Dive Charter frustration

[Jeremy]

First of all...frigging kudos to Northwest Dive Charters who I just had a great time with...superb service, good BBQ, good diving advice...well well worth the fare imo.

On the other hand...there is a charter outfit who I shall not name who for three years now has unbelievably taken me to the same four dives spots every single time...North Wall, Z's Reef...or KVI, Saltwater (which is a frigging shore dive....see upcoming NWDC club dive).

I've chatted with other divers who have had the same experience. They dont use this charter anymore. i dont blame them. Seriously...I'm not paying $80 plus tip to go do a shore dive...or to go do the same site over and over and over and over and over again! How many boat dive sites are there in the south and central sound? A LOT!!! If you charter a boat...you have a LIVE boat! You can do many of these sites imo.

Anyway...I apparently signed up for yet another trip to two of these four sites this weekend. I will enjoy the dives...diving is better than not diving...but I will not charter with this group again. I'm more interested in the 40+ other boat dive sites to see.

Ok..rant over.

[kdupreez]

Jeremy, the charter in question is always up for suggestions.

Have you tried suggestions for some other sites and gauging their appetite to take you there?

In my experience, they have always done what the customer asks.

My advice would be to make alternative suggestions for some other exciting sites that would work well in that general area prior to a rant.

If nobody asks for something different, they probably will take you where they think would be a good dive .. i.e. they cant fix what they dont know is broke.

[Jeremy]

...my rant may be premature...we've asked for some different sites. Waiting on a response.

[Grateful Diver]

Had that conversation with a house guest this week-end. There are a couple dive charters I used to go out on regularly that I just don't go with much anymore because they always seem to go to the same sites. I really like the people who run these businesses ... and would go out more with them if they offered more variety. But after a while it gets into a "been there, done that" situation ... and I can play that game a lot more easily and cheaply with shore diving.

We have some really good dive charters here ... I just wish they'd pick some different sites from time to time.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[BillZ]

I've done 30 or so trips with the charter that you're referring to. Here's some pointers to get the most out of your trip:

Know who you're diving with - If you have a group of experienced divers the Capitan will take you to the more aggressive sites. But if there inexperienced divers on board then he will err on the side of caution and take you to the tame sites. Also large groups limit the divesites that you can go to since some dives can't be done with larger groups.

Consult a current book- if there is a huge exchange you'll probably be stuck doing the non current sensitive sites.

Talk to the Captain - As others have mentioned give the Capitan a call or better yet go up to the wheelhouse and talk with him before you leave the dock. He's incredibly open to suggestions and, if a site you suggest won't work, will explain to you why and offer up other suggestions.

[ohopdiver]

In another thread we discussed the merits of boat ownership vs charters and several including myself said it was much cheaper to use a charter. Well now we're seeing the down side of charters. They tend to go to the places that they are close to, familiar with and safe for all levels. My boat costs me about $200 every time I use it but I go to 11 sites out of Everett, 16 out of Shilshole, and 6 and growing out of Point Defiance and Day Is. Not to mention dives from Anacortes, Sekiu, Neah Bay and BC. I use charters mostly in the winter when comfort becomes the driving factor for me.
Bottom line is there are many good dive sites for charters to go to in Puget Sound but they need to reposition their boats to do it. Could they rotate moorage between Everett, Seattle, and Tacoma to get a greater variety of sites?

[H20doctor]

i hear ya , they should know where to go , and where to put divers ... sounds like there just going to the easy sites and not taking in consideration the paying folks.. Id call the boat peeps and let them hear your voice... worst case dont go, and shore dive whidbey

[ljjames]

Fill the boat with a bunch of equivalently experienced divers and I can almost guarantee that ALL of the current charter services will do their best to accommodate your diving desires, be it in the lake, sound, islands or straits (or will help hook you up) shallow, deep, OC, CCR, whatever.

Of course for 'pick up days' they go to the regular sites, ones with buoys and predictable currents, minimal boat traffic, and generally 'good chance of seeing a wolfie or octo'. Gotta control as many variables as possible when the most important one (the divers) are uncontrollable

[Joshua Smith]

First of all...frigging kudos to Northwest Dive Charters who I just had a great time with...superb service, good BBQ, good diving advice...well well worth the fare imo.

On the other hand...there is a charter outfit who I shall not name who for three years now has unbelievably taken me to the same four dives spots every single time...North Wall, Z's Reef...or KVI, Saltwater (which is a frigging shore dive....see upcoming NWDC club dive).

I've chatted with other divers who have had the same experience. They dont use this charter anymore. i dont blame them. Seriously...I'm not paying $80 plus tip to go do a shore dive...or to go do the same site over and over and over and over and over again! How many boat dive sites are there in the south and central sound? A LOT!!! If you charter a boat...you have a LIVE boat! You can do many of these sites imo.

Anyway...I apparently signed up for yet another trip to two of these four sites this weekend. I will enjoy the dives...diving is better than not diving...but I will not charter with this group again. I'm more interested in the 40+ other boat dive sites to see.

Ok..rant over.

I'm taking off my moderator tag here. This is just me speaking, and not speaking for NWDC in any official way:

I gotta ask: Why are you bringing this up here, online, instead of actually talking to the owners of this charter? They are close personal friends of mine, BTW. Are you hoping to drive them out of business? Because it kind of sounds that way. As others have pointed out, they're perfectly willing to take requests- I was just talking to them about a special charter to dive a wreck I want to go see. we talked about fuel costs and logistics, and settled on a price. It was simple. But if you get on an open weekend charter, you're going to probably see the same stuff they always do, for the reasons already stated. I think it's kind of shitty to come on here and start talking trash about really good folks- who've been diving around here since *forever*.

