A love letter to all the Jersey Shore Captains and Crew
Posted by Angela on 8/17/2012, 8:41 am
First let me say how much Scuba diving has given me. I am so glad I dive in NJ. I learned from the best Captains and Crews ever. 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!!!
Re: A love letter to all the Jersey Shore Captains and Crew
Gee Angela - sorry you had such a miserable time. For what it's worth this was our third year with Discovery and they've always treated us fairly. As for the boat cancellation on Wednesday, both the other two Discovery boats didn't make it out and when I stopped by Olympus that day they said they had to cancel because of weather. When we went to the beach that afternoon, it was blowing very hard and I was glad I wasn't 20 miles out trying to climb a ladder. As far as I'm concerned Capt. Terry runs a very safe operation and does his best to accommodate divers of different abilities. It's not his fault that some divers are idiots who don't check their equipment properly or know how to respond to signals underwater. I hope you enjoy your next North Carolina trip more that this one.
Re: A love letter to all the Jersey Shore Captains and Crew
DO NOT misunderstand, this is NO reflection on you. I ENJOYED my dive and trip very much.
I DID NOT enjoy the crew, shop or anyone else associated with Discovery. (THEY COST ME ONE DAY OF DIVING OUT OF THREE) due to gear line issue. I cannot support anyone who lies to me after I spend MY hard earned money on a trip. There are just too many people out there looking for my business.
The fact that the Jersey divers had to catch three inexperienced divers with such obvious boo boos, tells you something about the crew.
I called OLYMPUS,DIVER DOWN and another I cannot remember. ALL SHOPS were CLOSED TUESDAY BEFORE THE BAD WEATHER. I CALLED as I was looking for another dive shop to go with on Tues.. (Lack of customers I would imagine in height of dive season) That was BEFORE the "am" bad weather on Wed when the Captains Lady went out from Discovery .
Yes,IF they went into the Ocean on WED they were fools, but DISCOVERY DID NOT CANCEL THEM! THEY ONLY cancelled the boats that were not filled.. ( again a testament to their lack of concern for divers and greed). Only a filled boat went out on WED.
I know you have trained Capt Terry to accomodate rebreather divers, so you have your reasons for staying with them. (PS other dive boats are just as trainable.)
PS I HAD A GREAT TIME. JUST NOT WITH THEM. I dont believe in rewarding people for bad behavior. If they could screw the other folks so blatantly and lie to me, BUYER BEWARE.
Our group was fun, I met lovely people, found a GREAT (I Believe) dive operation privately owned and local and NOT A CATTLE BOAT, had great food on Harkers Island, and the Greek place, met a couple with a beautiful home and a cute rental on a horse farm and fishing lake for a fraction of the price as the bates motel (people at Bates were very nice and place clean despite the fact I found the State BIRD on the next bed.) Got a great haircut, Drove a Fiat 500. very cool.
And BESTof all I had a wonderful dive and encounter with all sealife NC had to offer! Thats why I am so upset. I only got in the water for 2dives!! I would have had at least 4 had they not lied to me.
Notice, I never mentioned the name of the BATES MOTEL!.. They met my minimun standards for cleanliness and comfort and besides fact that they never heard of protein for breakfast, the food was well prepared, fresh, simply and cleanly presented. ( I brought my own hard boiled eggs and lentils.)
The Motel scores points with me because they try. The amenities were lacking, but clean and ACCOMMODATING is important.
That hotel is good for guys! (Sorry if that offends).
