New Divers Beware: Sketchy dive shop in Cozumel puts profits over safety

[nimoh]

I was curious as to why the OP did another dive after coughing up blood.

I am not an instructor but have DM experience with students. If I had a student coughing up blood, I wouldn't let them do another dive, but at the same time, I would expect them to tell me (and/or the instructor) that they would not be doing another dive.

From the original story, it seems that the OP was somewhat negligent with respect to their own safety, and although a good instructor probably could have prevented some (or all) of this, I don't think it is fair to dump all of the problems on the instructor.

Furthermore, I am not sure why any blame is laid on the dive shop. What was expected of them that they didn't do?

 

[Hank49]

IFurthermore, I am not sure why any blame is laid on the dive shop. What was expected of them that they didn't do?

Well, that would depend on whose story you believe.

 

[SCUBAPA75]

Well, I do apologize to anyone I may have offended with my post. I love diving. I love Cozumel and happen to be a long time customer of Deep Blue. There is nothing that makes me more angry than people who assassinate the sport because they do not take responsibility for their own actions and their own safety in open water. SCUBA diving is a passion of mine and I took personal offense to those outrageous accusations. I hope you all won't judge me based on one post. XOXOXOXO

 

[nimoh]

Well, that would depend on whose story you believe.

Neither story indicated anything that the dive shop did or didn't do. The OP claimed that the dive shop didn't apologize, but didn't indicate what they should have been apologizing for.

 

[Ron Lee]

Why do people call scuba diving a "sport?"

I have yet to hear someone be called a winner after a dive. It is a recreational activity.

 

[SCUBAPA75]

He wasn't coughing up blood for Pete's sake. He had a nosebleed. Textbook reaction to over equalizing, especially on the ascent.

 

[Deborah Felixson]

I am Deborah Felixson, the owner of Deep Blue in Cozumel. I have spent the last 24 hours gathering all the fact about this issue, reading all the posts about this and I am ready to address all the issues bvana has very unjustly and inaccurately accused us of all over the world…this Forum, Lonely Planet, Trip Advisor, PADI, etc.
Thank you DevonDiver for your very eloquent and spot-on and objective posts. There is another side to this story, as with all, and after you read this, THEN be the judge and jury.
I can just start by saying that there were a total of 6 divers on that boat with an Instructor and a DM. The other 2 “very experienced” divers bvana was referring to was a gentleman who was doing his first dives after just completing an Open Water Course with us the day before, and his partner who asked to join them in spite of the Instructor warning her that they would remain at 60 ft max depth. She choose to stay with her partner rather than go with the other DM and the other 3 certified divers . She is an experienced diver who has been diving with us for 10 years, and would not distract the Instructor in any way.
As with Aldora, we do not combine certified divers with divers in training, which is why we had another DM on the boat, but when there are couples or family, I’m not going to deny them to dive together if it’s not breaking standards.
His Instructor Rafael is one of the most serious, conscientious, by the book, Instructors I have worked with in the 16 years I’ve owned Deep Blue. We have an impeccable record with PADI which I welcome everyone to verify, specially you bvana.
The Instructor completed all of the course requirements from the beach the first 2 days. This is our standard description of the course, which was sent to bvana by email when he inquired about it:
“Day 1: Confined water dives 1, 2 & 3 and Open Water dives 1& 2. Duration =
5 hours. This is done at Villablanca Beach, about 1 mile outside of town, on
a very nice reef with lot's of coral and fish to see at a maximum depth of
30 feet. We do not do group instructions - we take a maximum of 4 students
per Instructor, and most of the time it's one or two-on-one with the
Instructor.

Day 2: Confined water dives 4 & 5 and Open Water dives 3& 4. Duration = 5
hours.

Day 3: Open Water Dives. You go out on the boat and do a 2-tank dive. At
this point, you're basically done with the course and this is just 2 fun
dives.”
Even so, the first boat dive was Palancar Gardens. The plan was to 60 ft., the dive depth WAS 60ft. Could it be that he heard the others talking about 78 feet and thought he went that deep? OF COURSE he was given a detailed briefing as we always do, whether it’s with students or certified divers, it’s obviously SOP, and to claim that he received no briefing or instructions about his FIRST ocean dive is ludicrous and beyond belief in our industry, come on….