[Jeremy]

First of all...frigging kudos to Northwest Dive Charters who I just had a great time with...superb service, good BBQ, good diving advice...well well worth the fare imo.

On the other hand...there is a charter outfit who I shall not name who for three years now has unbelievably taken me to the same four dives spots every single time...North Wall, Z's Reef...or KVI, Saltwater (which is a frigging shore dive....see upcoming NWDC club dive).

I've chatted with other divers who have had the same experience. They dont use this charter anymore. i dont blame them. Seriously...I'm not paying $80 plus tip to go do a shore dive...or to go do the same site over and over and over and over and over again! How many boat dive sites are there in the south and central sound? A LOT!!! If you charter a boat...you have a LIVE boat! You can do many of these sites imo.

Anyway...I apparently signed up for yet another trip to two of these four sites this weekend. I will enjoy the dives...diving is better than not diving...but I will not charter with this group again. I'm more interested in the 40+ other boat dive sites to see.

Ok..rant over.

I'm taking off my moderator tag here. This is just me speaking, and not speaking for NWDC in any official way:

I gotta ask: Why are you bringing this up here, online, instead of actually talking to the owners of this charter? They are close personal friends of mine, BTW. Are you hoping to drive them out of business? Because it kind of sounds that way. As others have pointed out, they're perfectly willing to take requests- I was just talking to them about a special charter to dive a wreck I want to go see. we talked about fuel costs and logistics, and settled on a price. It was simple. But if you get on an open weekend charter, you're going to probably see the same stuff they always do, for the reasons already stated. I think it's kind of shitty to come on here and start talking trash about really good folks- who've been diving around here since *forever*.

I am chatting with the owners and they've been responsive so far. In the past I've been pretty frustrated with doing the same dives over and over. That's the extent of my rant. Their service has been good.

It's really not their fault, it's mine. I signed up for a charter and didn't ask where it was going. When I found out I was upset. That's my problem, not theirs.

If it was my trip that i was planning this wouldn't have been an issue.

I apologize for the tone of my comments above. It is not my desire to hurt their business in any way. Thanks for your comment.

[Jeremy]

[Bric Martin]

This ain't no fun! C'mon Josh tell us another story about mammy's snatch crabs!

[spatman]

On the other hand...there is a charter outfit who I shall not name who for three years now has unbelievably taken me to the same four dives spots every single time...North Wall, Z's Reef...or KVI, Saltwater (which is a frigging shore dive....see upcoming NWDC club dive).

I heard Jarrod Jablonski and the GUE crew were diving with them this weekend. Surprised you didn't join them. I guess you've had enough of Zee's reef.

[Jeremy]

I got sick (am still sick) and couldn't clear my ears.

Heard Z's reef was awesome with 30 ft viz and that drifting milepost 8 was a blast. I am sorry to have missed it. Sounds like everyone had a great time.

[Scubak]

Milepost 8 is an awesome dive.
K

[coulterboy]

This is what I call, a classic, "read the fine print first before signing". If you don't like the fine print (i.e., where the captain plans to take the chartered boat) that day, then don't go. Sorry to hear that you have been taken to the same sites over and over again Jeremy.

Well, I guess, it's time for you to buy your own boat. I'll be one of the guys paying for gas if you send me an invite. And I pay goooooooooooood! Time for Jeremy to Captain up.

[chokolad]

This is what I call, a classic, "read the fine print first before signing". If you don't like the fine print (i.e., where the captain plans to take the chartered boat) that day, then don't go. Sorry to hear that you have been taken to the same sites over and over again Jeremy.

Well, I guess, it's time for you to buy your own boat. I'll be one of the guys paying for gas if you send me an invite. And I pay goooooooooooood! Time for Jeremy to Captain up.

Actually, thanks to Jeremy raising the issue we got to dive 8 mile marker. What an awesome dive. Too bad Jeremy got sick and could not join us.

[CaptnJack]

There aren't that many sites in the south sound within reasonable fuel cost range of Tacoma. If you discount the highly advanced sites which common sense captains would avoid putting unknown to them divers on... You're left with about 4 sites suitable for large groups, divers of most any skill level, and most tides/currents.

However, they will take you to "special" sites IF you discuss your skill levels, current/tide timing and costs beforehand.

[kdupreez]

The divers on the boat had an absolutely amazing time!! And yes, we did indeed have a celebrity on the boat, Jarrod Jablonski joined us for both dives and jumped in between boats between the dives to socialize with divers.

We were going to do the Quartermaster harbor wreck at Jeremy's suggestion, but the boat captain advised us against that on the boat. The wreck sits at 30ft and with 20 divers rumaging through a wreck at possibly crappy viz, I agreed with him, So I told him go to Z's instead (Sorry Jeremy :p)

Dive 2 was a fairly advanced drift in the narrows at Mile Marker 8 that they suggested earlier the week and tell you what, these guys really do know their stuff! They put us in the water at exactly the right minute and told us exactly what to expect underwater wrt current strengths at specific depths and current directions at specific depths

OMG that was an awesome drift dive!! We flew at Mach 5 and grabbed a boulder now and again, hold on for dear life while flapping like flag in the wind, to look at Octos and Wolf Eels OUT IN THE OPEN!! (I would however NOT recommend this dive for the very new divers at these current strengths)

All in all, I am happy to report these guys (as expected) are super open to suggestions and will take you wherever you want and also knows the area and dive sites well enough to make suggestions based on the people on board.

BOTH these sites were at the end of the day the charter operator's suggestions and we loved both dives!!

Sorry you missed the dives Jeremy!! Ragnar had a blast in your spot though