On Friday, March 16, 2001 4:42 PM, Reef Fish wrote:

(snip)

> You have skippers like THAT in OZ?   Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesh!
> If they can't afford a CHEAP GPS unit, at least they should have
> the skill for visual triangulation like boat captains in Cozumel do.

Assuming they're in sight of land or other fixed visual references?  Or - if
at night - that there are suitable and known shore-side lights! :-)

> "No idea where the dive spot was ..."  I still can't believe that
> operation is still IN BUSINESS and people dive with it.

Are Black Shark Divers, in Cozumel, still in business?  :-)  ( I seem to
recall that they had problems finding the night dive site during the
CozNEDFest!)  :-)

> >The problem with those sort of dives is that when you get back you don't
> >know where you've been, with the risk that you might find yourself back
> >there again one day and not know it until you got there!  :-))

> If the skipper doesn't know where the dive site is, how can one trust
> where he knows where the boat ENGINE is, or where he could tell his
> Rs from a blue hole?   I would NOT dive with such an operator even
> if they pay me.  ;-)

> So far, Birdo have given us nothing but BAD NEWS about Aussie
> liveaboard/boat diving.  First, the 80 fsw scuba-cop rule;  then
> other Queensland rules;  and now skippers can't find the dive site!

When this came up before, I stopped trying to explain that the 'rules' are
essentially industry-generated guidelines with the purpose of protecting
operators.  Within certain well-defined parameters, how an individual
operator chooses to interpret many of those 'rules' is left to their
discretion - and the experience of the divers.

I know of few countries that don't have some sort of rules or regulations
governing diving, the USA included!  :-)  I happen to be in favour of them -
within moderation ( and I see few things that are 'immoderate' in terms of
the Queensland diving regs as they're applied) - because I've seen at first
hand the high mortallity rate of an unregulated diving industry.

But I have no problems with people like Lee - or yourself - being opposed to
such controls based on your own diving experiences.  (Although I still
wasn't quite certain what aspect of the Code of Practice one or other of you
seemed to believe would impinge on your diving enjoyment?)

Anyway!  That's all hypothetical and not a discussion that I intend to
involve myself in again.  (And if anyone cares to give me the title
'Scuba-Cop' then I'll wear the distinction with pride - and go to sleep with
a clear conscience!)  :-)

> Now I see why Strike dives the same beach every week.  :-)

Shelly Beach - to me - is a bit like having a Monet or Matisse on your
living room wall:  It never fails to give pleasure!  And why swap it for a
Reader's Digest "Picture of the Month" reproduction?  (And to be fair, I do
dive a lot elsewhere - I just never mention it!)  :-)

Strike