Resort's " New Normal " Rule - No AIR 2 or diving your long hose

[GameChanger]

Thank you for the post. I did not know that Belize had instituted new regulations. A bunch of people from scubaboard are going to be p!ssed when they visit and find out they will need a snorkel.

What is this “snorkel” you speak of??

 

[formernuke]

snorkel

Noun

A object that you hang on your wall for decoration.

 

[Gareth J]

What is this “snorkel” you speak of??

Its an item you find fitted to the later models of German U-Boats, late 1943. It helps you confirm which model of U - boat you are looking at.

 

[Angelo Farina]

@Angelo Farina Its obvious that you are very passionate about safety and diving. And that your concern is genuine. However, it’s also very obvious that you have been well indoctrinated in your organization’s philosophy. But not everyone shares that philosophy and that doesn’t make them or you wrong, just different. I am curious if you have done much diving outside of your group?

It might be that more exposure to other ways of diving could expand your viewpoint and tolerance for divers that don’t subscribe to your philosophy. Your style of diving is obviously right for you but its not for everyone. You have a team approach to diving. I come from a solo mindset. Very different fundamentals and I agree that they don’t always mix well.

And I agree, your boat your rules. That is why it is important in this new covid environment that divers know any new special rules before they arrive. And even more important for new equipment rules so they can either alter their plans or alter their gear before booking.

Sorry, I suppose that you misunderstood my point. I have nothing against different methods. I had to use very exotic approaches when diving in some special sites, complying with the local regulations.
For example inside the Grotta Giusti, a thermal water cave in Tuscany, it is forbidden to use fins and suit.
In the caverns at Capo Caccia, Sardinia, it is forbidden to use an helmet or to frog kick, as both these things often cause damage to the delicate red coral which grows under the ceiling.
I did dive at Cairns, on the great barrier in Australia, and on that boat it was mandatory to have a compass.
I always adapt my behaviour and equipment to the local rules and conditions.
And I expected customers doing the same when diving in the resort where I was working.
These were resorts operated by Club Vacanze, at the time it was the best Italian tour operator for scuba divers.
Club Vacanze developed very strict safety procedures and rules, and it was my respondibility to apply them thoroughly.
All customers had to follow them, or renounce diving.
As for any rule, there were exceptions. In the 5 years I worked thrre I have seen two of these exceptions.
One was for Jaques Majol, who spent one week at Alimatha during late spring 1988. My wife was assigned to be his DM. He refused to employ most of the equipment provided, including the scuba tank. In practice he was mostly freediving together with normal scuba divers, at depth of 40-45 meters, sometimes stealing some air trapped under coral ceilings, and just once he got a single breath from a regulator.
The second exception was done for Raimondo Bucher and his wife, spring 1989.
The island was Halaveli, and they refused to use the BCD.
In a dive done with another tour operator (possibly Francorosso, if I remember correctly) and with Marco Gasparini as DM they did reach 90m with standard air.
So there were rules, and in exceptional cases there were exceptions..
But apart those extreme cases, when you dive at a resort you have to follow their rules.
Diving outside a resort, on your own, you follow your own rules. But if you look at the title of this topic, you understand that diving outside a resort is entirely off topic.
This topic is about new rules to follow WHEN DIVING IN A RESORT!

 

[beaverdivers]

This is an email that I sent to the dive manager of the resort:

I understand that you are trying to do everything you can to mitigate the risks. Having just had another birthday, I am even further in the high risk group. I agree prudent & reasonable actions need to be taken.

However, your AIR 2 rule makes no sense. What percentage of your clients run out of air ( OOA) in a week of diving with you? None (0%), almost none ( .0001% ), very few ( .001%), many (.01%) and too many (.1%). I have been thinking back over 40 years of doing group trips and I can not think of one OOA case. My guess is you have had .001% on average. If you have one in 100,000 OOA, then if that diver shared air with their buddy what is the risk their buddy has the virus? Using the present global numbers, there are 5 million case out of a global population of 7.8 billion. 5 million / 7.8 billion = 0.000641025641! 6 in 1 million. Then take your 1 in 100,000 OOA X 6 in million 100,000 * 6 million = 600,000,000,000!

