If You Book a Dive, How bad does the Weather Need to Be For You to Want a Refund?

[Charlie99]

In Kihei I can generally book a single spot the afternoon before --- there are lots of people that cancel at the latest moment they can without penalty. Other than crazy times like around Christmas and Easter, or after several days where the viz nearshore sucks, I get a ride by the time I've called the 3rd dive op on the list.

I also sometimes wander down to Kihei ramp w/o a reservation and hitch a ride to Molokini. This usually works, even if everyone is full --- there's usually a diver or two that wake up with a cold (or hangover) and don't make it to the boat ramp at the rather early departure times. In this case, the needed tanks and munchies are already onboard. Out of a dozen or so times I've gone down to the boatramp w/o reservations, only once or twice did I not get a ride. No problem, I just head on down to Ulua or Polo for a shore dive.

The only time tanks were an issue was during a slow week. A 12 pak was just running with 1 DM + 6 passengers, but were williing to add me on as an extra. They bummed a couple tanks from another operator (who I also often use, so they were happy to assist).

Obviously, if somebody is on island for just a week or two, it's best to play it safe and make the reservations. OTOH, I prefer to wait until the day before to make reservations in order to go out on days with the best conditions.

 

[friscuba]

really? I am surprised to hear you all turn people away, it seems like there are so many operators.

We have never missed a dive, but I know it could happen and I could handle that.

I really hate the obligation, especially stretched into a week. Plus, it seems like once operators have your money even the best don't really care so much that you don't want to go to Jellyfish Lake AGAIN. I'd rather just show up and say "I want the boat that is not going to Jellyfish Lake, please."

I've done the mantas five times, and you've probably done hundreds, but if they did not show for the last three nights and it is rainy and windy, I'd rather go to Huggo's with my two-hundred dollars. It seems a more likely scenario than not being able to get a manta dive in my week in Kona. Statistically, am I wrong? It should be easy to calculate if you have good numbers.

I hate to cancel so much, I'd rather just never book.

A lot of it depends on when you are here. I consider the manta dive to be a dive you can get, and probably should get if seeing mantas is the only thing that'l do, on short notice, maybe not 1 day but 2 or 3 days out, most of the year - except Christmas/New Years/spring break.

I can pretty much guess that 3 of the bigger and longer established dive operators will have their night dive completly or nearly completely booked for the 8-10 days folowing the 22nd of this month by noon on the 22nd. One or two of them have added boats recently so they may be able to put a charter together after that IF they've got the crew to handle it. After that you are dealing with lesser knowns or 6 pack operators and hope they are either going out and have space available or that you have given them enough advance notice to put something together.... the problem is you've got to have enough notice to get crew together, and enough notice to get enough passengers to make the trip even worthwhile.

It's sort of a crap shoot in busy times and you may have to make several phone calls for last minute stuff. I usually recommend snorkelers wait 'til the last thing (say a day or two ahead) most of the year, so they have an idea of water conditions and manta availability, and divers should be OK with a night dive if the mantas don't show so the last minute booking is not such of an advantage. For you, living here the mantas not showing might be a big deal, but the average mainland diver can still get a pretty darned cool night dive in if the mantas aren't in.

The issue with day dives and same day decisions is nearly every operator here hits the water between 7 and 9 am. There aren't any 10am, 11am, noon or 1 o'clock boats. During the busy times you'd run into the same problem as the night dive, during slow times you might have a chance to sneak on if the boat hasn't left yet and you've called on one of the operators who has tanks and gear warehoused within 15-20 minutes of the harbor. Even if you call someone who's not going out because they've got nothing scheduled for the day, and you've got enough divers in your group to make the dive work, they still need to get crew for the boat and short notice doesn't always work.

I'm with you, I'd love to do jellyfish lake - once. It's pretty easy to not repeat sites on a 6 pack boat, tougher on a bigger boat simply because you're dealing with so many divers who've been at the location for varying lenghts of time. Everybody here's pretty good about making the effort, but there are rare stretches that the swell limits the dive sites to just a few moorings.

 

[cuddlefish]

I agree with friscuba. I can't tell you how many people my LDS has turned away. Of course there are slow times...but here is what happens when it's really slow...let's say you have a 12 pak boat with only 6 divers signed up. Sure, there's plenty of room on the boat, but the dive op only scheduled one divemaster. So if you show up that morning, they may not add you to the boat. (It's customary in Kona to do guided dives.) This particular dive op is pretty much fully booked for open water classes for the month of July 2008!!!

Yes, signing up the day before works for some divers. But most will want to make a reservation! A 24 hour cancellation policy is pretty lenient. Just make up your mind the morning before you dive...that shouldn't be big deal for most people. During Christmas, there may be a 48 or 72 hour cancellation.

Oh...here's one thing I want to rant about. Some people don't understand why a company would even have a cancellation policy. Hello! The company is holding the space for you. They are turning others away from that opportunity. It is your special little spot on the boat. Have some consideration and just know the policy. Many companies won't charge you if they are able to fill all of the spaces on the boat after you cancel. I know of one company that has a standby pass that they can give to divers who need to cancel.

 

[DiveWestOahu]

speaking about canceling,,,, how bout that "WIND" !!!!!!!!!

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

We love strong gusty trades here in Wailea/Makena. Very often the stronger the trades the larger the calm void in the lee of Haleakala. I'd call ocean conditions spectacular here today, could have used a bit of a breeze around the pool though.

 

[Richesb]

If the group is advanced divers (not by certifications -experience). We expect to dive in up to 6-8ft. seas.
The boat gives a comfortable ride, experienced divers can very safely exit and return to the boat.
Obviously this is also a "loaded question" in that 6 - 8ft. seas here in Florida Keys are not the same as in the Northeast where they are steeper and shorter in duration.