Posted by Richard on December 06, 2004 at 15:46:35:
I have never been with Reef Seekers, or on the Great Escape before, but I was looking forward to a trip to SBI on Sunday. It was not to be though; the weather gods were against us. So we tried for Catalina in the morning. While not SBI Catalina is still great diving. I always get upset when divers say there is no place to dive there. If that’s the way you think, you have not dove all the great places there are to dive. During bad weather boats are limited as to where they can go, but there are still wonderful places and sights to always be seen.
I think that I as a diver have dropped to a new low. I did not even think about this until I was home and the next day. Saturday evening my dive buddy and I boarded the Great Escape. As I said never been on board before and liked the boat. The DM’s took very good care of us and off the an early bed. Next morning I was awakened to the smell of sausage cooking. I got up around 5:45 to see the cook, Mikey, busy cooking breakfast. I looked around and saw that there were English Muffins, cold cereal, hot coffee, hot cocoa, milk and OJ. I asked Mikey if he was going to serve breakfast and he said yes, and that it would be ready around 7 am.
It was. We had sausage, scrambled eggs, and pancakes. At 7am we cast off and started for Catalina.
We only got as far as the “Sea Launch” and the captain said we were turning back. He told us that they saw a 95 to 100’ crew boat getting pounded at the gate. That was enough for him. Well we headed back and were once again at the dock at about 7:45 am. I personally would like to thank the captain for not taking us into that mess.
This though is what I am ashamed of. The boat and crew tried to make a great day of diving for us. The weather stopped us. The boat fed us a great meal. I did not pay one penny for this meal, or leave any kind of a tip, and don’t think anyone else did either. I will go back to Reef Seekers tomorrow for my refund. So here’s the question: does Reef Seekers charge us a nominal fee for breakfast or did the owner of the Great Escape just eat this along with losing a days charter? I think the bigger question is do we become so upset that we can not get out that we in fact take it out on the boat and crew?
Thoughts, comments.
Richard