Then what is the risk that the virus will actually be transmitted through the water in the regulator exchange. I am sure you have a greater risk of being kicked by a donkey in Bonaire!

It is simple; if you stick with your current rule about AIR 2's and tech rigs, then we will not be sending you business. I'm sure that we aren't the only customers you will lose.

I have been diving and bringing divers to Bonaire for 40 years. Bonaire represents diving freedom. It has always been one of the many places in the world that I like to bring divers since I am part Dutch. We have enjoyed working with you in the past. However, there are many choices for dive operations in Bonaire and many other islands to go diving.

Please stay on topic. This thread is about if you would give this resort or any resort your business if they have new rules due to the virus that don't make sense. It is not about if you hate the AIR 2 or tech. rigs. What if they said for your safety that you had to dive an AIR 2/ Tech rig. configuration?

My calculations are +/- 1 billion or so.

This thread is about diving freedom in the future. I was shocked to find this behavior at a resort in Bonaire.

My concern is that this type of regulation will be come the " New Normal " with other resorts making senseless rules.

 

[uncfnp]

Sorry, I suppose that you misunderstood my point. I have nothing against different methods. I had to use very exotic approaches when diving in some special sites, complying with the local regulations.
For example inside the Grotta Giusti, a thermal water cave in Tuscany, it is forbidden to use fins and suit.
In the caverns at Capo Caccia, Sardinia, it is forbidden to use an helmet or to frog kick, as both these things often cause damage to the delicate red coral which grows under the ceiling.
I did dive at Cairns, on the great barrier in Australia, and on that boat it was mandatory to have a compass.
I always adapt my behaviour and equipment to the local rules and conditions.
And I expected customers doing the same when diving in the resort where I was working.
These were resorts operated by Club Vacanze, at the time it was the best Italian tour operator for scuba divers.
Club Vacanze developed very strict safety procedures and rules, and it was my respondibility to apply them thoroughly.
All customers had to follow them, or renounce diving.
As for any rule, there were exceptions. In the 5 years I worked thrre I have seen two of these exceptions.
One was for Jaques Majol, who spent one week at Alimatha during late spring 1988. My wife was assigned to be his DM. He refused to employ most of the equipment provided, including the scuba tank. In practice he was mostly freediving together with normal scuba divers, at depth of 40-45 meters, sometimes stealing some air trapped under coral ceilings, and just once he got a single breath from a regulator.
The second exception was done for Raimondo Bucher and his wife, spring 1989.
The island was Halaveli, and they refused to use the BCD.
In a dive done with another tour operator (possibly Francorosso, if I remember correctly) and with Marco Gasparini as DM they did reach 90m with standard air.
So there were rules, and in exceptional cases there were exceptions..
But apart those extreme cases, when you dive at a resort you have to follow their rules.
Diving outside a resort, on your own, you follow your own rules. But if you look at the title of this topic, you understand that diving outside a resort is entirely off topic.
This topic is about new rules to follow WHEN DIVING IN A RESORT!

I agree that special rules for specific dive conditions is appropriate. But that is not the case here with the “Air 2” restriction. This is not a rule adopted for unique dive conditions. It is an arbitrary rule for infection safety, not dive safety. Your argument against its use has been as a dive safety issue, as you see it.

Again, the question is health (infection transmission) safety. Not dive equipment safety.

Your examples, while very impressive, were all very particular, controlled environments. Remember that we are speaking of a restriction at what is typically a dive vacation resort with very benign conditions. Boat dives there rarely exceed 100 feet.

 

[StefinSB]

@angelofarina. Out of pure curiosity. Can you please describe the trim position of Italian divers? I am trying to understand the “no frog kick rule” in some Italian caves.

 

[Edward3c]

Thank you for the post. I did not know that Belize had instituted new regulations. A bunch of people from scubaboard are going to be p!ssed when they visit and find out they will need a snorkel.

The regulations came in in 2016.

 

[Snoweman]

The regulations came in in 2016.

I saw that on the regulation document. I went in 2012 and was allowed to go on a dive I was probably not qualified to do.

 

[Joneill]

The regulations came in in 2016.

I don't see anything in that document that requires/mandates the use of a snorkel by a scuba diver?