No O2 on boat
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I recently posted a message on the LoneyPlanet diving forum about my experiences when diving in Koh Tao. I posted the name of a dive company who did not carry O2 on their boat. The operator Aquademia responded with denials stating that they always carried this equipment. I refuted their statements by posting emails I had received before arrival on the island. I thought this would be of interest to divers here, and anyone considering going there to dive.
The initial post can be found here (this is where I first point out their lack of O2):
http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com/m...rentid=0&from=2
Their denial can be found here, followed by the emails which prove they do not carry O2 :
http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com/m...rentid=0&from=2
Further to this issue I would hope that I could encourage people to post their experiences here.
Malaysia - Perhentian Islands
I will not restrict voicing my concern to a single dive operator on this forum. It is only fair that I tell you about the others I came across.
When I was on Perhentian Besar (big island), after leaving Koh Tao earlier this month, I enquired about diving with SeaHorse Divers. I called in at the shop and asked their prices, which very very competitive and about whether they carried O2 on their boat. The answer was no. They do not carry O2, not even a small DAN kit.
Needless to say I dived with someone else.
It turns out that the next company I went with was Flora Bay . They are one of the biggest dive operators on the island. I heard that they did carry O2 from another diver who had just been to Redang. This is a trip which takes a full day for a return journey.
When I dived with this operator locally (ie around the two Perhentian islands of Besar and Kecil), I found out that they do not carry O2 because the dive sites are closeso to the dive centre. On my second dive the return journey time to the centre from one of the dive sites on the far side of Kecil (small island), was 20-25 minutes!!
Is that really close enough for removing the need to carry O2. I'll clarify - they do carry O2 on the day trips to Redang, but not on any trips to sites around the two islands. In addition, I had two equipment failures when diving with Flora - bcd shoulder dump stuck open and regulator letting in alot of water.
I really think it is important that people post their findings of dive operators that do not carry O2. If nothing else, it might force a few to purchase the equipment. At best it might help someone if something unfortunate should happen.
The one operator I did finally settle on was AluAlu , they carry DAN sets on both their boats, regardless of their destination. Equipment was new and groups were small. I would recommend this operator without hesitation.
Regards
paddyp
If anyone else has come across an operator who does not carry basic safety equipment, please name them on here. Do not use this post for attacks on dive operators. Simply name them. Maybe a few of the operators will have the sense to make the small financial outlay for equipment before someone gets hurt.
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I recently posted a message on the LoneyPlanet diving forum about my experiences when diving in Koh Tao. I posted the name of a dive company who did not carry O2 on their boat. The operator Aquademia responded with denials stating that they always carried this equipment. I refuted their statements by posting emails I had received before arrival on the island. I thought this would be of interest to divers here, and anyone considering going there to dive.
The initial post can be found here (this is where I first point out their lack of O2):
http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com/m...rentid=0&from=2
Their denial can be found here, followed by the emails which prove they do not carry O2 :
http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com/m...rentid=0&from=2
Further to this issue I would hope that I could encourage people to post their experiences here.
Malaysia - Perhentian Islands
I will not restrict voicing my concern to a single dive operator on this forum. It is only fair that I tell you about the others I came across.
When I was on Perhentian Besar (big island), after leaving Koh Tao earlier this month, I enquired about diving with SeaHorse Divers. I called in at the shop and asked their prices, which very very competitive and about whether they carried O2 on their boat. The answer was no. They do not carry O2, not even a small DAN kit.
Needless to say I dived with someone else.
It turns out that the next company I went with was Flora Bay . They are one of the biggest dive operators on the island. I heard that they did carry O2 from another diver who had just been to Redang. This is a trip which takes a full day for a return journey.
When I dived with this operator locally (ie around the two Perhentian islands of Besar and Kecil), I found out that they do not carry O2 because the dive sites are closeso to the dive centre. On my second dive the return journey time to the centre from one of the dive sites on the far side of Kecil (small island), was 20-25 minutes!!
Is that really close enough for removing the need to carry O2. I'll clarify - they do carry O2 on the day trips to Redang, but not on any trips to sites around the two islands. In addition, I had two equipment failures when diving with Flora - bcd shoulder dump stuck open and regulator letting in alot of water.
I really think it is important that people post their findings of dive operators that do not carry O2. If nothing else, it might force a few to purchase the equipment. At best it might help someone if something unfortunate should happen.
The one operator I did finally settle on was AluAlu , they carry DAN sets on both their boats, regardless of their destination. Equipment was new and groups were small. I would recommend this operator without hesitation.
Regards
paddyp
If anyone else has come across an operator who does not carry basic safety equipment, please name them on here. Do not use this post for attacks on dive operators. Simply name them. Maybe a few of the operators will have the sense to make the small financial outlay for equipment before someone gets hurt.
