The Scuba Snobs' Guide to Diving Etiquette

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Just got done reading the first book. I'll start by saying I am a very open minded person and I love dry and sometimes brash humour as much as the next person, I have over 13 years in a combat infantry battalion that has seen more than it's fair share, I can be as rough around the edges as anyway.

To be quite honest to say I was less than impressed with this "book" is the understatement of the year, I read the reviews prior and was actually looking forward to the read thought it would be good humoured, what it turned out to be was the furthest thing from it.

While some of the points in the book do come across as harmless and good humoured, theres a lot that don't as well.

There are points in this book that outline that some people should have been "drowned at birth" due to their shortcomings while on a dive boat or underwater, continuously refer to one person as a "b!@&$", go on a tirad cause someone lit a smoke etc etc. It even goes so far as condones ruining someone's pack of smokes cause they lit up.

This book also outlines the fact that it's more than acceptable to lie and embellish as long as you don't get caught, acceptable to let someone's shortcomings go un-addressed (which it is) but to rather wait and talk about them behind their backs. At one point it's written "we don't care if you fall just don't fall on us". So lemme get this straight, you don't care about the well being of other divers on the boat as long as it dosnt impact yourselves? I don't believe I recall ever having read a more self centred publication.......ever!

There are a number of good points and yes some good humour, I particularly enjoyed the hygiene section for live aboards, but there's more bad than good. The mere admitting of the acceptability to lie and embellish leaves me assuming half or all of what's in that "book" is partial or fully hogwash, I feel bad for the "b!@&$" because I highly doubt the tirade was warranted, it was very likely an embellishment or complete fabrication.

At one point it states that there are maybe 200 peolple in the world capable of diving to 600 feet. I can trot on over the the east coast naval dive unit and find 50 in one room, yeah they are navy divers but that does not change what they are capable of outside of work, there are many amazing tech divers out there that are more than capable of reaching depths, sadly I'm not one of them.

You guys say your not snobs but scuba snobs, I would have to disagree. What I got from your "book" was conduct youselves in a reasonable manor but most importantly stay out of our way and don't cause us any form of inconvenience and maybe then we'll be nice to you. A snob is a snob and I think you've made that painfully clear.

Again, while there are some good points, I feel as tho this publication does more harm to the scuba industry than good, I see it as nothing more than a deterrent for new divers to feel the sport is welcoming and more experienced divers aren't approachable.

Back to the smoking.....while i don't smoke and also understand the entire world isn't a free world I do concede that there are still a LOT of smokers out there, who cares how much they spend it's their money, maybe someone dosnt like that other people can afford to smoke, travel AND dive? If someone lit up next to me on a dive boat the only way it would be an issue is if they were blowing it directly at me, whereas I would move, or politely ask them if they would mind moving themselves, I certainly would NEVER feel as tho I have any right to destroy someone else's personal property because I don't like the smell of their smoke or don't agree with how much they spend on them. I may take up smoking just to see if anyone decides to trash my pack and see how that plays out.

There's a couple points mentioned that could get someone a "talking to", well there's also a lot mentioned that makes the authors deserving of a talking to, A LOT.

So while I wasted an hour of time that I'll never get back I have learned something valuable, avoid self proclaimed snobs at all cost!

Now to figure out where to burn book number two....:
 
I may take up smoking just to see if anyone decides to trash my pack and see how that plays out.
So... to "prove a point", you'd risk your own health by consuming some cancer sticks? Sounds like a good plan o_O - good luck with that (if you were serious)!
 
Dude, you wrote a book! Good for you. That's awesome. Everyone is a critic. Whiners should go write their own book if they don't like yours.

Here's my review: I'm not reading it, but I'm sure it's fantastic. :D
 
Our books aren't for everyone, I get it. But most people get a chuckle, and some laugh out loud. Book 2 is better. and Longer, and has a prettier cover. We welcome all comments. and c12kipp, thanks for the $1.00 royalty .
DivemasterDennis
 

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