The Instructor worked with him like we do all divers having problems equalizing, ascend a bit, try again, slowly, etc. SOP….after 20 min. or so of this he signaled he was okay and didn’t complain anymore during the dive. Upon surfacing there was a bit of blood in the mask!, NOT “coughed up” like he claimed. Even so, the Instructor gave him the option to sit out the second dive and bvana CHOSE to do it.
I would like an explanation of how I benefit financially if my Instructors push students beyond safe levels and subsequently suffer barotraumas and cant’ dive anymore? Bvana never complained in the shop about being forced or feeling pressured in any way. He was on the list to dive one morning after taking a day off and was scheduled to go out with a private DM which the Instructor recommend he do, concerned for his safety and comfort, and when he called to cancel about 1 hour before the trip, he was not charged a cancellation fee even though the private DM was left without work and I was left with an empty seat on the boat. In no way, shape or form did he hold Rafael or us responsible for his problems while he was here, until now.
I have a statement from the “experienced diver” in their group and even though I have her permission to post it, I have to tell you I hesitate a bit as it’s a bit colorful and offensive….and I don’t want to seem self-serving.
I am waiting to hear from the other gentleman, so maybe more later.
Now it’s a bit more fair to be the judge and jury….
Deborah

 

[SCUBAPA75]

At DaveDillehay...the instructor did not have divided duties...he had TWO OW students to check off. I was just tagging along with them and when they surfaced I joined the other group of divers on the same boat that had their OWN Dive Master.

 

[nodakdive]

Hey. I was the "experienced diver" on the boat with you. And my friend Don was the other diver who was getting his open water cert. Funny, Don didn't have ANY problems on the dives. You know why? Because HE spent the extra money to have THREE days of one-on-one time with an instructor and actually LEARN how to dive. Unlike you, who bragged on the boat that you did all your stuff online to SAVE A LITTLE money and that you didn't need all that actual instruction. And I heard Rafael tell you OVER AND OVER AGAIN...DO NOT descend if you cannot equalize. And I saw you tell him you were okay. AFTER you had to hold his hand for the first half of the dive. If you would have actually paid the money for face to face diving instruction you would know that you can NOT equalize while ascending and that is THE most common cause of barotrauma, which you admitted to doing on the boat. But even if you did not get that information on your pathetic ONLINE course,
Rafael told us ALL the safety information that Deep Blue does on EVERY dive. Remember the conversation about it being like an airline steward?? Never hurts to hear the safety information again? That is because I have heard that same speech on EVERY dive with Deep Blue...and I've been diving with them for 10 years. I am an ADVANCED open water diver with over 150+ dives. You were given the option not to dive again after your
first display of stupidity, and YOU CHOSE to get back in the water. And the beginning of both dives was me (and DON)...hanging out on the sandy bottom while you took 20 minutes to descend. Then you blew through all your air in the next 20 minutes....while you were holding hands with the dive instructor because you were scared. And you and Don, never went below 60'. You were told from the beginning on the boat that your MAX DEPTH was to be 60' and you were particularly instructed to WATCH your gauges and shown how to use the computer. You are the only person who is responsible. You tried to cut corners and save a little money and do the online course and you OBVIOUSLY did not pay attention to the safety information that was given to you MULTIPLE times. You are the only money greedy person in this situation and you should NOT blame Rafael or Deep Blue. You should stay out of the water and off the island. And withdraw this unfounded, ridiculous review from a whiney, bad diver who wants to blame everyone else for his piss poor preparation before trying to get in the water.

Um. Wow. A few questions....

Were you the only 3 divers on the boat?
Was this a morning dive or an afternoon dive? (I suspect it was an afternoon dive if you were the only 3 on the boat?)
You said that your friend Don was getting his open water cert. Does that mean these were part of Don's cert. dives?
Was communication of the equalization problem done in a standard or agreed upon fashion. (i.e. wiggle the hand, point to the ears)
Was your max depth deeper than 60 feet?
I take it that your friend Don didn't do the online course, or that he did, but paid for extra training time?

Thanks in advance,
-Blair

 

[Hatul]

If the opening post is accurate, the instructor is fully at fault. The student takes priority, and a problem takes priority over continuing as though nothing is wrong. I'm totally with the OP on this one.

Adam