Re: A love letter to all the Jersey Shore Captains and Crew
ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO I DROVE DOWN TO NORTH CAROLINA WITH SOME DIVE BUDDYS I HAD BOOKED AND PAID WITH A CREDIT CARD OVER THE PHONE.DISCOVER DIVING. WE BOOKED A TWO TANK OFF SHORE WRECK DIVES.SATURDAY AND SUNDAY WELL FIRST DIVE WAS OFF SHORE SECOND DIVE WAS INN SHORE I COMPLAINED TO THE CAPT.. I WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY EXTRA IF WE WANTED TWO OFF SHORE DIVES. I KEPT TELLING THEM THATS WHAT I PAID FOR..WELL WHEN I GOT HOME ..AND RECIEVED MY CREDIT CARD BILL I WAS CHARGED TWICE I DOVE ON A SATURDAY AND SUNDAY..AND WAS CHARGED FOR FOUR DAYS. TWO TIMES FOR SATURDAY AND TWO TIMES FOR SUNDAY I TOLD THEM I WAS ONLY THERE FOR THE ONE WEEKEND. ONE SATURDAY AND ONE SUNDAY WITH THE DATES I WAS DIVING HOW DID THEY COME UP WITH FOUR DAYS DIVING? I CALLED THEM IT TOOK ABOUT TWO MONTH TO GET MY CARD CREDITED.PHONE CALLS PHONE CALLS.I STOPPED USING THEM AND STARTED WITH OLYMPUS.GEORGE WAS A GOOD BUSINESS MAN. SORRY HE PASSED. FUNNY THING I WAS DIVING IN TRUK LAGOON IN 2007 ON THE LIVERBOARD ODYSSEY. CO. CAPT. FIRST DAY ASKED WHERE I WAS FROM I TOLD HIM JERSEY.ANY ONE CAN TELL WHEN WE TALK WERE FROM JERSEY HE ASKED ME IF I EVER DIVE WITH OLYMPUS IN N.C. ON GEORGES BOAT I SAID YES HE REMBERED ME IT WAS MIKE GERKIN. WE WERE 10 TIME ZONE AWAY.SMALL WORLD HE IS BACK WITH OLYMPUS.LIVING IN NORTH CAROLINA. I ALSO HAVE NOT BEEN BACK TO NORTH CAROLINA SINCE GEORGE PASSED AWAY. OUR WRECKS ARE JUST AS GOOD AS THERES MAYBE A LITTLE COLDER ON THE BOTTOM WATER. AND THE LOBSTERS AND MUSSELS TASTE BETTER.AND MOST OF THE TIME YOUR DIVING WITH GUYS AND GALS THAT YOU HAVE MET AND DOVE WITH BEFORE. AND EVERY BODY WATCHS EACH OTHER BACKS.ANY JERSEY DIVE BOAT I HAVE BEEN ON THE CAPT AND THE CREW CANNOT DO ENOUGH FOR YOU.WELL ALLMOST THEY MAKE ME CARRY ALL MY DIVE GEAR FROM MY TRUCK TO THE BOAT AND THEN BACK AGAIN AFTER THE LONG HARD DAY OF DIVING.AND THEY NEVER HELP ME WASH MY GEAR WHEN I GET HOME.AND MY WIFE KEEPS ASKING ME ? YOU SAY THIS IS FUN WAKING UP AT 5;00 AM . COMMING HOME LAYING DOWN TELLING ME LEAVE YOU ALONE YOUR TRYING TO OFF GAS. SPENDING A FEW MORE HOURS CLEANING AND WASHING YOUR GEAR THEN GUTING AND CLEANING FISH...YEA THATS WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT . JERSEY WRECK DIVING AT ITS BEST..
Re: A love letter to all the Jersey Shore Captains and Crew
Well Angela we had the same exact problem in May, cheated out of money, I had to fight for weeks (which never ended) to get a partial refund and dealing with there nasty attitudes. I will never dive with them or refer them. The captain and crew were great butthe office and store staff can kiss my A$$
Re: A love letter to all the Jersey Shore Captains and Crew
For what it's worth, I've been diving with them for years and have never had a problem. Captain Leroy of the Captain's Lady is the best and has always treated us first rate. Sorry you both had a bad experience.
Re: A love letter to all the Jersey Shore Captains and Crew
I saw the Captains Lady, and from what everyone on the board has said, he runs a good boat. . Although, he doesn't have a ladder. Whats that all about? Only a swim platform you hoist yourself up on. I have done that recently here, and its kind of awkward and not so easy.
I dont know any of this first hand, so maybe he has some kind of ladder.
One plus,I HEARD he hangs a gear line (again unknown for sure). If this was true, and now Im not sure , it would have given me another day of diving.
It actually doesn't matter as I will NEVER recommend them or dive with them again.
I am sure my one little yearly visit will not affect them financially, but times that by 100 who ill not go back. Its a dent.
Re: A love letter to all the Jersey Shore Captains and Crew
The Captains Lady was the six pack that went out the day we were cancelled. Never met the captain or the crew. The crew on the outrageous were lazy fools. And the captain didnt get involved. He remained non committal. Unknown if boats are independent or store owned..
I truly feel sorry for new divers! The Jersey divers saved a few lives that day. Again..glad im here where everyone helps everyone! That comes with diving with locals...Glad we are not a tourist destination for most divers.
Re: A love letter to all the Jersey Shore Captains and Crew
Not sure how it is now but years ago when I dove with them my understanding was that all the boats behind Discovery were independant contractors and that Discovery didn't own a boat. Again this was 20 plus years ago and at the time Leroy on the Captains Lady was the mate and back then he was a hell of a mate and now apparently a good captain. It's a shame he associates himself with them.
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on 8/17/2012, 8:41 am
