Opinion Time

[MHK]

We don't do Nitrox and/or Rebreathers on 'our' boats. Why? Primarily, the DM's would have to be in the 'know' regarding this kind of equipment. For me as a DM for *Recreational Diving* I have no desire to do Tech or Rebreathers. Let those divers go on a Tech boat.

Jan,

I have no problem with most of what you say and by-in-large I think Reef Seekers does a good job running boats the way they want to run them. For myself, I find the "rules" too restrictive so I avoid Reef Seekers Charters, as I suspect many others do. But in the free market place economy that is the choice we have.

However I take issue with the comments above..

1) If a certified Nitrox diver wants to dive a 32% mix that he is clearly certified to do, what does the DM need to be "in the know" about? The problem I have with Ken in this regard is that he never answers the question and turns it into a tech & RB issue. I have no problem if Ken wants to preclude decompression diving and/or rebreather diving from his charters, it's his charter he can do as he wants, but when he, or anyone from Reef Seekers, attempts to lump Nitrox into that mix it's disingenuous. FTR, what the DM needs to know is that the rescue protocols are the same for a Nitrox diver as they are for an air diver.

2) It seems to me a much ado about nothing; a red herring and not a very credible concern but if Ken is so worried about it, John Lumb I'm sure would gladly Nitrox certify the DM core, these days it can be done over the internet so it's hardly rocket science.

3) Moreover, most every recreational agency steadfastly advocates the training and use of Nitrox, whereas most every recreational agency, save for SDI, strongly is against solo diving so what I have never been able to get Ken to answer is how does he explain away that stark inconsistency? No credible agency allows solo diving but yet Reef Seekers has no problem with it. Every agency allows Nitrox but Ken precludes it. That is an unexplainable problem I can't seem to get an adequate answer too despite repeated attempts. It simply doesn't make any sense whatsoever..

4) Lastly, I would urge you to consider locally the amount of "nitrox" divers that have died as a result of using Nitrox versus the vast amount of solo fatalities that we've had. The numbers aren't even close, the solo divers by far and away out number fatalities caused by Nitrox.. From recollection I don't recall any Nitrox caused fatalities but we have any number of lists of divers that died while diving solo..

 

[Empty V]

This is ridiculous. I say MHK and Ken Kurtis should mud wrestle and winner takes all! Jan because you're bias you have excluded yourself as being the referee.

Billy

 

[headhunter]

Folks,

I have removed all of the banter that has hijacked this thread. While a little off topic departure can be expected in any discussion, when the number of posts in the hijack out number the posts on topic, it is time to do a little cleanup.

Please show the original poster the respect that you would want if you posted a question that you wanted a serious answer to.

Thank you.

Christian

 

[Diver_Jan]

1) If a certified Nitrox diver wants to dive a 32% mix that he is clearly certified to do, what does the DM need to be "in the know" about?

The DM would need to know how to use and apply Nitrox Tables: EAN 32%, EAN 36% and the Equivalent Air Depth Tables; also the DM would need to know how to analyse a Nitrox Tank to R/O diver error.

2) It seems to me a much ado about nothing; a red herring and not a very credible concern but if Ken is so worried about it, John Lumb I'm sure would gladly Nitrox certify the DM core, these days it can be done over the internet so it's hardly rocket science.

I can't speak for Ken, but truly, I think it's about having everyone on the same page, breathing the same air mix, ect. I have been on a boat in the past with John Lumb while visiting Catalina and our dive was interrupted (Boat Recall) due to a Nitrox Diver made an error.

Re John Lumb certifying Nitrox, we just had our Wreck/ Nitrox Certification Weekend in San Diego for those that wanted to join in on the fun.

3) No credible agency allows solo diving but yet Reef Seekers has no problem with it.

Credible agencies reccomend not to solo dive. It is not forbidden. Reefseekers reccomends divers to 'buddy up'; if someone does not have a buddy, then we have that person escorted by a DM. If a diver who we are familiar with and their diving skills, solo diving is permitted after a waiver is signed. Just because a diver says they are going to dive solo, doesn't mean that they do.

4) Lastly, I would urge you to consider locally the amount of "nitrox" divers that have died as a result of using Nitrox versus the vast amount of solo fatalities that we've had.

I was not comparing the recent deaths to Nitrox, air, or even solo diving. I made the comment that in the past 4.5 years that I have dove (on the boat) with Reefseekers, we have never had a diver incident due to strict safety standards.

I personally love Nitrox, and do not have a problem with it, or using it. If I could afford it, I would probably dive with it as much as I could.

 

[Empty V]

I didn't know that mud wrestling was a violation of the TOS. I see hijacking.

Billy

 

[SoCalAngel]

I didn't know that mud wrestling was a violation of the TOS. I see hijacking.

Billy

Wait, you mean Hijacking a thread isn't allowed?? But, where's the fun in that?? :mooner:

 

[Empty V]

Wait, you mean Hijacking a thread isn't allowed?? But, where's the fun in that?? :mooner:

I think that's a question for a "moderator." Watch out though, you're post might get deleted.

Billy

 

[headhunter]

I didn't know that mud wrestling was a violation of the TOS. I see hijacking.

Billy

Your comment disappeared in the thread cleanup, but you may be correct. Strictly speaking, it may not violate the TOS, because of the comment about Jan being involved with Reefseekers. While the comment about mudwrestling could be seen by some as off topic and possibly even seen as baiting others into another hijack (aka trolling), I simply saw it as somewhat off topic and deleted it while I was cleaning up the thread from the hijack. There were 12 posts that remained after the cleanup and 23 that were deleted (7 of which were yours), so I guess you could say that I may have gotten carried away.

However, I've revisited the action of deleting this one post, since I see that this is important to you.

Almost all acts of moderation are reversible and giving you the benefit of the doubt, I have returned your contribution to this thread by undeleting your post.

Christian

 

[Kevfin]

Because of Billy's comment, I want to see him wrestle Jason.

Shouldn't last more than 15 or 20 seconds.

 

[Empty V]

Because of Billy's comment, I want to see him wrestle Jason.

Shouldn't last more than 15 or 20 seconds.

I think I can last 30, what do you think Jason?

Billy