What would you do?

[cappyjon431]

The crew is always on duty. What if the boat were to have an emergency. I certainly wouldn't want some pot head trying to figure out what to do. Under no circumstances should a crew member be drunk or under the influence of any substance at any time. Notify the captain, owners and potential customer via Scuba Board.

While every country has its own maritime laws, the USCG is very clear about crew members being under the influence of drugs or alcohol on passenger vessels. Crew members are subject to random drug testing (and all members of a crew are tested if there is an incident onboard, even if it is relatively minor). Crew members are not permitted to drink for 8 hours before boarding the vessel, and blowing a .04 on an alcohol test is grounds for disciplinary action (as opposed to a .08 for driving under the influence in automobiles). While these laws are specific to US flagged vessels, it is easy to understand the rationale for enforcing these laws (as well as companies enforcing their specific rules for employment).

Let me give a good example of why these rules are necessary, at least with US flagged vessels are concerned. Many years ago one of our crew members decided to go by skiff onto an island during his "off" time. He went to the bar and had one shot of tequilla. Some of the guests of the vessel saw him do the shot. Later that evening, when this crew member was running the tender back and forth between the vessel and the island there was a collision with another tender. One guest was SERIOUSLY injured. The crew member swore he had only had one shot of tequilla (and i had no reason to doubt his claim), but because guests had seen him do one shot, the immediate assumption was that he was drunk when the collision occured. The resulting injuries were horrific, and the company ending up paying a substantial amount of money. Bottom line, there is (and should be) zero tolerance for drug and alcohol use on US flagged vessels.

I realize that the original poster was not talking about a US flagged vessel, but ask yourselves, do you really want someone who MIGHT be high on something being responsible for your health and safety? I'm not just talking about major onboard emergencies, but little things like picking up and towing a diver in a skiff, or filling your tanks, or just "watching your bubbles" to see if anyone surfaces in distress.

 

[firstdive2005]

I'd like to know who the company was so I dont ever use them. This game of diving is way to serious to have 'heads' in control. Any advise as to it's ok to let the natives do a bit of mellow because they are logged on board so long is absolutely insane. Cappy is so right. Pros dont do ANY MIND OR MOOD ALTERING DRUGS WHILE ON BOARD. Booze is a drug also. Who cares what you do on land boating is a tad different.

 

[NudeDiver]

You saved for a year to go on a liveaboard vacation in an exotic location. When you check aboard the crew really doesnÃÕ seem that interested and are aloof. Second dive on the second day you come back aboard the boat to a strong smell of pot on the stern. All the guest were in the water only crew was on board. What actions would you take and why?

What to do: Ask them, "Hey, are you guys using illegal drugs while all the divers are in the water?"

Why to do it: Because you seem to want to know?

 

[vladimir]

Pros dont do ANY MIND OR MOOD ALTERING DRUGS

Correct--pros do performance enhancing drugs.

I am pretty liberal minded, but it is entirely inappropriate for the crew to be getting high while they have responsibility for the safety of the passengers. If it was in Cocos or Palau, where I was relying on them to pick me up post-dive, and maybe to find me if I went adrift, I would report them to the captain. In, say, Belize, where the water is flat, currents minimal, and land in sight of the divesite, I wouldn't care.

 

[cappyjon431]

Correct--pros do performance enhancing drugs.

I am pretty liberal minded, but it is entirely inappropriate for the crew to be getting high while they have responsibility for the safety of the passengers. If it was in Cocos or Palau, where I was relying on them to pick me up post-dive, and maybe to find me if I went adrift, I would report them to the captain. In, say, Belize, where the water is flat, currents minimal, and land in sight of the divesite, I wouldn't care.

I'm very liberal mided (somewhere far to the left of liberal), but safety of the passengers should always trump recreational drug/alcohol use. I understand that places like Belize can be easy diving, and as experienced divers we believe we can handle most situations that arise on our own. On the other hand, the situation I described (in an earlier post) happened in flat calm seas, with no currents, and in a channel 50 feet from land. The guest ended up brain damaged for life, and it happened for only two reasons: 1)he made the decision to be tendered onto the island for shore excursion (something most of us have done) and 2) his skiff driver may or may not have been intoxicated. Not all emergencies on liveaboards are diving emergencies. If the boat starts taking on water, or there is a fire in the galley, or someone has a life-threatening medical emergency, wouldn't you want your crew to be clean and sober?