Scuba Mau

[DandyDon]

I was pleasantly surprised at the bikini babes in Brockville too. Montral influence...?

She has a pool in her backyard...

In Toronto? Hmmm. She likes swimming that much then? Snorkeling is a great bridge to scuba, or an enjoyable shortstop if she still doesn't get into the real thing. Hope you have a great trip.

 

[dewayne405]

In a clarification response to DMs/Captains out drinking: The Scuba Mau crew are great people, who are very safety conscious. The date in question was after a long week of wonderful diving with all of them, and we were all off the next day. We chose to take our friends out for a great dinner and a few cervezas... At no point was any one member of our group "torn up, drunk, or plastered", as consenting adults we all drank responsibly..

During "work" hours or before, I never saw anything, but absolute professionalism (with lots of great humor and friendship). The only thing that I watched them consume was lots of water, juice, fruit, and the occasional pastries... And as Gabby knows, if you reach for the last piece of pineapple, beware because my dive partner will fight/scratch/bite for it if she wants it...

 

[robbcayman]

To Don, Brockville is awesome, I dive it a couple times each summer. Great wrecks, it's warm and vis is pretty good. If you ever plan a trip to the St Lawrence let me know. It's good anytime.

Victoria started the O.W course with me and did great until the pool session and she didn't really enjoy it At ALL!!!! So I have done a couple of DSD's with her and also got my instructor friends to take her in our training pool. She has a pool in her backyard so I have tried numerous time there as well. I haven't forced her to try it again and again, she just sees how much I love it and wants to share it with me, so she insists on trying it again. I know Scuba Mau will do there best with her.

I'm all over the joke Jimmy.

Matthew

Not to hijack, but that sounds like my wife. She enjoys snorkeling, but just really isn't a diver. She gets too freaked out in deep water. We tried multiple pool sessions and even in shallow water she was out of her comfort zone. I was constantly worrying about her, so I just told her to hang it up. It got to the point to where I couldn't enjoy my dives. There are some people that are just more snorkelers than divers. I just wouldn't push her too hard.

 

[gypsyjim]

Victoria started the O.W course with me and did great until the pool session and she didn't really enjoy it At ALL!!!! So I have done a couple of DSD's with her and also got my instructor friends to take her in our training pool. She has a pool in her backyard so I have tried numerous time there as well. I haven't forced her to try it again and again, she just sees how much I love it and wants to share it with me, so she insists on trying it again. I know Scuba Mau will do there best with her.


Matthew

Not to hijack, but that sounds like my wife. She enjoys snorkeling, but just really isn't a diver. She gets too freaked out in deep water. We tried multiple pool sessions and even in shallow water she was out of her comfort zone. I was constantly worrying about her, so I just told her to hang it up. It got to the point to where I couldn't enjoy my dives. There are some people that are just more snorkelers than divers. I just wouldn't push her too hard.

My girlfriend Colleen had quite a struggle herself, before she finally certified. Took two separate cycles to finally earn her OW. We kid that it took her 5 years, in 5 different countries before she was finally able to pass. Her issue was more a gear/technology thing, as she gets herself anxious whenever she is dealing with technology and machines. Gets too tense and tires herself out with anxiety and then frustration.

BUT, she was determined. She loved to snorkel, and wanted to be under the water with me, instead of just watching us from the surface. After a trip to Puerto Rico, and Desecheo Island, where she watched our entire dive from the surface, and saw our interactions with rays, etc, she became even more determined to join me!

It took an added effort by PADI Course Director Rich Morin to finally help her overcome her equipment block, relax, and just enjoy the dive. She made it (Thank you Rich!) and now has logged over 75 dives, and she is the one who decided our next trip will be Coz, another place she had only gotten to see from the surface before!

