Hey?! Was I rude here....?

[DandyDon]

I got this very flattering PM form a new member who may be a little shy about posting in the forums here with us regular type&post rats, so I did the best I could in giving him an honest answer - but chime in here if you'd like...

I am looking for a dive buddy while I am in Cozumel.

So do you catch lots of grief for wearing your mask on your forehead while on the boat?

I am a newly certified PADI OW diver. I have completed 9 OW dives while under my instructor, B&B Scuba in Kihei. I completed 6 boat dives and 3 shore dives(one night dive). I joined an AOW class for several of my dives and was able to get a 98' dive at Molokini crater. While I certainly realize that I am still a noob at diving, I experienced a variety of conditions during my OW cert. I do still use more air than more experienced divers, however on the 98' dive I was out of the water approximately 4 minutes ahead of the AOW students. I was just finishing my safety stop as they were coming to the anchor line.

I am a single diver looking for 2-3 days of diving. My wife and I are staying North of Playa del Carmen at Mayan Palace. I will need to take the ferry to Coz for diving, not certain I can make the early dives due to ferry. I am not concerned with the getting up part as I am at getting to the ferry from Mayan Palce. I am old enough that I don't need to play hard at night if I can DIVE. I arrive late March 24th.

I have been emailing Aldora about dives. I don't know if you are looking for a dive buddy.

Dennis

Well, thanks for the offer. I don't know that I'd be a good pick. I'm fine when needed and okay under pressure, but I follow my camera too much for any newbie care taking. I don't want to be rude at all, indeed I'd like to be friendly - at lunch or even on an easy dive site, but I don't want to do easy dive sites. I have several years of trip experiences, several training cards, a long list of trips, and a helluva lot of gear focused on spending a lot of money for 4 days of diving. Sure, I'll dive with anyone who can keep up, but I am not patient about diving with anyone who can't or won't keep up - rather dive alone than with someone I have to look for or after. If I see a shot at 150 ft, I'll drop to 148 to take it; what would you do? Nah, the DM wouldn't take you to that site anyway.

I'm probly not your best choice at all.

Diving Cozumel even from the newbies boat is great, and it's fine to go on the newbie boat the full first trip. I do not know exactly what time the PDC to Coz ferry runs? I caught the 5am ferry out of Coz once evacuating in advance of Hurricane Dean, but the times may have changed? You'd have to ask on the Coz forum for good info on what time you should be into Coz and how to coordinate dives with an Op there. I tried the PDC dives with a local Op who said he was taking us to his best sites, and we were very disappointed so do make the Coz dives as much as possible.

Oh, I am not sure whom I am diving with which days. Maybe 2 or 3 with Blue Angel and 1 or 2 with Aldora, depending on how it works out. Since I am solo, I am avoiding taxi rides so the idea of doing all my meals at Blue Angel and diving 4 times a day with them is appealing. And since you're solo from PDC, you'd probly do best to work with the Op on getting on newbie boats okay, then teaming up with a boat-pick buddy there. I do encourage you to stress to the DM that you have only 9 ocean dives to your record and even suggest hiring a private DM the first day.

Oh I forgot your first question: I proudly make "Mask On Forehead" a part of my 6 point pre-dive check.

I'm going to take your name off of this and post it on the Coz forum for others to chime in. If you don't want to post to it, that'll be fine - but you may find some good info there.

Good luck, and do message me again if I can offer candid suggestions.

 

[sffrenchman]

Just put yourself in his shoes and see for yourself.....the answer to your question will become obvious.

 

[DandyDon]

Haha been there, done that, and I appreciated those who were honest with me - but I'm me, kinda different from many. I like diving with newbies on local practice dives, but on a fast & expensive vacation @ $200 per tank average cost, it's a little different. But then I have to take at least 2 planes to any good diving anywhere. You're fortunate to have good diving and dive clubs locally.

Otherwise, I did try to be helpful - but thot some other Coz vets could offer more.

 

[under water]

"and even suggest hiring a private DM the first day"
Agreed.. with just 9 dives and in a current prone environment, IMHO at this point they should probably be looking for a DM, not a dive buddy.
I don't think it is fair to ask someone to be your unpaid DM while they are on vacation, especially with all the coordination that would be needed.
I liked your honest answer and I think the PMer will understand.
I'm heading to Coz in April myself.. don't worry Don, I'm bringing my wife/buddy

 

[deeper thoughts]

I dont know it could be construed either way but a simple no(thnx) might of been sufficient also

 

[irishsquid]

Not rude, Honest. Just how I'd want to be answered.
Can I dive with ya sometime?

 

[SteveAD]

I think the frank explanation was good. As an instructor, when I travel, I want to do the dives I want, how I want. That means I am either diving with my known dive buddy from home, or I am diving solo. If I am diving with a relatively unknown diver, I can't stop myself from going into "instructor mode" at least to the point of spending more time monitoring "my buddy" than enjoying the scenery. If this is happening, I need to be getting paid, and on vacation, that is hourly rate plus expenses.

 

[BDSC]

I think you were honest and upfront with the guy. So I don't think you were rude at all. I think it would get to complicated with the logistics and trying to hook up, etc.

 

[The Kraken]

Being honest is not being rude. It's how one is being honest that determine if one's being rude.

I don't think you were rude in any stretch of the imagination, but then again I'm a pretty thick skinned old fart (refer to avatar).

You stated your position with clarity, fact and courtesy.

An excellent response.

the K

 

[coldsmoke]

Honesty is always good, but how do you know that this person is not "above average" with his water comfort. Come on - Coz dives are pretty benign. Would it be impossible for you to find a dive (or two) that you would like and that would be within his comfort zone. There's plenty to see at 60'. Maybe you could share some of your experience with him. We were all noobs at one point after all.

I just think it's better to give someone the chance to prove themselves rather than just assume that they suck based on their number of logged dives. If they don't cut it then be honest with them and pass on the next dives, but give them some advice on how they can improve.

If it's a logistics reason, then by all means it's a different decision.

Hunter