fluff_astrid
Contributor
Came across this post a bit later but I just want to say, as a Sydney resident for nearly 10 years now that does do semi-frequent diving here, that:
1- Sydney boat diving is indeed often a shitshow due to a mix of the dive culture and the vis, which is rarely stellar. I stick to shore diving because it's just that much easier to bail on a bad day than when on a boat. The boat charters here are expensive and have a mix of "suck it up bro"/UK stoic diving culture. Now, as another person said, Sydney is not a resort diving destination so that's fine for the local folks to expect, but the problem is that they often market themselves to the visiting tourist market. Now, the primarily shore-based dive companies, like Dive Centre Manly / Dive Centre Bondi, are much better for visitors and chill diving.
2- Despite all their good reviews on Google, I tried SDC once and wouldn't try them again. There were a few reasons for this:. First, on my charter, the guide/DM who I believe was the owner told me he would be my buddy. Then proceeded to bail on me for the entire dive, swimming off into the deep to take photos of random things, wasn't around for my safety stop, etc. I don't actually care if the DM is buddied with me or not, but don't volunteer if you don't actually want to be a buddy, just let me third wheel with someone else. Second, we had snorkelers on our boat but the dive spots selected were absolutely NOT snorkel friendly. We were diving the outer heads and so the snorkelers were pointed at section of heavy waves right near the walls with very much a suck it up attitude given to them when they decided to sit out the second dive. Third, the DM's attitude. When I was on the boat he was yelling at the captain for breaking something. Then, he got angry when I tried to adjust my rental gear weighting. I had rented a wing on this dive because my Hydros was getting repaired, and he excessively overweighted it. So I start taking weights out to match my normal weighting, he starts yelling at me not to. Turned into a really frustrating discussion where he was insisting I need to keep those weights, pulling them out of my hands, etc. Fine, I said, I'll try it for the first dive despite, y'know, having like 200 dives under my belt and knowing my darn weighting in Sydney (and other) waters. Of course, I plummeted like a rock and the whole dive struggled with the standard overweighting issues. When I came up for the second dive, I started taking the weights out, and he starts yelling at me again that my weighting was perfect. He had some similarly snippy statements at other patrons when they tried to give feedback after the second dive, when he didn't dive the plan. Honestly this third point is why I never left a Google review, I just don't know that the feedback would result in any change as there is stubbornness at play. They tell you to write them a good review to receive 10% off the next charter, which probably colors the great reviews you see.
1- Sydney boat diving is indeed often a shitshow due to a mix of the dive culture and the vis, which is rarely stellar. I stick to shore diving because it's just that much easier to bail on a bad day than when on a boat. The boat charters here are expensive and have a mix of "suck it up bro"/UK stoic diving culture. Now, as another person said, Sydney is not a resort diving destination so that's fine for the local folks to expect, but the problem is that they often market themselves to the visiting tourist market. Now, the primarily shore-based dive companies, like Dive Centre Manly / Dive Centre Bondi, are much better for visitors and chill diving.
2- Despite all their good reviews on Google, I tried SDC once and wouldn't try them again. There were a few reasons for this:. First, on my charter, the guide/DM who I believe was the owner told me he would be my buddy. Then proceeded to bail on me for the entire dive, swimming off into the deep to take photos of random things, wasn't around for my safety stop, etc. I don't actually care if the DM is buddied with me or not, but don't volunteer if you don't actually want to be a buddy, just let me third wheel with someone else. Second, we had snorkelers on our boat but the dive spots selected were absolutely NOT snorkel friendly. We were diving the outer heads and so the snorkelers were pointed at section of heavy waves right near the walls with very much a suck it up attitude given to them when they decided to sit out the second dive. Third, the DM's attitude. When I was on the boat he was yelling at the captain for breaking something. Then, he got angry when I tried to adjust my rental gear weighting. I had rented a wing on this dive because my Hydros was getting repaired, and he excessively overweighted it. So I start taking weights out to match my normal weighting, he starts yelling at me not to. Turned into a really frustrating discussion where he was insisting I need to keep those weights, pulling them out of my hands, etc. Fine, I said, I'll try it for the first dive despite, y'know, having like 200 dives under my belt and knowing my darn weighting in Sydney (and other) waters. Of course, I plummeted like a rock and the whole dive struggled with the standard overweighting issues. When I came up for the second dive, I started taking the weights out, and he starts yelling at me again that my weighting was perfect. He had some similarly snippy statements at other patrons when they tried to give feedback after the second dive, when he didn't dive the plan. Honestly this third point is why I never left a Google review, I just don't know that the feedback would result in any change as there is stubbornness at play. They tell you to write them a good review to receive 10% off the next charter, which probably colors the great reviews you see.
