Prodive Cairns liveboard

[david819]

I'm in a Prodice Cairns live board and I think there is some information people should know before signing with this dive shop.
They have a crazy dive policy inherited from the 90's when we didn't know much about diving and had no computer.
They in force very shallow dives in a forced reverse profile.
This means you have to dive 18m on the first dive, 16 on the 2nd 14 on the 3rd and 12 on the night dive.
If you dive deeper or even shallower on any of the dive by even 50cm you're at risk of skipping the next dive.
And many people have to skip dives on their boat creating tentions.
You can also feel the staff is not happy on those leaveaboard due to the management.
Mostly a bad experience for us, any one else has tried this company?
Is this a common policy in Australia?
.

 

[Mike1967]

Even if you don't agree, reverse profile diving is for your safety. Who cares how deep you're allowed to dive, there's a lot to see in the shallows too? Relax and enjoy your liveaboard, it'll be over before you know it.

 

[MB NZ]

I've decided to be realistic about diving on the GBR. Most of the dive operators are setup to get as many holiday divers in/out of the water as quickly and as safely as possible. On the whole, they seem to achieve their goal. It can feel like a factory and is not a bespoke experience. Better experiences can be had with Mike Ball and Spirit of Freedom, but these come at a price. I'm not justifying or excusing how things are done in that part of the world, just recognising it for what it is.

 

[david819]

First this kind of dive profile is from the 90's and nor DAN nor PADI advise this anymore as it's based on old science and table diving.
Second it's not advertised and not part of the contract you sign with this company.
Third 18m dive, I'm sorry but this is far from any kind of deep dive. As a tech diver, CCR and cave diver I'm quite more qualified than anyone on this boat to understand and evaluate the risks of diving, even recreational diving.
I love recreational diving and respect it as a different activity but let's be serious, you can't say that diving 45 minutes at 18m then diving at 18m 45 after a 2h interval could present any sort or risk... The real risk of this kind of dive is fast ascent, but this policy doesn't provide any benefits for this risk. What would interesting would be a check dive so they know if the divers aboard know how do maintain buoyancy but they don't care.

 

[happy-diver]

So get off here voice your concerns with them or don't and read post two aloud twenty times

Did I tell you that if you force a smile you are smiling

and recite the three hail marys

 

[Lcc234]

I think it’s a helpful piece of information to share, especially as people research liveaboards. We were on their boat a month ago. A handful of experienced advanced open water divers and dive masters were not happy about this policy. I think they felt like a bait and switch. As OP said, staff showed their opinion about the new rule. It was explained that on previous dives, a person (more than one? Not clear) felt they had DCS. ProDive Cairns has a lot of trainees on the boat and no guides for the first day and a half. The rule definitely seems there for safety / CYA