Sloppy Service in Dive Magazine.

[Paul Oliver]

I am very pleased that Dive Magazine has published the letter on page 108 this month about Sloppy Service from a dive centre. I feel there is not enough publishing of issues criticizing poor performance when it is due for various reasons. In this case the criticism is very much due.

I was on the trip and quite vocal in several run in's with the centre. The letter author (An Ex TO at our club and very active OWI) did not say much at the time but, don't beat around the bush when something is wrong (His TO reports at our Committee meetings and AGM's were very cutting).

I am extremely pleased that Dive mag was prepared to publish and name the centre in this letter so that others do not suffer the incompetence that we suffered, having covered in detail our qualifications and experience prior to the trip and having agreed to provide the type of diving we wanted.

As some background the trip was for a group of 18 Dover wreckers, which consisted of 8 x AD, 2 x DL, 7 x SD and 1 x PADI AOW and within that were 2 x AI and 5 x OWI. There was extensive and detailed communication about the diving and what we wanted prior to the trip, and they failed miserable to produce on their promise.

[garethwoodruff]

Hi Paul,

Can you sumarise what briefely happened?

Its just when dive trips break down its nice to know what happened so you can try and avoid similar from happening.

Same happened to me recently, trip involving a lot of work and preperation went badly wrong, due to dive centre incompetence.

Don't need to know the name of the dive centre, and if your busy ignore this request!

Cheers,

Gareth.

[MattS]

Paul, sorry to hear the trip was dissapointing. I can sympathise. It's all too easy for a dive centre to promise the earth (well a few good wrecks at least) and fail to deliver once you are out there.

We have discussed such matters several times at the club bar. With the rise in holiday and occassional diving it seems to be getting difficult to find centres that will treat you as a peer. I note from the article your group chose not to use the local BSAC school. I am sure you have your reasons but personally I favour BSAC centres and operations with BSAC members on staff as they tend to have a better idea of how we want to dive.

[Mike Busuttili]

It can sometimes be hard to get hold of independent opinions on destinations and centres. But the BSAC Travel Club has changed all that with its Trip Reports section. This gives members and other divers that have already visited a destination to "tell it like it is" and give a frank and open account of what they found there.
This open exchange between divers is the best way to make sure that we keep the good guys in business and avoid the poor performers.
If you've been on a trip this year then now's the time to get a report in. Look at what's already available at http://www.bsactravelclub.co.uk/reports/index.html and send your report in. Guidance on how to prepare a Trip Report is available at http://www.bsactravelclub.co.uk/reports/repguide.htm.
Let's be hearing from you.

Mike

[Paul Oliver]

Hi Guys

I am just off to the pool tonight, but will look at doing a bit more detail tomorrow once i get back from diving off Brighton :) hmmm may well do a report for the travel club in fact.

Not totally sure why we went for them over the BSAC center, i suspect it may be down to search engines, Croatia Divers is going to get a good return on google. I don't think the organizers found out about the BSAC site till a bit later.

Bottom line though after lots of communication they stated they could provide what we wanted, then tried to treat us a newly qualified OW divers :mad: which is why i covered our qualifications.

[knightct]

Hi Paul, In addition to searching BSAC's Travel Club reports, BSAC trip organiser's may consider looking at Undercurrent: www.undercurrent.org
This organisation is subscriber based (no advertising) and although U.S. based, has provided a service to divers worldwide for decades, including trip reports, defective equipment reports, recalls, reports on dive disasters etc. A diver (club secretary for example) can subscribe to the printed magazine, on-line membership or both (best option). Each year a Diver's Chap Book is published for members detailing all comments (good and bad) about dive operations worldwide submitted by members during the previous year - an excellent resource when planning trips to new destinations. I have been a member for many years, and consider the membership fee well worth the info provided.

best wishes for future dive trips

Colin Knight (Saudi Arabia).

[Paul Watts]

Hi Guys

I am just off to the pool tonight, but will look at doing a bit more detail tomorrow once i get back from diving off Brighton :) hmmm may well do a report for the travel club in fact.

Not totally sure why we went for them over the BSAC center, i suspect it may be down to search engines, Croatia Divers is going to get a good return on google. I don't think the organizers found out about the BSAC site till a bit later.

Bottom line though after lots of communication they stated they could provide what we wanted, then tried to treat us a newly qualified OW divers :mad: which is why i covered our qualifications.

Did you get round to posting your report on this one?

[Paul Oliver]

Sorry, no not yet, been rather busy, but i will aim to get one out next week, promise :)

[Paul Watts]

Sorry, no not yet, been rather busy, but i will aim to get one out next week, promise :)

Don't feel pressured on this one !;)

I was just interested in digging dirt !... well truth is I've visited the post about 10 times to look and was starting to get more and more curious..:rolleyes:

[Paul Oliver]

Yes, i need to do it as Croatia is a fantastic diving destination for lots of reasons (fantastic value for money just being one) and i don't want to put people off going there.

I will get it done on Monday :)

[Paul Watts]

Yes, i need to do it as Croatia is a fantastic diving destination for lots of reasons (fantastic value for money just being one) and i don't want to put people off going there.

I will get it done on Monday :)

Deadlines eh!... now that's adding to the pressure.:confused:

[Adrian Kelland]

Deadlines eh!... now that's adding to the pressure.:confused:

I love the wooshing noise as they go past - Douglas Adams :)

Going to post it here first Paul? :D

[Paul Watts]

Going to post it here first Paul? :D

I hope so, I wasn't expecting a 'hide n seek' ! :D :D

[Paul Oliver]

Right its done, bit of a long one and the pics have blown it up to 12Megs :eek: i've tried to compress it but nothings happening :(

I'm gonna try and find a kid to tell me what to do. It will be going to the travel forum soon. I may have to take the pics out :(

[Adrian Kelland]

Paul,

Split it into sections - say a day a post, with pics in each one?

Adrian

[Paul Oliver]

Ahh ha so if i do it as a posting and put the pictures in via Tiny pics that should work, wont it?

I was trying to send the whole lot to the travel forum thingy.

Hmm maybe if i have a beer things will get clearer :)

[Paul Oliver]

Ok so its here now :) and on schedule ;) i had to take the pictures out 'cos they made it too big.

http://www.bsacforum.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=434