To the Discourteous Instructor at Casino Point Sat 08/29

[drbill]

Yes, you. You may have been an instructor associated with Sports Chalet since several of your students had tanks from there. However, this is an assumption and my post is not intended to be a diatribe against Sports Chalet... just you, Mr. Discourteous SCUBA Instructor. You had what seemed to be about a dozen students, hopefully with an additional instructor.

Why were you discourteous?

First, you approached the line intended for those going into the water. You know, the one on the right hand side of the stairs where courteous people wait their turn to enter the water, even if it means having to be patient for an entire class (or two) of OW students. My son and I were in that line, pretty much towards the very end.

You and your class approached that line, but for some strange reason decided that you were above such things as common courtesy and patience. You decided to take your students down the left side of the stairs... you know, the side divers coming OUT of the water are supposed to use.

Yes, you took your class down to the bottom stairs and proceeded to get them into the water. It wasn't bad at first since there were no divers trying to exit the water when you first went down. But that wasn't good enough for you... you continued sending your divers into the water, blocking the exit for those divers trying to get out of the water. They had the right-of-way. You did not.

What did you teach them with that lesson? How to be discourteous and ignore all the other divers at the park. You violated the written rules of the dive park. I don't think that is a standard for any certifying agency!

Then my son and I were about 2/3rds of the way towards the harbor end (Suejac). I had gone looking for a pair of giant sea bass and wanted to show them to my son and film him with them. We patiently set up the shot by taking 5-10 minutes to slowly approach the courting pair and not make them edgy.

Then you and your students appear. I was only about 12-15 ft from the closest giant sea bass when several of your students began swimming towards them, flailing their arms in a classic display of no buoyancy control. Of course you may not have focused on such SCUBA essentials yet, but if not what were your students doing at 55 ft?

Your students went between me and the bass, causing them to get agitated and leave before I had a chance to set up the shot with my son. We had patiently prepared for this sequence, and they were not concerned by our presence, but I could see their tenseness through my viewfinder before I first looked to see your divers.

So once again you taught a lesson to your students that is not part of the standards of any agency I'm aware of... another dose of discourteous behavior, perhaps to reinforce the first lesson. Oh, and you also taught them how NOT to interact with marine life.

I looked for you when I surfaced. I looked for the one student who I thought I could easily recognize, but I couldn't find your class. If I had, I would have given YOU a lesson ("politely" of course) in how to be courteous... and requested your agency name and instructor number so I could report you.

Obviously you are not going to reveal your identity here and acknowledge your lack of concern for others and for marine life. However, I feel much better having written this!

 

[deco_martini]

This is not the first time.

You really need to quit diving Casino Point before it gives you an aneurism dude.

 

[redrover]

This is not the first time.

You really need to quit diving Casino Point before it gives you an aneurism dude.

That response sounds like something a discourteous instructor would say.

 

[deco_martini]

that response sounds like something a discourteous instructor would say.

woooooooosh

 

[fisheater]

Maybe we can have someone out at the Dive Park doing a Mike Nelson "enemy diver" impersonation and cutting the air hoses of those who can't understand "up" stairs and "down" stairs. That'd learn 'em.

Edit: But seriously. Those folks are just total bozos. Their discourtesy is more vivid there, as it contrasts so much with the general diver helping diver attitude that I've always found there.

 

[robint]

Dr Bill, I have never dove with you or even at Casino Park, but I totally get what you are saying and Bravo!
My hubby is an instructor here in NM and we both are very conscientious about the things we "teach" the divers when they are getting certified. That FIRST experience diving sets the guidelines by which those students will be diving for a long time. I am very aware that they watch everything I do, they watch like a hawk, and they absorb everything. It is so important to teach them right from the first day about diving skills but also diving etiquette.

 

[Rick Inman]

DB, your story is not unique to Catalina. Try a Saturday at Alki in Seattle and watch the instructors "lead" their classes.

Best bet is to just dive out of the crowd, at night, in the winter, on weekdays, etc. With divers in masses, assume buffoonery.

 

[Peter Guy]

C'mon Rick -- SOME of us try very hard to be unobtrusive at Alki -- although it IS hard at times. We even try to stay away from Cove 2 because that is where the "best" diving is to be found.

DrB -- sorry.

 

[Ann Marie]

It is such a shame to hear about this happening. We lead by example and when one of our peers sets a bad example it reflects poorly on all of us.

 

[drbill]

Again, this is a reflection only on this instructor not the many great ones that frequent Casino Point and teach their students well. I must say that several of my instructor friends said there were a few bozos out last weekend, but this was the only one I encountered. Perhaps he was all over the place.

Robint, you hit the nail on the head. Students pay close attention to what their instructors and dive masters do. This is why it is important for them to set a good example (and almost all do here at the dive park).

I post this not entirely to whine, but in the hope that the instructor involved will actually see it and reflect. Or perhaps some of his students will see it and realize what he did was wrong and incorporate this into their diving in the future.

Common courtesy seems to be a dying trait in many activities. I am always amazed at the times 5-6 people will walk abreast on our sidewalks as I'm approaching from the other direction with 150-200# of dive gear... and they expect me to step off the sidewalk (where? into the ocean? magically pass through the wall on the other edge?).

This year the dive park has indeed been a lonely place to be due to the economy (or lack thereof). There have been a number of days when I was the only diver there. I really enjoy the days when there are a lot of divers because I love socializing on my surface intervals almost as much as the dives themselves.