Handling octopus: how do you feel?

[WarrenZ]

I just have one question: If any of you are so offended with a guide touching or molesting a sea critter why do you continue to go out with guides?

Eliminate the problem and go alone or in groups who share your same ideas of animal rights.

 

[Meng_Tze]

I just have one question: If any of you are so offended with a guide touching or molesting a sea critter why do you continue to go out with guides?

Eliminate the problem and go alone or in groups who share your same ideas of animal rights.

...then you can have that octopus for yourself, a fairly sized one feeds an entire family

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

Animals have rights?

I know they have the right to taste good

 

[WarrenZ]

Animals have rights?

I know they have the right to taste good

That’s what I thought but it seems there are a lot of "fish huggers" out there you know “underwater environmentalists”.

 

[capeofstorms_pierre]

hi all.
we dive in thick kelp forests in the cape and have often had ockies attach themsleves onto us had um awesome pics when one climbed onto my wrist computer and spent most of my dive there, was happy and content.
BUT at the sme time I do nbot advocate that dive guide harras and deliberatly touch animals. When resently in Sipidan they enforced a no touch rule on turtles. YOu could actullay have a turtles come right up to you and enjpy the experince of swimming with them. Saw so many here was amazing. Dived other areas int he world and the turles are so skittish due to people touching them and trying to ride them

cheers

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

That’s what I thought but it seems there are a lot of "fish huggers" out there you know “underwater environmentalists”.

I hear ya. There might be some middle ground out there

 

[RikRaeder]

I just have one question: If any of you are so offended with a guide touching or molesting a sea critter why do you continue to go out with guides?

Actually, all guides don't behave that way. In some places, like Saipan, you are required to go with a local guide if you don't live there. In others, I feel it's best for one of slight experience such as myself to go with someone who knows the waters. This is especially true when I'm on vacation. I generally don't dive twice with guides who molest sealife or shops who's entire dive staff does so.

As far as fish huggers are concerned, I treat the ocean as any natural place. I don't like people who molest squirrels in the forest, or shoot birds out of the sky (that they aren't going to eat). I love and respect nature, but am not about to chain myself to a redwood, etc. Still, at the rate humans are destroying the natural world, both above and below the waves, I think it's the least one could do to respect and try to preserve the environment by minimizing one's impact on it. Those who act otherwise are, in my opinion, selfish. They don't respect nature and they don't respect others who come after; whose experience will be diminished. Despite what some may believe or teach, nature was not put here for humanity's use, we are a part of nature.

 

[Meng_Tze]

As far as fish huggers are concerned, I treat the ocean as any natural place. I don't like people who molest squirrels in the forest, or shoot birds out of the sky (that they aren't going to eat). I love and respect nature, but am not about to chain myself to a redwood, etc. Still, at the rate humans are destroying the natural world, both above and below the waves, I think it's the least one could do to respect and try to preserve the environment by minimizing one's impact on it. Those who act otherwise are, in my opinion, selfish. They don't respect nature and they don't respect others who come after; whose experience will be diminished. Despite what some may believe or teach, nature was not put here for humanity's use, we are a part of nature.

For words like 'animals', 'natural world', 'nature' fill in 'people', 'culture', 'human society' and one has in my opinion more to worry about..... we continue to destroy people, livelyhoods, cultures, stand by and watch millions suffer and die: yet we worry about turtles and octopie.....

 

[Chuffy]

Actually, all guides don't behave that way. In some places, like Saipan, you are required to go with a local guide if you don't live there. In others, I feel it's best for one of slight experience such as myself to go with someone who knows the waters. This is especially true when I'm on vacation. I generally don't dive twice with guides who molest sealife or shops who's entire dive staff does so.

As far as fish huggers are concerned, I treat the ocean as any natural place. I don't like people who molest squirrels in the forest, or shoot birds out of the sky (that they aren't going to eat). I love and respect nature, but am not about to chain myself to a redwood, etc. Still, at the rate humans are destroying the natural world, both above and below the waves, I think it's the least one could do to respect and try to preserve the environment by minimizing one's impact on it. Those who act otherwise are, in my opinion, selfish. They don't respect nature and they don't respect others who come after; whose experience will be diminished. Despite what some may believe or teach, nature was not put here for humanity's use, we are a part of nature.

I agree completely. When DMing in Thailand I would tell customers that we don't touch or harras sea life. In fact I have told customers off for doing so. One I had to tell him after the first dive that if he dived like that again he wouldn't be welcome on the 2nd or any subsequent dive. He was apologetic and the other customers appreciated it.

 

[RikRaeder]

For words like 'animals', 'natural world', 'nature' fill in 'people', 'culture', 'human society' and one has in my opinion more to worry about..... we continue to destroy people, livelyhoods, cultures, stand by and watch millions suffer and die: yet we worry about turtles and octopie.....

What you mention is a completely different set of problems, however I do agree that these are worthy concerns as well. So saying, it does not diminish my belief that the natural world too is something to be protected. Fortunately or not, the latter case is something much more easy for us to effect: just don't touch. Now only if that technique worked for the societal problems that you inferred!
I'm reminded of a lovely line from Matrix that mentioned people as being like a virus. We're the only creature that destroys it's host. Of course this isn't exactly true, but I found it rather fitting. On another note, the plural of octopus is octopusses. I'm an English teacher and I actually lost money on that one. Not trying to demean, simply to enlighten.