What's happening to wetpixel.com

[davehicks]

I can visit the forum, but haven't been there for a long time. I see there are recent posts, so there are still users of it. (and maybe I will be blocked because I posted it here?)
I never had any problems with Wetpixel, but I am just a sometimes forum user. Never booked trips etc.

Ironically, Wetpixel has been more active the last few months, since the drama ensued, than I can recall in years. Some of that might be due to new products, cameras, etc prompting new topics, but part was the heightened emotions from the scandal.

I would be very happy to see the community migrate to a new home, but I think until the lights go out that won't happen.

 

[John Bantin]

Is Wetpixel Breaking Bad?: Undercurrent 09/2023

Clarifications to Our September Wetpixel Story: Undercurrent 10/2023

 

[patoots]

As someone looking to enter the hobby, wetpixel's current state is pretty frustrating. Google searches keep teasing me with the first sentence or two of a really useful sounding post I can't access...

For anyone else in my position, archive.org does have cached versions of some threads.

Signed up for the backup plan newsletter in OP in the meantime. Thanks for taking the initiative!

 

[bvanant]

I am confused I can get to all my Wetpixel posts

 

[Nemrod]

I am confused I can get to all my Wetpixel posts

If you are not already a member it seems some have difficulty joining the forum? And the forum is now all exclusive to members only, I think? I can get in and post and read, no problem but I am a long time member though rarely post.

 

[davehicks]

If you are not already a member it seems some have difficulty joining the forum? And the forum is now all exclusive to members only, I think? I can get in and post and read, no problem but I am a long time member though rarely post.

The owner of the site has been outed as a rampant fraud for stealing pre-payments from divers/members for site sponsored dive trips that were never actually booked, and not paying dive operators or instructors for trips that did happen. He is lying low, and the website is running on autopilot with no new members getting approved, etc. It's just a matter of time before the site implodes.

That said, the site is actually more active right now than it has been in years.

 

[patoots]

If you are not already a member it seems some have difficulty joining the forum? And the forum is now all exclusive to members only, I think? I can get in and post and read, no problem but I am a long time member though rarely post.

This is exactly it.

Not logged in = stuck at sign-in page, can't view the forum
Logged in = new members stuck at this "awaiting approval" page(no approvals for months now), can't view the forum

Consider this post my solicitation to borrow someone's account just to view/search the forum

 

[Nemrod]

The owner of the site has been outed as a rampant fraud for stealing pre-payments from divers/members for site sponsored dive trips that were never actually booked, and not paying dive operators or instructors for trips that did happen. He is lying low, and the website is running on autopilot with no new members getting approved, etc. It's just a matter of time before the site implodes.

That said, the site is actually more active right now than it has been in years.

I know of the he said and she said and all of that, at least a little of it. I was trying to answer the fellows question as to why he could not join or access the forum without getting into all of that.

To say it again, the serious UW photographer (pro and serious amateur) world needs a good forum. I do not care who, what, when and where. Nothing against scubaboard, I am a scubaboard supporter, but the photo forum of scubaboard is the iPhone, Go Pro and TG6 forum and not much in terms of serious questions or topics get explored. I am kind of tiring of "How do I turn my TG6 on" or "Where do I buy a plastic box for my iPhone" sort of questions. And thus I hope it all works out somewhere, some how, to the betterment of everyone who does not take "nice pictures" or endless boring blue videos of snails with a TG6, iPhone or Go Pro. Be it a new forum or the old one gets fixed.

 

[The Chairman]

Welcome to ScubaBoard. We do have trips, and we can have more. We never, ever handle the money to eliminate that messy end of things. We also have a photography forum, and would love to see more of you using it. Let me know how I can be of service.

 

[The Chairman]

I've been thinking about this all night. I hope I wasn't indelicate with that last post. This Pandemic has been really hard on many businesses, especially forums. Most of our income, advertising, dried up almost overnight. Fortunately, many ScubaBoardians stepped up to the plate when we were on the verge of financial collapse. I don't know what happened at WetPixel, and I don't need to know. But, I'm sure that they experienced the same pressures and loss of income I encountered. I maxed, maxed, maxed out my credit cards, defaulted on two, had a tractor repossessed, and ate ramen to make it through. I went from having excellent credit to sub-par in two short years. Glad it's over.

I say that to illustrate why I'm so, so glad that we never handle cash on any of the trips we offer. The temptation to mingle those funds would have been really huge when I was at the bottom of this pandemic. Non-SB trips are offered here all the time in the appropriate forums with no intervention from me or staff. Getting SB to sponsor a trip has a few more requirements, which I'm willing to discuss with anyone via DM.

Lastly, I was approached to see if a thread could be started to suss things out. Of course. We're here for you in whatever capacity you need us. We know it's going to be a bit messy, with a bit of anger involved. It's Okay. We get it. Of course, we would love to be your new home. You guys are awesome, who wouldn't want you? But we do have lots and lots of noobs asking noobish questions, which irks a few dedicated enthusiasts. So, if you decide you need to create yet another forum, you're OK to do that here as well. Most of the Scuba oriented forums originated here, after all. We've been online since the turn of the century, with intents of making it to the next one, sans mois, if at all possible. It's the noobs that keep us viable, so they're worth re-answering some questions a bazillion times.