Policies
and Procedures for Charters, Expeditions
and General Business Practices
Recreational and Technical
Wreck Diving:
Northern Atlantic Dive Expeditions
specializes in wreck diving. Here you can find a general listing of
policies and procedures for the services we provide.
For additional details on the following sections, please also see "Frequently
Asked Questions"
Making a Reservation:
You must be certified by a recognized and accredited training agency in
order to participate in dives requiring use of specialized gasses,
equipment or techniques (i.e. trimix, rebreathers, decompression diving,
etc). Certification does not guarantee a spot on a charter. As we are safety conscious and wish to promote high standards, we may require individuals to dive with us on a shallow
site prior to joining a deep dive.
You
must hold your spot with a credit card, although you may pay however
you wish on the day of the charter. Contact
Capt.
Heather at 617-480-5261 for questions or to make a reservation. We
accept MasterCard, Visa or American Express. Returned checks are
subject to a $20 fee per check.
GAUNTLET Charter Fees:
Charter prices will depend on the location of the wreck and the
nature of the dive. Local diving prices will vary depending on whether it is a half or full day charter, the distance to the site and the type of dive.
For
detailed information on charters, pricing and availability see the
Gauntlet
Information sheet. This document forms the basis of how the boat
runs, but service can be tailored to suit your needs. For additional information, contact
info@northernatlanticdive.com
For Expeditions and
Special Trips full payment is due at the time of booking unless
otherwise stated per the trip specific details. All cancellations and refunds are subject to the
Policies outlined in this page and/or those specific to a given
trip. Balances must be paid in full or a reservation is not
confirmed. If the partial refund policy is
invoked, all divers will be issued a refund check at that time for the
said portion of the balance.
For non-sport diving services,
rates and policies for commercial diving and vessel operations, contact us.
Cancellation and Refund Policy:
Cancellations are made the day of the dive at the dock, unless weather
forecasts indicate undivable conditions at an earlier time point. In
such a case, a weather determination will generally be made by 5:30 pm EST
the night prior. Notification will be made by phone, e-mail or may
be posted online; all divers will be notified of the cancellation.
If the conditions are poor but do not warrant a cancellation, wreck
destination may change. Be prepared to dive alternative locations,
we will try to give as much notice as possible about a changed
destination.
Policies for cancellations and payment,
updated October, 2006:
Once you sign up for a spot, you are responsible for
FULL payment. If
you must cancel, you must pay for the spot. We will only
permit replacements to fill your spot in the event the boat is already
full.
If you
do not show up or arrive late and the boat leaves without you, you are still responsible for your reservation.
If a local dive is cancelled because of weather or mechanical problems
with the boat prior to departure, no charges apply and if already
paid, the full charter fare will be refunded. Partial
refunds may be issued depending on how the trip was affected if the problem arose at sea
and was related to mechanical problems.
If you cancel your reservation on an expedition
or special trip no
refund will be issued unless an appropriate replacement can be found after
the trip reaches "full status." If
the trip is cancelled because of weather, a partial refund
would be issued. A 10% flat fee based on the total cost of the trip,
or a predetermined amount that is specific to that particular trip for administrative costs and expedition supplies such as food, etc. will
be deducted from any refund. This does not include separate boat
fees specific to the operator if other than NADE, if applicable. If the trip is altered due to weather (i.e. destination
change), a price adjustment will be made, which shall be determined at that
time.
All decisions regarding cancellations, changes or diving operations made
by Captains and/or Expedition Leaders are final and non-negotiable on any
charter sponsored by or brokered by Northern Atlantic Dive Expeditions.
Northern Atlantic Dive Expeditions is the exclusive broker for expeditions
and local diving advertised on this site.
These policies may be amended at the discretion of Northern
Atlantic Dive Expeditions, Inc.
Expedition
Brokerage:
Northern Atlantic Dive Expeditions,
Inc. may sponsor expeditions acting as a participating party or a third
party to bring together interested groups to reach an objective or conduct
an expedition. In such a case, all negotiations between parties will
be mediated and conducted through the Corporation. All parties will
be required to sign independent contracts where the terms and conditions
of the partnership are stipulated, in some cases with no-compete clauses
and/or confidentiality agreements. Once the partnership has been
formed, Policies and Procedures outlined in the following sections will be
in full force and effect.
