No Morning Dive After Flight the Day Before with ProDive Mexico?!?

[chillyinCanada]

Reefhound, which op in Roatan had you doing that?

While I appreciate your equanimity, and accept that in some places in the world, I'll be doing a checkout dive, I draw the line at proving capable of clearing a mask. I'm just difficult, I guess.

 

[Dogbowl]

When I was younger, I was told by an older and wiser colleague, "Pick your battles. You can't fight every one of 'em."

For me, I'd just clear my mask as per the dive op's policies. First, it's not like I can't clear my mask. Second, what will I accomplish by refusing? Nothing, other than give the impression that I'm difficult for no good reason, and wasted time and effort trying to argue the situation.

I just think there are many more pressing and serious battles that people have to deal with. Having to clear my mask on a check-out dive is really no big deal and not worth the fuss, IMHO.

 

[redacted]

I get it. You know your qualifications and what dives you can do safely and nobody likes being challenged on that. But different shops have different policies and you have to just let it slide or pick another shop. My gf and I went to Roatan last year and despite being a working DM with 1000 dives, I dropped into the 10' of water and did a mask flood/clear and reg remove/replace demo for the DM just like everyone else. I didn't question it. They have a process and it's easier for all if we just follow the process. And we repeated that process when we returned earlier this year.

I think you should work as a DM for a few years and then I bet you'll see things from a new perspective and will try to be the "easy" customer that allows the process to flow smoothly and make things easier on the shop and crew. And you'll probably tip more as well. ;-)

I ran into the same checkout procedure in Roatan but it was done at the start of the first morning dive of the trip. I don't believe Mitch had any problem with the idea of a checkout dive. The problem was that ProDive seems to be the only dive op in Cozumel that can not figure out how to accomplish that as part of the first morning dive.

 

[boulderjohn]

The same person who had the nitrox/trimix conflict had a problem with checkout dives in Roatan. IIRC, his transportation did not get him to the place on time for the checkout dives, and he was going to lose a day of diving, despite his instructor certification. He eventually got someone in the water with him to show he could do those basic skills. He did them while neutrally buoyant and in horizontal trim. That was not acceptable. He had to get down on his knees and show that he could do them negatively buoyant and kneeling at the bottom. No advanced skills allowed on a checkout dive, damn it!

 

[ReefHound]

Reefhound, which op in Roatan had you doing that?

While I appreciate your equanimity, and accept that in some places in the world, I'll be doing a checkout dive, I draw the line at proving capable of clearing a mask. I'm just difficult, I guess.

Anthony's Key. I see no reason to draw lines. The DM on the boat isn't the one who vetted my certs. Having the DM try to keep track of which divers need checked or which skills need checked would likely slow the process down more than just jumping in and doing it in 20-30 seconds. It's also a weight check (and for the diver, a thermal check) which even experienced divers can benefit from.

 

[Lorenzoid]

When my wife and I were at Anthony's Key Resort (AKR) maybe 3-4 years ago, I don't recall being forced to demonstrate mask clearing or regulator remove/replace. However, a little while before our boat was to leave the dock for the first dive of our trip, they asked us to gear up, jump in, and check our weights. This did not bother us at all because it was the same as we had been asked to do on at least one other trip (a liveaboard). I suspect the DMs watched us from the dock to see if anyone looked like they might have issues. Maybe even though they were in reality checking us out they called it a "weight check" to avoid bruising anyone's ego.

 

[mediumone]

avoid bruising anyone's ego.

bruising egos is exactly right, and it's a bunch of damned silliness.

Some people never become adults.

 

[lv2dive]

That was actually what I meant: the OP as in original poster and Op or op as in dive operation. On re-read, I can see how that would have been as clear as mud!

I think ProDive dodged the bullet. If a customer is that confrontational in a chat asking about policies, how confrontational is he going to be on the dive boat over DM/captain instructions?

 

[lv2dive]

I've assisted with a class before as a "student" and didn't do a very good job because I was weighted to be neutrally buoyant. It is kind of hard to do skills on your knees if you are neutral/just a little heavy. I did the fun pivot fairly well though!

The same person who had the nitrox/trimix conflict had a problem with checkout dives in Roatan. IIRC, his transportation did not get him to the place on time for the checkout dives, and he was going to lose a day of diving, despite his instructor certification. He eventually got someone in the water with him to show he could do those basic skills. He did them while neutrally buoyant and in horizontal trim. That was not acceptable. He had to get down on his knees and show that he could do them negatively buoyant and kneeling at the bottom. No advanced skills allowed on a checkout dive, damn it!

 

[Ron Lee]

I think ProDive dodged the bullet. If a customer is that confrontational in a chat asking about policies, how confrontational is he going to be on the dive boat over DM/captain instructions?

If you are referring to Mitch he does not come across as a problem. However, if it has not been resolved already just go with another dive op. I hear that there must be at least a dozen or more dive ops on Cozumel.

Any diver may have a try a few to find one that they prefer, but there is likely a good dive op for most people.