However, we have chosen to end the overnight operations for this season. We operated this boat with incredible staff and crew. The diving has been great, the snorkeling has been top-notch and we feel very positive about what has happened. Delicious cooking, great service and of course standards that rate among the best in Thailand. We are proud of everything that has been done.
Almost everything.
The owner of the boat, an absentee owner, has presented several requests and demands that have severely affected operations in the past few weeks. While we have appreciated the opportunity to work together, the owner - who has still not set foot in Thailand - has presented some serious infractions of our own code of conduct.
In addition to assigning incompetent staff assigned to the boat, they have - without provocation - fired the crew and cook.
Their staff are unable to give dive briefings, name the fishes they have seen or to properly fill out dive logs for our guests. These are all minimum standards that are not being met.
In addition we have caught them smoking marijuana on the boat. That is unacceptable in regards to dive guides who are responsible for other people's safety.
Overall we have found much behavior that in not acceptable from any diving professional, let alone on a boat we are so intimately associated with.
The final straw came when their staff was caught riding a Green Sea Turtle during a dive.
While they actually considered this a small mistake, our tempers flared and we will not work in conjunction with people who behave in such a fashion. In addition we hope that
you thoroughly question your future dive operators regarding not only safety - but concern for the environment. We did not believe that people still behave like this in 2008, let alone discovering such actions on our own boat!
To all those on the last trip, we apologize to you for witnessing such actions. We do not condone such activity and would never allow such horrible actions to take place.
To all those who wanted to join us this season - we hope you understand. We would rather provide a service that we are proud of and meets our stringent standards than to allow such actions to take place. We are happy to assist you in finding other alternatives in the area.
The good news - We will be operating our own boat next season! Please come back to the blog for updates as we get the boat and begin refurbishing! We will have plenty more news on this as it happens.
As always - we strive to the highest of standards, and will be offering some amazing opportunities in the coming seasons. We are taking this opportunity to assess all our standards and those we work with.
And finally - as cheesy as it sounds, I'd like to extend an apology to all the turtles!
Not all humans are like those stupid assholes.
-All the Staff at Wicked Diving
1 comment:
Ahey!!
Celine here..remember mui? with my sister Pei yu...
good job you guys have done...
really proud of you...
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