Equipment Requirements and Recommendations:
Equipment marked with an * denotes highly suggested but not
currently required equipment.
--For technical dives - double tanks with redundant configuration of regulators (independent
systems are acceptable but discouraged)
--Buoyancy compensating
device/wings with appropriate lift capacity
--Primary light and back-up light (2 back ups are recommended)
--Reel with lift bag
--Jon line*
--50 lb lift bag (100 lb lift bag*)
--Bottom timer/depth gauge, redundant
--Cutting tools (knives, shears) (2-3*)
--Dive tables (if using a computer for decompression dives, you must also
have tables for back up)
--Wetsuits are not permitted between November 1 and April 1 (exceptions
may be made on a case-by-case basis)
--Proper thermal insulation (a hood and gloves must be worn on all
dives, regardless of season)
--Safety kit* (aerial flares, mirrors, whistle, dive alert, strobe)
--Appropriate stage bottle configuration (cut-able ties, no metal-to-metal
connections, pressure gauges on all tanks)
--Appropriate breathing media for depth and dive profile (air, nitrox,
trimix, heliox -- you must hold the appropriate certifications to use any
and all gases mentioned)
For recreational dives, single tanks are permitted up to
130 fsw, provided there is redundancy in the system such as a pony bottle,
either tank-mounted or rigged as a stage bottle (octopus regulators
alone are NOT acceptable).
For dives with a hard bottom below
100 feet (this does not include the Chester Poling), a pony bottle is required for single tank configurations.
These dives include but are not limited to: New York Central 14 ii, Reliance, Saturday
Night Ledge, etc.
If
you are diving a rebreather, you must be carrying appropriate bailout gas in
sufficient quantities to allow you to safely abort your dive. You
must hold rebreather-specific certifications for the types of dives
being done.
Diving
air below 130 fsw is permitted but discouraged. Diving air below 190
fsw is prohibited.
Policies
for Training, Equipment and Repair
Dry
Suits and Regulators:
All suit and regulator repair is
performed by trained individuals and will be consistent with
manufacturer's specifications. Northern Atlantic Dive
Expeditions will warranty all parts and installations for a period not
to exceed ninety days. There are no refunds on equipment or suit
repair once the work has been started or completed.
Northern Atlantic Dive Expeditions will supply all necessary parts and
materials. A $75.00 surcharge will be added to all accounts
where materials (such as seals, zippers, pockets, etc) or parts
(regulator service kits, hoses) have been provided.
A price quote, which includes parts, materials and labor will be given
prior to the initiation of any work. Payment in full is due upon
receipt.
Equipment:
All equipment sold through manufacturers for which we are
dealers, such as McNett, Global or A-Plus Marine are subject to the
refund/warranty policies of those corporations. Northern
Atlantic Dive Expeditions will do its best to represent these policies
and ensure customer satisfaction for all products.
Training:
All training courses are non-refundable after the course
begins and a 50% deposit is due upon enrollment. Balance is due
in full on the first day the course begins. If you cancel your
training prior to it commencing, you forfeit your deposit.
Enrollment in any course sponsored by Northern Atlantic Dive
Expeditions guarantees we will work with you until you have met the
requirements outlined in the course. It does not guarantee a
certification card.
For
questions regarding this policy, or any policy of Northern Atlantic
Dive Expeditions, Inc. please contact
us directly.
Waivers, Requirements and Disclaimer:
SCUBA diving can be hazardous. You are always under your own
care, custody and control when diving. All divers will be
required to fill out waivers before
engaging in any activities conducted through Northern Atlantic Dive
Expeditions, Inc. Divers who are not using appropriate equipment will not be permitted to
dive. You must be physically fit for scuba diving, having
had a routine physical exam each year. You must have DAN
insurance of master or preferred status.
Participation in any charter brokered by Northern Atlantic Dive
Expeditions is contingent upon agreement to any and all polices, payment
schedules and objectives as defined here and/or in any document generated
through the said Corporation.
The requirements for conducting technical dives outlined in these pages
are not to be substituted for actual training as they are supplementary to
the prerequisites, standards and procedures of the training agencies
approved as meeting the necessary requirements for deep diving.
These pages are for information and terms of participation only and are
the sole opinion of Northern Atlantic Dive Expeditions, Inc.
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