Visit Date: March 2012

I just HAD to respond to the review entitled "D.M. Are not diving to guide divers but for their own photo and video" as I too was on this boat and absolutely know who diver4ever is as he was most definitely the only miserable, arrogant and unsociable diver on the boat! 

First and foremost, this is Cocos Island we're talking about, they're not small reefs with little fishes, we're talking palegics, so if you can't get a decent photo then one would question your photographic skills as the photos I took from said trip were fantastic...! Secondly, if my memory serves me correct, when the divemaster offered to transfer his photos from his laptop and another one of the groups laptop, FREE of charge incidentally, Diver4ever was FIRST in line to give his memory stick in. I also recall the dive when this individual, who talked openly about his mass of experience, had an "equipment failure". His BCD self inflating..!... Then needing to take 100% oxygen for an hour after, thing is, the divemaster who was so busy taking photos, was next to him on most of his fast ascent, so if the divemaster was sooooo busy with his camera, how did he see the fast ascent??? Rumour on the boat after was someone sucked a bit too much air a bit too quick, but there again, he's full of hot air!!! I'm also appalled to learn he admits to not tipping, although not surprised. This man ask for the divemaster for a lift to north CR, some 3-4 hours away, then delayed the whole groups departure trying to get lifts for his ongoing journey, he was assisted individually with his oxygen etc and didn't even leave a small tip...wow, how unbelievably tight and miserable ! I'm just thankfull that 6 other divers in the group specifically took time out to write to Okeanos praising the trip, thus putting this arrogant review in its place where it should be, in the dark, much like his personality! 

This was my husband and my first time on Okeanos and we can't wait to return, we all, bar diver4ever, had a great laugh, food was awesome and diving was just breathless! We saw everything we wanted to, diving was safe and fully briefed and I never once felt threatened or scared. I'm not a massively experienced diver so was a little worried re currents etc and although some dives were challenging, I never once felt uneasy as both the divemasters were always watching. I saw my first tiger shark and wow, my dive buddy and I stayed with it for about 10 mins. As a group we were allowed to separate off as long as we stayed in our buddy teams, at all times we were told the divemasters were there for us if we wanted to dive as a group but if we wanted to pair off, as long as our certification allowed, this was acceptable. 

So divers, there's always two sides to a story, and there's always one unhappy individual on a boat isn't there? I'll leave it to you to decide which ones which! 

Visit Date: March 2012

From the time we arrived on board, we were constantly shot with camera and video by the divemasters (entering the boat, trying life jacket, preparing gears, on the dinghy, eating meals, resting between dives...) and underwater they were always at first row for their own shots.

On the 2nd day, as the D.M. was most of the time facing us to take photo of divers underwater instead of acting as a real guide, I felt exasperated and made a remark to the capitain of the boat.  He is also one of the divemaster, so I explained him politely that I was not there for a photo session and I was expecting to have the priority to take my own photos under water.

However, if the shooting on board was less often, at least toward me, underwater there was absolutely no change. I have even missed some photo because sharks or rays were going away from the D.M. chasing them for their video or photo !!!!!

And what for? Just to sell a 65$ CD Rom at the end of the cruise.

A professional divemaster will leave priority to divers for taking photos or video underwater, a polite photographer or videographer would ask first if people wish to be shot or not.

A show-off capitain is none of them and he is still wondering why I did not leave any tip.