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Make up your mind Kent. If, as you say, this board is to allow for expression of opinion, you can't very well then turn around and tell us not to offer one up.

Now having said that, I did not offer my opinion, I factually reported the opinion of my diving companions. In other words, I answered the question posted to the best of my ability to do so. Further, I qualified it and also did not present it as my own opinion. The original poster can do with that info what they will. I have no axe to grind with you, at least I didn't have.

If I were to have a personal opinion on this matter, it would be such that, I would make enquiries to see whether or not your prices are lower or higher than what I could arrange on my own for diving and tours. If your prices are equal or lower then I'd see no harm and some definite advantages to the "one-stop shopping". If your prices are higher than arranging my own tours, then I'd be questioning what other value you were offering to me that would make me want to pay the premium.

By the way, my friends did not meet you, did not dive with you and didn't see any reason to book through Blue Hole Divers again. That was *their* opinion, which they freely shared with me on more than one occasion and with NO prompting. If they were members of this board, I'm sure they would have posted same themselves. Then what would you reply to them? That you can't make everyone happy all of the time? No doubt that is very true and so again, the original poster can make up his/her own mind.

You just keep doing the best that you can do at pleasing your customers and you won't have to ever worry about what a couple of people said here on this board. I note that some others said good things about you, yet you have not chastised them to keep their opinions to themselves even though they've no first hand experience with Blue Hole Divers either. They apparently just think you are a nice guy and a good diver.

You've criticized people for saying good things about Barefoot. Looks like people must be happy to dive with Barefoot then and they are freely expressing their opinion here about that.

I'm the founder of Blue Hole Dive Center. I sold the business to Kent and Laurie two years ago. I agree with every word Kent says in his post. EVERY WORD. Those of you referred to in his post....his words to you might just as well have come from my mouth.

I thought I ran a pretty good business at BHDC, not perfect, but pretty good. I kept it for 8 years....stayed in business, did fairly well.

I can re-assure anyone who wants to dive with Blue Hole Dive Center that not only is it a much better operation than when I had it, but that Kent and Laurie are much nicer folk with TONS more diving experience than myself.

I did try running my own boats but soon realized that this was best left to local professionals....folk whose boats were their livlihoods. My boats stayed busy, but mentally for me they were a drain.

Of course, that was much better than spending hundreds of thousands of bucks on boats that are always tied to the dock. I would have HATED to be in that position because it looks rather silly.

Chris, good thing all those local professionals have all those siily looking boats tied up at their docks, or you and Kent wouldn't have had a business at all, would you?

Now maybe we can end this before it gets any uglier. I don't think you two are helping yourselves or each other at all. And *that* is my *own* opinion and anyone who cares to can sure take stock in that.

Hi seashell;

The reason I mentioned the bit about boats being always tied to the dock....the good boats/crews don't stay tied up...they're always busy. They're the one's I always used at BHDC and I know Kent has followed the same pattern.

And let's put this into perspective. I am concerened that some of the replies on this thread were made by the same entity using different "names" to log in. Not you, of course, you have 503 posts to your name on this board, you're certainly entitled to your opinions, many of which I've agreed with.

But, some of the posts on this particular thread look suspicious to me, especially the timing. I believe some of the posts were placed there by a competitor....whose boats are always tied to the dock. I think that Kent was certainly entitled to say what he said based on the sum of the posts.

seashell, you're good people. I understand why you said what you said, but just wanted to try to clear things up.

I only offer opinions on this board about things about which I have PERSONALLY experienced, not "what I've heard". Or I refer folks to publications I think are good. I thought that's what these message boards are for anyway. On those terms, everyone is entitled to their opinion. Regarding diving, I dont' blame people for being super cautious. Diving can be dangerous, especially at open water dives sites like Blue Hole. Safety and the group leader's experience/credentials are of paramount importance. But making decisions based on gossip or second hand info is not good either. People need to do the research...and most of all....have fun!!!

[This message has been edited by trina (edited 02-05-2002).]

Trina, good for you. No doubt a wise practice and awfully good of you to point that out.

That said, a few things should be noted. I dove with those people all week on the same boats with the same operator that actually owned the boats. We also socialized together and shared all matter of opinions on this and that. Their dives were booked through the Blue Hole Dive Center and I was booked with and diving with Amigos. They enjoyed their dives as much as I enjoyed mine. That is not in contention.

Reread the original poster's question and see if it wasn't answered as written. The poster did not ask for only those with first-hand *positive* experiences to respond.

None of the initial responses were malicious either.

The point is that if someone asks about Blue Hole Divers, you don't have to have booked with them to be able to tell that someone that Blue Hole contracts out and that they are a middleman. Apparently, my big mistake was in relating what my friends had said to me about not using them again. OK, fair enough. Mea culpa.

Geeze Kent.... havin a bad day are we?! lol

It was NOT my intention to slam you or your company! I also did NOT base my "opinion" on other posts in this thread.

I AM HOPE! lol

NewBelgeezer sounded a little stressed... "worried" ya know, and you don't think of options when your stressed.

I gave her options.
Talk to you.
Do some homework.
Ask you if you could arrange her dives with a company she felt good with.
And cancel if she wasn't happy with the answers.

But ya know, you can count on me NOT to use you in the future JUST because of this.

Hope ya have a better day!

Sincerely,
Hope

Oh and Chris...
please delete my e-mail address, we are no longer interested in Waterfall Court.

Well, I got my dander up a bit. Sorry gang.

I believe that part of the problem here, (most particularly on this thread)is that right now things are *too* slow in SP. Even over the Xmas season, things were slow some days. A couple of days, even though the weather was good, still, I had to whine, look pathetic and beg other divers to sign up so that I could go dive. As much as they love me, some boats just won't go out with me as their *only* customer.

I think it is a shame that people are hurting down there. These are the times that even the well-run, value added businesses may have trouble.

As Trina said, let's get out there and have some fun . . . and I'll add, let's spend some money and keep our much loved location in the black, whichever operator(s) you prefer.

Just my opinion, of course. Hmmm, would that make it my 504th opinion? At least! LOL