Though she didn't respond in the thread you linked (I don't believe she was even a member of SB then) she did address similar comments made by you here:

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=130639&highlight=Orcis+Island

I recommend you consider her reply:

As a partner in Island Dive and a new member to Scuba Board, I regret Bob that you had an unfortunate experience almost 3 years ago with us. I wasn't in the shop when your disk blew, but I heard about it and saw your tank being inspected internally and a new disk to be placed in your valve. As for the double charges, I have looked into this as it is mentioned over and over in your replies any time a mentiion of Island Dive is made. I will be happy to speak with you and correct your charges accordingly I was just made aware of this situation from reading history on this site. There is no excuse for bad manners, and I apologize for our staff's lack of professionalism during your visit. It must be pointed out however, you arrived in the shop on the first weekend we purchased the shop from Ron Kenny and had very little information on how things worked. It was also Memorial Weekend and there were several other charter boats in for fills, along with yours. There was no EANx fill station then. All were PP filled. That is no longer the case. We've learned and grown from those first months. Most new businesses do. Again, no excuses, it just is a fact that is overlooked in postings. In the past 3 years, we've learned from the mistakes and tried to correct them in our business, and in our staff. As Cameron can tell you, we have learned much about running a dive shop and charter boat. As for EANx fills, they are $10. This month, they are $5 with a charter. Our original pricing, 3 years ago, was based on the previous owners prices for which we had no reference to base on. That has dramatically changed. You continually state that "If there were another dive shop on the island, they'd be out of business ... ". That's a very spiteful comment and without merit. FYI, there have been 2 attempts from private parties to start dive shops in the islands. We loaned equipment, time, tanks and phones to them. No one has lasted. It's not important to have notice for helping, just wanted you to know that we aren't the ogre monopoly in the islands.

I would like to invite you back, just for the benefit of doubt, and see if you can forgive a bad day of business. I've had bad air and expensive fills and short fills from shops before, gear not fixed properly, special ordered items "overlooked" and such. Any diver in this sport long enough will have a similar experience with a dive shop. Some shops on several occasions. We are going to make mistakes. Every human I know does. Our business is striving to be the best we can and our customers, like Cameron, can attest we're doing okay. Everyone is entitled to a mistake as long as something good comes of it.

Again, I apologize for your experience. That I could undo it, I would. I just ask that you give us the opportunity to have you as our guest and see if you don't find our new facilities and services much improved from your last and most memorable visit.

Sincerely,
Dawn

With a reply like that, I would think that there must be some common ground, some basis for two mature, respected members of the dive community to work with, and arrive at some kind of agreement.

Repeated, negative jabs on a public forum, with no apparent willingness to move toward resolution, are beneath you.

I don't doubt a single word of your experience. However, every experience I've had with Island Divers has been top notch, which leads me to believe that your terrible day was an aberration, a fluke... definitely not a typical day with Dawn.

Why not give them another chance, and report on that experience? If it were me, I'd barter the last nightmare trip into an equitably reduced (or eliminated) charter fee for a future trip, and give it another whirl...

But that's just me.

I'll be planning a trip with Island Divers sometime in July or August, bringing along a couple of newly-minted OW buddies of mine. I think it would be a hoot if you'd join us.

Steve

 

[Evolution2]

Thank you Steve, for offering your experiences with us. I'll look forward to your arrival as always.

Bob, as I said in the post above (I don't know much about computers or how to link or insert or whatever it's called from a past thread), we made many mistakes early in the first months. That is history and cannot be changed. We own that fact. We rushed into business with inexperienced staff. We took the critisism and have spent 3 years putting our energy into not making those mistakes again. I'm very sorry that you are able to hold a grudge as long as you have. To not consider the slight possibility that the person who was very unprofessional and lied to you while representing Island Dive has long since been replaced would get old to me.

I would like to, in an attempt to allow us to find some settlement to your unyielding contempt for us, fully compensate you for your charter expenses and for the tumble and VIP Randy did. That we have caused you this much grief for so long is nothing I'm proud of. My apology and "olive branch" offer to be our guest and try to resolve this angst has apparently no value or merit to you.

