One thing I forgot to mention in my earlier report re my trip:
When we first reported to the dive shop the first day, they had the obligatory form for us to sign: I realize diving is dangerous, I won't exceed safe limits, blah, blah, blah. Nothing unusual, EXECPT -
There was a clause late in the 2 page form saying that "I agree to indemnify/hold harmless Dive Dominica for anything and everything, including problems caused by the negligence of Dive Dominica."
Hmm says I. I read a lot of contracts at work, and in every one of them there is a similar clause about holding someone harmless, but it ALWAYS EXLUDES NEGLIGENCE.
We reluctantly signed the forms - we were told we couldn't dive unless we did.
I probably would have not selected Dive Dominica had I known this when I organized the trip.
Bottomline - Dive Dominica could send you out with an unqualified boat captain who is drunk, on a boat taking on water, with tanks containing contaminated air, with a nearly empty gas tank, and a "Dive Master" who's not certified who doesn't know what no-deco limits are, and if you signed the paper then you've agreed to hold them harmless if it hits the fan on a dive through no fault of your own.
Now I am strongly in favor of personal responsibility - and I'll own up for my mistakes - but agreeing to hold a professional who I am paying big bucks harmless for their own negligence is ridiculous.
In the long run, if DD were to have an ongoing problem with negligence, word would spread and they'd be out of business. In the short run - if you are the unfortunate victim of Dive Dominica negligence, you are SOL.