Originally Posted by hunabku
Agree 100%. A fellow instructor was on a dive trip in Mexico and got caught up in a legal squabble when a diver got into trouble. The instructor was on a personal fun trip with no students but yet the boat captain thought the instructor could have prevented the accident. From then on all he ever shows is his Advance OW card.
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I just show my nitrox card. Never had an issue with "hand holding" on the boat.
I showed up on the Nekton Pilot with a Solo Card, a scooter, and a buddy bottle, and told them I had over 500 logged cave dives. They left me completely to myself.
I wish they were still in business. I'd go back in a heartbeat.
Whoever said money can't buy love never bought a puppy.
I agree about the Nekton boats. I did numerous trips with them--all their Bahamas itineraries, Puerto Rico, Belize. Any liveaboard using 95 steels is a truly enlightened dive operation.
I live in Homestead FL and often go down to the keys to dive. Diving Key Largo is pretty easy and they are understanding. However it seems the further south you go the more they treat you like a tourist and don't want to hear anything except cash or charge. As soon as i get on the boat i try to chat up the DM to put them at ease to get the "hand holding" attitude dropped.
I brought lp 98's to dive in Key West and they were confused as to what i was intending to do. Anything other than AL80 and they don't know what to say or do. I had them filled while i was down there and they only wanted to fill them to 2400 PSI. I had to arguewith them to get up to 2600 PSI. They kept talking like the steal tanks were going to explode however, my friend's AL 80 had 3400 PSI.
As much as i love diving the reefs in the keys, sometimes it is a headache and i don't want to do it.
I'll never show a DM card again! Advance NITROX and Deco card gets me about everything I need without the instant buddy assigned to me by the DM.
"...some night, in the chill darkness, someone will make a mistake: The sea will show him no mercy." John T. Cunningham
Nekton boats were my favorite live-aboards. Excellent staff, and wonderful dive sites. And no sea-sickness!
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
I didn't know that the two could be separated!
I have had exactly the same experience....."yes, I am full cave and advance trimix through NACD and TDI" "Ok, do you have your AOW and Nitrox card with you?"
Go with people who know the boat. Get some recommendations in the area if you can't go with a known quantity. Don't be a schmuck and you'll be fine.
Can't even remember the last time I showed a card. I simply showed up with a regular and said "I'm with Steve". They said fill this out and write your cert number and level here.
Then the next time or two later, you'll be Steve.
Best way I found to garner respect is to have decent air consumption. That was when I crewed, too. Someone who said they were so amazing and blew through their gas was quickly dismissed as a legend in their own mind.
Bob
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