It takes one trip on a cattle boat in a place like NC to make you appreciate what you have here. I havent dived off a cattle boat in a very long time, except once in the Keys last year (and I expected a careless trip) .However, I did not expect a careless trip in NC due to the challenging conditions. California is same. Cattle boats, lazy inept crews and challenging conditions.
Discovery Diving in Beaufort is a careless dive operation. DIVE WITH THEM at your own risk. They are also scammers with money.
Fortunately, I have my own gear and my own friends with whom I check my gear and I personally was not cheated out of any money. (But I was cheated out of a day of diving due to a gear line problem)
I only committed to two days knowing that boats in a depressed area would not be filled at 115. per trip.) I called every dive shop in MC and Beaufort the day our trip was cancelled and they had NOTHING booked for the week. Boats were not going out due to lack of divers. NOT WEATHER.the weather was due to get bad later that day.
While on the first day dive, we saw the DM from Discovery go down on two dives after being told by us her hose was leaking. Two of us saw the leak underwater.
On the second dive we finally got her attention and her friend took her to the surface. (she thought she just heard a noise, duhhhh)
No pony was worn by anyone but me and the DM thought I was wearing a deco bottle! I am the least looking teck diver around. I have redundant everything, but its in a bag. I DO NOT look like a Cmas tree going down.
A couple from Canada was diving and hubby was losing his tank just before splash down . we caught him too.. (The crew or his wife never checked)
When I called to book the trip, I asked about a gear line.(Due to my 3 spinal surgeries last year,) I like to save my back when I can. Of course! they would throw one over. Needless to say, the reality was different then the promise. I asked before I got on the boat, when I was on the boat and the answer was NO. Too dangerous.
They lost my business on Tuesday. Unfortunately, I lost my dive. Like everyone, I work hard for my money. I WILLNOT pay when there is reckless disregard of customers. I only had three days On Wed we got cancelled. .
FYI. the boat is a replica of the Venture 111. where a gear line is happily provided along with all the other Jersey Shore boats.
On Wed our trip was scheduled on the 18 person cattle boat. It was cancelled due to weather. (LIE) Their six pack went out. We were cancelled because they did not want to run the boat empty.
Our party and another diver in shop said Discovery usually goes out in much worse conditions. 4 divers were left standing at the dock, no trip.
While I was standing around the shop for cancellation info, I heard a young woman tell them that on the previous days dive, her mouthpiece came off in the water and she had to rely on her buddy to bring her up. Discovery's answer was, you have to prove that YOU DIDNT BREAK IT.
I also hear a father say he cancelled his daughters dive three weeks before due to pregnancy and they told this father that if the boat was filled he could get his money back for her. WELL, THE BOAT WAS FILLED.(it was the 6 pak that went out in the "bad" weather.) Discovery told him "OH NO, we will NOT refund your money. THe boat must be overfilled. PS there were 4 divers over filled and the man was STILL NOT getting his money back. Totally BS.
That was it for me! I could NO longer let them think they were going to get away scott free. I mentioned to them if they wondered WHY they were losing business, they only had to look at the incidents of the last 3 days I witnessed and experienced. Wth the attitude and service of Dive operation like theirs, it wouldn't be too long before they WERE out of business. I had already lost my two days.
On Tuesday off from diving, I cruised around the area away from MC, I found a local man who owns a beautiful 30ft boat with cabin. Its him and his son,The run a dive shop a few miles from Beaufort and they have a six pack, but prefer 4 or 5. They will TAKE YOU TO ANY WRECK or REEF or BANK you want to go. Not just the same stuff.
. After we were cancelled I called Poseidon and they were willing to go out the day at 2PM to a protected area of Sheckleford Bank so it wouldn't be so weather dependent if the winds kicked up.
The man couldn't go with just one person.Others in my party didn't want to go So he had a few friends that would go in the eve after work, but we had severe thunderstorms by 7, so that was out. BUT, I went to visit him and we talked a long time. .
THe next time I go, it will be with him... I also found housing. Not the Bates motel I stayed at in MC. It was clean but scary.(the staff was lovely, but I was seriously depressed in the room)
The little houses I found to stay in are great for groups or couples.
Something good always comes from a crappy situation. My gratitude to our dive operations here!!!
So THANK YOU CAPTAINS AND CREWS at the JERSEY SHORE !!! YOU ARE THE BEST!!!
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