In Reply to: Re: Chamber Day obmination posted by divermike86 on June 14, 2009 at 16:27:59:

OK Mike:
I was a crew member, who volunteered my time, on one of the boats on Chamber Day, and I agree completely with Denny, and some of the others who can do the math (except the Ken Curtis issues), that the only ones in this fiasco who got nothing out of Chamber Day, save a chance to be on the ocean, was the dive boat owners/captains. They were also the key contributors to the chamber, by turning over all the money, and by providing fuel, food and air for the divers. The crews were also generous in that they took time off from their day jobs, and worked pretty hard, to wait on the divers, hand and foot. Don't get me wrong, making a diver smile is a lot better than a day at work, but it doesn't pay the bills.
I'm also well aware that one of the things that started the e-mail grief, was the negative posts by some divers, when a substantial number of the boats pulled out of chamber day, due to all indications that the weather was going to be crap.
I'm not here to slam anyone, but for those of you who haven't been exposed to the expense (monetarily, physically and emotionally) of running a dive boat, bad weather costs the owners much more, due to physical stresses on the boat. And for any of you who have been party to a "Victory At Sea" crossing of the channel, even a moderately bad swell will ruin the day for 90% of the divers who would have been on the trip. This could provide the Captains with another heaping of negative publicity, in a time when it could cost the owners their business.
The insults (some veiled and some not) were both ignorant and insensitive, and weren't deserved by any of the great Captains who did what they thought was the right thing. And if you think that they are all a thick skinned lot, who's backs are covered by duck feathers, you are very, very wrong. Not one of them deserved being made to feel like a piece of crap, because they made the best decision they could, given the information at hand.
I for one am damned glad that we've got dive boats, owners and Captains. I'm too damned old to cross that channel in a little boat, with one or two other people, and when you consider the comfort and comradarie that exists on a live-aboard, the choice is clear. I appreciate the things these owners go through to give us all that option, and I guess I feel really sorry for any of you out there, who haven't got the capacity to think about anything but self.
Thanks Jerry !
Thanks Tim !
Thanks Tom !
Thanks All Of You Who Got Nothing Out Of Chamber Day, Except Another Day On The Ocean, Which Will Always Be Better Than A Day Job.

Oh Yea, maybe we could have the state tax all air fills to pay for the chamber.

Computer Steve