The op was hosed as soon as he decided to promise two different sets of people two different experiences on the same dive. To come out of this with everybody happy, the operator needed only to promise one type of dive to everybody then deliver it.
Sometimes, due to conditions, this is not always possible.
Should he have dived the other three and cancelled her? (Without ever taking a vote)
or should he have put them all in dangerously poor viz at thirty feet because that was the plan before the heavy rain the day before?
I think one reoccuring theme I see, is that conditions of dive sites (current, viz, number of divers)
complicates this to the point where certed divers must make their own call OR the operator must make it "for them"
It is a tough position to be in as an operator, no? Since it was a three tank charter, another option was for her to opt for the two shallow dives only.
This dilemma comes up over and over, so the question extends past this particular diver. I think the local dive industry has not found a good answer to this question.
When conditions change, whose responsible for making the call for a certified diver? Is it okay to say to the group "I think these three can go and this one should not?" Should the opertor then proceed to give reasons? I think that is what is frustrating the operators here on Oahu.
Our dives are the most challenging, in my opinion, partly because most of our commercial dives are deep wrecks. Yet, the truth is, of all the islands, we get the weakest divers. Partly because we get many people diving here just because they are here for conferences and conventions, are on tighter timelines, are on *junkets* to Waikiki (yes, that means you get less "serious" divers than you get, in Kona, say. I have dived all the islands commercially and independently and I observe that we get the highest percentages of lower experience levels.
It is just a reality of the Oahu diving industry that the dive professionals here must grapple with. Personally, I think exploring the options and the ethics is useful. It is always easy to blame the operators, I just have not found this to ever serve my personal safety very well, even in cases where it is valid.
If you die, it does not matter that the operator made a poor call or one that is interesting to debate. *Defensive diving* is much like defensive driving....
Motorists do many irrational wrong things while I am on my bike. I've had to learn that being upset with them and getting lost disecting their errors will not serve me. To stay in one piece, I have to assume and accept they will all do stupid things and I must anticipate and respond. Blaming them is really distracting and counter productive. It takes my attention away from manuevers and observations I need to focus on instead.
My plea for people to assess their fitness level comes from an earnest place. I dive with fit guys and I'm
not so fit compared to them. It is all relative. I did decide that being aerobically conditioned was probably the number one thing that I could do to improve my odds. I feel passionate about bringing that up whenever I can. Seeing who dies and why has only convinced me more that it is factor should not be brushed over.
It does not matter that I am a nurse with years of critical care transport experience, 35 years of diving, a divemaster, lived here for eight years. I will always be regarded as taking cruel shots at women not at their ideal weight. That is okay, I can accept it, and try and be helpful anyway. I've done a lot of CPR in my day and feel compelled to speak up.
