Scuba Mau Boat Sinking

[cruiser]

Not to argue with you Mike....that would be pointless. If you have found one particular dive op to be "Macho" it should not speak to the integrity of the many other shops on the island.
I come here solo most time and I have not found the dive masters here to be( dive here alot have used 5 ops over the years) the "macho" you are describing. For example, with some newer divers this week, their concerns were addressed , plans adjusted and we all went on to have a great time diving. There was no this will be "no problem". Normally that's how things have worked on dive boats I have been on in Cozumel. I am no seeing the macho
thing at all (well to be honest, maybe once) that you claim is everyday on Cozumel dive boats.

The "no problem" could vary from op to op, too. I've seen it on the ops I've used. But I haven't dived ALL the ops in Coz, so can't say from personal experience that it's an island-wide practice.

 

[CozumelAntonio]

How many women have experienced more than just casual 'discussions' with Mexican dive masters over weights? Anyone?

Don't know about ladies in particular, but a constant situation here is that some divers, specially divers that have not dove in Cozumel, and more particularly American men (since you are on a gender/nationality trend here) display the same "macho" attitude towards the lead, as they are unfamiliar with the bouyancy and salinity of the water, or are not used to diving aluminum tanks, or both. Too many times 6'3, 240lb divers with full 3mm, will ask for 6-8lbs, and when the DMs start to try to explain why they really need more like 12+, the diver will insist that they "dive with 8lbs", and so the DMs comply (give the client what he wants right?), and the divers jumps in the water with 8lbs, deflates BCD at surface, and bobs and bobs.... if he's smart, he'll set his macho ego aside and ask for more lead, if he isn't he'll try to "prove to everyone" that he can dive with 8lbs, turn over and start kicking, and sure enough he will get down, for a while, and as the tank becomes lighter and lighter..... well you know the rest of the story.....

As to the other comment you made, yes I am quite sensitive, particularly to even the slightest hint of prejudice, stereotyping or racial bias against my people, as if rule breaking, cutting corners and unsafe practices were limited to Mexico, it's too easy to point fingers across the border and pretend it doesn't happen in your country. I assure you it does.

 

[MMM]

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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

this thread is rapidly veering off topic and heading into the realm of insults, whether aimed at a person or people from a particular country. Jim Baldwin and I discussed the matter last night about whether it was time to shut this thread down. That time is rapidly approaching, I think. Please stay on the topic or start a new thread. Thank you.

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[Darol]

MMM said:

this thread is rapidly veering off topic and heading into the realm of insults

And why wouldn't it?

It seems almost anything connected to this title, heads south.... All due respect.

 

[judydivescoz]

How many women have experienced more than just casual 'discussions' with Mexican dive masters over weights? Anyone?

I am confused.......what are you driving at??

 

[Mike]

Don't know about ladies in particular, but a constant situation here is that some divers, specially divers that have not dove in Cozumel, and more particularly American men (since you are on a gender/nationality trend here) display the same "macho" attitude towards the lead, as they are unfamiliar with the bouyancy and salinity of the water, or are not used to diving aluminum tanks, or both. Too many times 6'3, 240lb divers with full 3mm, will ask for 6-8lbs, and when the DMs start to try to explain why they really need more like 12+, the diver will insist that they "dive with 8lbs", and so the DMs comply (give the client what he wants right?), and the divers jumps in the water with 8lbs, deflates BCD at surface, and bobs and bobs.... if he's smart, he'll set his macho ego aside and ask for more lead, if he isn't he'll try to "prove to everyone" that he can dive with 8lbs, turn over and start kicking, and sure enough he will get down, for a while, and as the tank becomes lighter and lighter..... well you know the rest of the story......

As long as you continue to make a living by taking money from tourists, I don't see it changing too soon.

Till Cozumel embraces check out dives there will remain a reason some Cozumel dive master's carry extra weight on them.

 

[Pedro Burrito]

...cutting corners and unsafe practices were limited to Mexico, it's too easy to point fingers across the border and pretend it doesn't happen in your country. I assure you it does.

All you have to do is look at the Scuba Shack incident in Key Largo, FL, USA where one passenger died and another was put in the hospital a few months ago to prove your point. I've never been to Cozumel but I'll be going there next month. From reading some of the threads here, I'll look very carefully before I get on a dive boat anywhere - in the USA, Mexico, or anywhere else. Fast and loose, corner cutting and unsafe practices has no national origins or boundaries.

 

[halocline]

On the many Cozumel trips that I've taken I have never once seen unprofessional, lax, or "macho" behavior on the part of a mexican divemaster or captain. I have, however, seen LOTS of such behavior exhibited by folks from the good ole U.S.A., including but not limited to, pushiness, arrogance towards DMs and other clients (usually by someone with piss-poor dive skills), bad buoyancy control resulting in reef damage, complaining about inconsequential things, etc...

If any of the posters on this thread have a problem with "mexican" dive practices or services, why don't you simply stop going to Cozumel and find someplace else?

The irresponsible behavior of this particular operator is certainly troubling, but, at least in my experience, has ZERO to do with the attitude and professionalism of the Cozumel dive ops I know.

 

[ggunn]

The irresponsible behavior of this particular operator is certainly troubling, but, at least in my experience, has ZERO to do with the attitude and professionalism of the Cozumel dive ops I know.

Or their ethnicity.

 

[Mike]

Or their ethnicity.

Since you want to make this a racial thing too, you need to look up the difference between ethnicity and nationality. Everything I've said is defined by nationality. Of course because some people never want to admit there could be anything even slightly not positive in regard to their favorite vacation destination or somebody they interact with and have ignored the negative behavior, the discussion bends toward racism if a person's nationality is brought up. I forgot that Mexico is actually a state of the United States and not a foreign country.

However, I forgot the first rule of Cozumel is never discuss anything negative about Cozumel. Sorry I broke the rules.