What I am saying, is some people take a lot more time and effort to adapt to being under water with life support equipment, which is really what dive gear is when you get right down to it. Colleen was determined, but she had to do it at her own pace, and repeat various steps until she was comfortable enough to stop overthinking, and just dive. Then, it became a piece of cake, mostly. (Jim still has to deal with and solve any and all equipment issues )

 

[MagnaBoxer]

Based on the positive reviews of Mau by members here, and having known Opal / Mau when they were both at BA, we decided to dive with them on our most recent trip to Coz. Won't happen again, and I consider it a lesson learned. Just because you read so many positive comments about an op here doesn't mean your experience is going to be as good, or even that your expectations will be met.

There were so many things that turned me off about their operation that I nearly switched back to BA after the first day. Only reason we didn't is we'd made an agreement with them for our trip, and we thought that it would have to get better. It didn't, and now I am kicking myself for not dumping them. From the comments I've read in this thread I see that everyone seems to be happy with them and that's great, hope they continue to be happy with them. As for me and my family, we won't use them again.

 

[gypsyjim]

Based on the positive reviews of Mau by members here, and having known Opal / Mau when they were both at BA, we decided to dive with them on our most recent trip to Coz. Won't happen again, and I consider it a lesson learned. Just because you read so many positive comments about an op here doesn't mean your experience is going to be as good, or even that your expectations will be met.

There were so many things that turned me off about their operation that I nearly switched back to BA after the first day. Only reason we didn't is we'd made an agreement with them for our trip, and we thought that it would have to get better. It didn't, and now I am kicking myself for not dumping them. From the comments I've read in this thread I see that everyone seems to be happy with them and that's great, hope they continue to be happy with them. As for me and my family, we won't use them again.

Further explanation might be useful here

 

[fishi]

There were so many things that turned me off about their operation that I nearly switched back to BA after the first day.

It's not fair to slam a dive op, and not list one single reason why.

 

[firstdive2005]

Based on the positive reviews of Mau by members here, and having known Opal / Mau when they were both at BA, we decided to dive with them on our most recent trip to Coz. Won't happen again, and I consider it a lesson learned. Just because you read so many positive comments about an op here doesn't mean your experience is going to be as good, or even that your expectations will be met.

There were so many things that turned me off about their operation that I nearly switched back to BA after the first day. Only reason we didn't is we'd made an agreement with them for our trip, and we thought that it would have to get better. It didn't, and now I am kicking myself for not dumping them. From the comments I've read in this thread I see that everyone seems to be happy with them and that's great, hope they continue to be happy with them. As for me and my family, we won't use them again.

Hi please put out the dirt, many dive ops have cleaned up their act to be very very good operations because of this board. Every day, every week in every dive shop, every business we run into someone who has been negatively impacted (my business in construction). Our clients deal with our employees, they have crappy days/weeks also. Sometimes they get fired over it. Cant fire me though, only tell your friends what I did that was so wrong.
Did you talk to Opal, or was it her?
Did you talk to Mau, or was it him?
Did one of the guys do something dive related incorrectly?
Was the place unkempt and you didnt like that?
No toilet paper?
They are very approachable about issues aand correct them pretty fast, I know her well and Mau. I know the dms very well also. They are USUALLY above reproach.
I have had days where my men that work for me have threatened to quit if I didnt go diving, I had no patience and didnt give a rats' patoot about anyone or anything, that relates to lost clients.
It would be good to put out the dirty laundry my friend, I assure you it will be read by Opal, it just wont be addressed publicly with you by her. But we, as the clients and those considering using them deserve further comment to your slander/opinions/experience, (pick the one that fits). Thanks, kevin.

 

[atatt]

I agree the above posters. If you are going to slam a dive op at least give some explanation. I am sorry that you didn't have a good experience and it is true just because Scuba Mau is our favorite Dive Op that doesn't mean they will be yours but don't slam them without an explanation. It isn't fair to the Dive Op or the people who use the forum. Opal and Mau are very approachable, did you even try to discuss your problems with them?

 

[Harro10]

I am diving with them for six days starting Sunday and I would very much like to hear what went wrong with your dives to warrant such negative comments. I will even pass the complaints along to them if you have not as yet done so.