It's true Bob, that one never gets a second chance at a first impression. We've learned that lesson well and you remind us often of our past mistakes.

The offer still holds from when I extended it last March. As does reimbursing your charter and for the repairs we caused you to have. I would hope that you will consider this at least reasonable and perhaps get what has become a type of vendetta resolved. I've publicly admitted, apologized repeatedly and have again attempted to mend the wrong. If there's something else that can resolve this to your satisfaction that hasn't been addressed, please feel free to call me any time and let's get past this. I would like to believe I am a reasonable adult and I would hope you are too. It's been 3 years. Will this experience never be able to heal?

Thank you for not letting us become complacent and take for granted what we are acheiving with our other guests that charter with us.

Sincerely,
Dawn

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Thank you Steve, for offering your experiences with us. I'll look forward to your arrival as always.

Bob, as I said in the post above (I don't know much about computers or how to link or insert or whatever it's called from a past thread), we made many mistakes early in the first months. That is history and cannot be changed. We own that fact. We rushed into business with inexperienced staff. We took the critisism and have spent 3 years putting our energy into not making those mistakes again. I'm very sorry that you are able to hold a grudge as long as you have. To not consider the slight possibility that the person who was very unprofessional and lied to you while representing Island Dive has long since been replaced would get old to me.

I would like to, in an attempt to allow us to find some settlement to your unyielding contempt for us, fully compensate you for your charter expenses and for the tumble and VIP Randy did. That we have caused you this much grief for so long is nothing I'm proud of. My apology and "olive branch" offer to be our guest and try to resolve this angst has apparently no value or merit to you.

It's true Bob, that one never gets a second chance at a first impression. We've learned that lesson well and you remind us often of our past mistakes.

The offer still holds from when I extended it last March. As does reimbursing your charter and for the repairs we caused you to have. I would hope that you will consider this at least reasonable and perhaps get what has become a type of vendetta resolved. I've publicly admitted, apologized repeatedly and have again attempted to mend the wrong. If there's something else that can resolve this to your satisfaction that hasn't been addressed, please feel free to call me any time and let's get past this. I would like to believe I am a reasonable adult and I would hope you are too. It's been 3 years. Will this experience never be able to heal?

Thank you for not letting us become complacent and take for granted what we are acheiving with our other guests that charter with us.

Sincerely,
Dawn

I will be happy to resolve this with you, Dawn ... I've been up in Neah Bay for the week-end and just got back, or I would have responded sooner.

I did not see your response in March ... this is an active board, and I do not read all posts.

However, to be clear on something ... the incident I am referring to did not happen three years ago ... it happened one year ago today ... June 4, 2005. The charter was Bandito. As this was my first and only experience with your shop, I do not know what incident occurred 3 years ago ... but it wasn't me.

Now that we have each other's attention, let's take this offline ... via the contact email on your Web site. I'll e-mail you shortly.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[dsteding]

I am glad to see that this is getting resolved-I know that Bob (NW Grateful Diver) is a valued part of this community. Personally, he has been a terrific resource and mentor in getting me back in the water. My sincere thanks to you Bob.

I haven't met Dawn, but her responses and willingness to clear this up also speak volumes about her. The internet can be a difficult place to deal with such issues, wires can get crossed, people can get misunderstood, and people can take things the wrong way.

Kudos to both of you for working this out.

Dawn, I'll be by the shop when I make it up to the San Juans.

 

[khacken]

Glad to see it worked out. Well, back to the original thread here. Tried out the isotherm today. The first dive it leaked like hell around the neck. Second dive I pulled the seals further up the neck, and that did the trick. I was able to go to 58 degree water without the hood and did not feel the temp around my core getting to bad. Had to retreat back to warmer water after five minutes due to a nasty ice cream headache and ears in pain from the cold. So I am guess I should be fine one I put on that 7mm hood that came with the suit.