Potapko
Contributor
I took the opportunity recently to travel to the island of Djerba, which is part of the country of Tunisia in northern Africa. I went looking for some warm water to dive in and some sun for the family to bask in as it is already getting cold here in central Europe. I was told that divers from here do not go to Tunisia for the diving but it was possible to do there. After a long and arduous search I found a "dive center", and I will use that term very loosely here. They did in fact offer diving so the name will fit. I will not post the name of the club but I am hoping someone can give me contact information for C.M.A.S so I can report this "club" to them.
Anyway, here is what happened. I arrived to ask about going out to the some wrecks near the island and was told it was possible but not that day because he didn't want to go out that day. Okay, fine, I return the next day and did finally get to head out with one other diver to an Italian war ship from World War One. Very nice dive, interesting wreck at 20 meters depth. Warm water, nice vis, for me anyway, and a good dive buddy, a frenchman also there on vacation.
We returned to shore and I pressed to go out a second time to another wreck as the day was so nice and I did come to dive. We were just getting underway when the dM called shore to tell them we were heading out. Some fellow businessmen on the shore told him he had other customers at the shack. He told me I would have to wait, which I understood perfectly well as it wasn't financially expedient to take one person out. So we waited about 45 minutes to get these two divers onboard the 18 foot boat we were heading out 3 km into 5 foot seas with, and we were off.
They turn out to be two Swedes on holiday who want to get some diving in as well. GREAT! I think to myself. This will be fun. Then the one asks me if I dive very often. Then when I return the question he tells me he went once when he was 12 but this is his friends first time. They are both about 25 I think. He then asks me if there is anything they should know before we get to the dive site. Oh, I forgot to say, the dive guide spoke only French and had not explained anything to them before getting their money and getting them on the boat. I ask about training. NONE! he says. He then holds up his inflator and asks if the little button is for making them go up and down. I hang my head and pray. I just told him the most important thing would be to stay close to the instructor and to stay calm whatever happened.
I fall overboard first and get to the line in the rough water. The first of them gets to me and is starting to sink because he has not even been told how to inflate his jacket. We all get down to the wreck at 19-20 meters and I realize this is the same wreck we were on earlier. No problem I say, There is plenty to explore still. I look over to see what the instructor is doing with these non-divers? Nothing! He is swimming away like he is leading an experienced group. These two are kicking and flailing trying to stay off the bottom. I decided to just get away from the three of them. These two spent 20 minutes falling all over the wreck, destroying the vis, which was honestly the least of my worries at that time, before the instructor drag/leads them back to the boat. He wants me to stay by the anchor till he returns which against some wisdom I do. He returns and we continue for another 15 minutes before we have to end the dive and return to the boat.
On the way back to shore the one man tells ME that he is not really satisfied because they were told they would get an hour underwater. I told him that they were lucky to be alive. If either of them had panicked and headed to the surface holding their breath it would have been a sure fatality. This instructor, imo, should not be allowed to hold a license and continue to put people at such risk. These men had an expectation of a certain level of safety and watchcare which they did not receive. Again, the language barrier kept them from voicing much of a complaint. I would report this shop to C.M.A.S but could not find any information on their site about who to report them to.
So, my recommendation is that you don't go to Djerba for the diving
. Anybody with information can pm me. I would also post the name of the club but I think it would be removed.
Jeff
Anyway, here is what happened. I arrived to ask about going out to the some wrecks near the island and was told it was possible but not that day because he didn't want to go out that day. Okay, fine, I return the next day and did finally get to head out with one other diver to an Italian war ship from World War One. Very nice dive, interesting wreck at 20 meters depth. Warm water, nice vis, for me anyway, and a good dive buddy, a frenchman also there on vacation.
We returned to shore and I pressed to go out a second time to another wreck as the day was so nice and I did come to dive. We were just getting underway when the dM called shore to tell them we were heading out. Some fellow businessmen on the shore told him he had other customers at the shack. He told me I would have to wait, which I understood perfectly well as it wasn't financially expedient to take one person out. So we waited about 45 minutes to get these two divers onboard the 18 foot boat we were heading out 3 km into 5 foot seas with, and we were off.
They turn out to be two Swedes on holiday who want to get some diving in as well. GREAT! I think to myself. This will be fun. Then the one asks me if I dive very often. Then when I return the question he tells me he went once when he was 12 but this is his friends first time. They are both about 25 I think. He then asks me if there is anything they should know before we get to the dive site. Oh, I forgot to say, the dive guide spoke only French and had not explained anything to them before getting their money and getting them on the boat. I ask about training. NONE! he says. He then holds up his inflator and asks if the little button is for making them go up and down. I hang my head and pray. I just told him the most important thing would be to stay close to the instructor and to stay calm whatever happened.
I fall overboard first and get to the line in the rough water. The first of them gets to me and is starting to sink because he has not even been told how to inflate his jacket. We all get down to the wreck at 19-20 meters and I realize this is the same wreck we were on earlier. No problem I say, There is plenty to explore still. I look over to see what the instructor is doing with these non-divers? Nothing! He is swimming away like he is leading an experienced group. These two are kicking and flailing trying to stay off the bottom. I decided to just get away from the three of them. These two spent 20 minutes falling all over the wreck, destroying the vis, which was honestly the least of my worries at that time, before the instructor drag/leads them back to the boat. He wants me to stay by the anchor till he returns which against some wisdom I do. He returns and we continue for another 15 minutes before we have to end the dive and return to the boat.
On the way back to shore the one man tells ME that he is not really satisfied because they were told they would get an hour underwater. I told him that they were lucky to be alive. If either of them had panicked and headed to the surface holding their breath it would have been a sure fatality. This instructor, imo, should not be allowed to hold a license and continue to put people at such risk. These men had an expectation of a certain level of safety and watchcare which they did not receive. Again, the language barrier kept them from voicing much of a complaint. I would report this shop to C.M.A.S but could not find any information on their site about who to report them to.
So, my recommendation is that you don't go to Djerba for the diving
. Anybody with information can pm me. I would also post the name of the club but I think it would be removed. Jeff
