Diving Courtesy

[chickie]

   I was the dive master of record for the class you are talking about. I am not afraid to say that if we are caused you any consternation I am sorry. Now people will hear the other side of the story. Groovekitty, I saw you on shore, as I walked by. I even smiled and said hello. I could tell that it was with hesitance you would acknowledge another person talking to you. I must say, you are a good-looking person. So much so, I cannot believe the bile that comes out of your fingertips. I did a search of posts listed under your name. Man you have a caustic attitude. You may have been hit with the female-dog stick once to often. In fact by your 1st post I could tell you were not from here. I may be wrong, but your attitude towards other people and their opinions definitely sounds like a transplant from a less friendly area, to me.

   If it were not for my short- coming of not being able to find the platform the 1st time we may not be having this discussion. I was on the track of it but decided my students were in the water and waiting for me. The daylight was getting short, so I went back to the class. The instructor took the float. I followed on the surface with the class. When we reached the area the instructor had secured the float and was waiting for us. I questioned him if we had company and he said “yes, we will wait for them to clear the area” I commented to him that I did not see a flag when we got there and he said, “well not everybody follows the rules”. After a bit I noticed that the bubbles, at least one set had moved away from the platform. Oh wait, I guess that was not you and your buddy on the platform. Because, I saw two distinct sets of bubbles, they were at least 20 ft apart. I don’t know much about DIR but the training agencies I work with state a GOOD buddy is within an arms reach of each other. That is why we descended when we did BOTH sets of bubbles were moving off the platform. You were obviously off the platform otherwise you would not have been able to catch the student. She was in the 1st buddy team to descend.

   I have been a dive-master for 5 years. I have probably assisted with over 150 students doing their OW 2 dives. In that time I probably have seen 5 that had buoyancy down on the very 1st dive. I truly wish that I had been one the divemaster on your 1st class. I know I would have seen poetry in motion. Never once touching the bottom or having an out of control ascent or descent. I guess I missed a rare treat. Perfection from the word go.

   Now I don’t know your level of certification, or certifying agency. I would guess that it is probably no higher than AOW. The reason I know that is because in classesl Rescue and higher, people are taught to have patience and help the beginning diver. I certainly know that you are not at the professional level because most of your comments are anti-diver, at least if they are not DIR. I would also guess that you don’t have many real dives. Because most dive trips with you would be miserable. Just because of your attitude. I will applaud you for practicing your skills. Most divers don’t do it enough.

   This message did not have to be this long. You started it when in your 1st post you called the instructor an “instrokter” I find that description a great insult to one of the most advanced, instructor/divers we have in the Midwest. He does not need anyone sticking up for him and I am curious about his silence. Maybe he just considers the source and chooses to ignore you. I have never posted to this board before. I just lurk, read and learn. You have taught me a lot. Thank You. I have learned that if DIR divers are like you with the attitude you have I don’t want anything to do with it. You are not a very good ambassador for what is just another way to dive. I have well over 500 dives all over the world and have had no real problems. And guess what? Until 8 months ago I had never heard of DIR. In closing, again I will apologize if we scared you. I really thought you were leaving. If you had, had a flag, like most law-abiding citizens we would have known for sure you were leaving, or we would not have even gone to that platform. I’m sure the members of the last Washington county deputies we trained will be glad to know that on Tuesdays there are divers that break the law. We have had that conversation with them during training. In closing,-----??!!