Updated: 15 February 2019
On rare occasions when I am on the internet, I would sometimes come across these travel advisories that inform people how safe, or suitable, a country is to travel to. I have also observed diving forums to be doing the same thing—letting divers know where to go, what places offer the best diving, and which operators to avoid. Fair enough.
Well, there are two sides to a story. Or two sides to a coin. Whatever. I have been guiding for over 15 years now and diving, even longer than that. Having met my share of difficult clients—and great people—I have decided to come up with my own blacklist in support of all the guides and operators who had, and are continuing to deal with inexperienced divers and/or blind bats and/or impossible clients and/or insensitive people.
In my work I meet so many nice people who have become my friends for life. Well, I even got married to one. I am so grateful for her and I should recognize her more.
Then I have a few who are the most stupid, evil and disappointing individuals. I work to earn a living, so I probably can’t beat them up and tell them to get the hell out of my face.
I’ll keep on adding to this list as I encounter those that fit the bill.
- Gengler, Christian
- Gengler, Michael —A German police officer threatening and shouting at my captain, then ripping the sticker of his travel agent off the toilet door. You never got in to my face… at least you knew better. It would have ended badly for you.
- Goldhahn, Andreas
- Hoffman, Margarethe
- Hoffman, William (Bill) —Thank you for thinking that the universe revolves around you and making people feel like life is sh*t when they’re around you. You can stay at home, we don’t need you.
- Hoffman, Jan (Mrs. Bill) —The same goes for you, Mrs. Bill.
- Kalmanson, Mitchel —One of two world-record comedians and unpleasant people who luckily won’t be with us much longer. I won’t even spend my energy on him, but when he is threatening his travel agent to sue him in the International Court in Hague… This is what I found out about him: He once owned 16 tigers and transported dolphins to Fidel Castro.
- Landwehr, Ruth
- Lohmann, Martina
- Preussler, Eva
- Preussler, Gunther
- Stein, Michael —The other half of the comedy act Michael and Mitchel. This prosecutor by trade stole other people’s vacation time and spent an hour on the soapbox. I wish I was a guest on the trip; I would have smacked the sh*t out of them.
Hello Sten, glad to see I haven’t made your list, yet!
Great to meet you and Tanya, Janice and I talked lots about diving sharks with you on our drive home.
Stay in touch and look foward to seeing you two again sometime, somewhere soon.
Good luck with getting some help with your hand.
Ron.
Hi Ron,
No, you haven’t made it to my list quite yet! We have to meet again and try!
Let me know what you would like to do in Baja. The Revillagigedos is known for the friendly giant mantas and bottlenose dolphins that approach divers, as well as for the hammerhead sharks at Roca Partida. But if you want a shorter trip (only liveaboards go to Socorro), there are plenty of options around the Baja peninsula, e.g., chances to see hammerheads, bull sharks, whale sharks, and, if the time is right, blue sharks.
Nice meeting you, too, and I hope that we’ll meet again soon!
Cheers,
Sten