Hands off the marine creatures. Just a small rant.

[chrispete]

I've witnessed an UW photographer whack a porcupine fish multiple times over the head with a large light to try and get it to inflate. After the dive I mentioned (it was a diver with the group that I was leading) quietly that stressing the wildlife wasn't the best thing for them, and he might want to take this into account. He didn't take it very well and basically said that the critters were lucky that he didn't have a speargun with him. We don't get along very well anymore.

 

[Rick Inman]

adshepard once bubbled...
If you can't keep your hands off the marine creatures don't do the dive damn it!

Alan

Can I touch the marine life after I shoot a spear tip into it's brain? How do I get it onto the bar-b-q?

(Just kidding!)

 

[Jambi]

NWGratefulDiver

Great info, thanks. I suppose you could chock this up to one more thing they should teach you in OW class. After seeing this thread I cannot recall my instructor ever mentioning delicate sea life. We were only taught not to touch sea life because it might hurt....I thought all that stuff was just underwater moss and stuff....said the OW student to the instructor.

Jambi

 

[missileman62]

Interesting to see how people view things....black and white....some, I see have room for the "gray area". I am new to the sport and for the most part think it ok to just come and look...however when I see those guys with the 8 legs hanging out, it makes me want to stop and grab them for dinner. Living in Japan you would be surprised what can end up on the dinner table or sushi counter, one way or another it all came from the sea...pass the wasabi!

 

[saying]

NWGratefulDiver once bubbled...
They're pretty intelligent critters, and will let you know when it's time to leave them alone (they start changing colors ... and white is their "leave me alone" color).

Except for the little ones with the pretty cobalt-colored rings. When they start flashing those rings that means "Come play with me, extremely stupid person. We'll have tons of fun."

 

[CincyBengalsFan]

adshepard once bubbled...
Happened to be watching the local dive program "Divers Down" and got just a bit ticked yesterday. The show was focusing on New England wreck diving and did a bit about diving the Pinthis. What pissed me off was the divers (supposedly extremely experienced ones at that) had their hands all over the wreck pulling themselves along. The wreck is covered in invertebrates particularly hydroids and metridium anemones. Time after time the morons were squishing the creatures.

If you can't keep your hands off the marine creatures don't do the dive damn it!

Rant off. Diving all weekend (10/11 to 10/13) in Cape Ann, MA.

DSDO

Alan

I don't touch crap underwater and my divers generally don't either. But man, maybe your the one that should be out of diving. If I stressed about all that kind of stuff I would probably have a heart attack. Just let people be, good or bad. It's problem enough looking after yourself let alone eveyone else.

 

[BacardiSpice]

saying once bubbled...


Except for the little ones with the pretty cobalt-colored rings. When they start flashing those rings that means "Come play with me, extremely stupid person. We'll have tons of fun."

Lol! I was thinking that! I've always enjoyed playing with occies if they're in the mood for it - and if they are, as a poster above said, they'll let you know if the want to play with the 'pentapus' with the strange big lumpy thing attached. But growing up in Oz, and diving in South-East Asia, you learn real fast not to fiddle around with the very pretty, tiny, delicate ones with those lovely blue rings that become even prettier and more vibrant as their owner gets crankier and crankier...

 

[SOUTH DEVON]

chrispete once bubbled...
I've witnessed an UW photographer whack a porcupine fish multiple times over the head with a large light to try and get it to inflate. After the dive I mentioned (it was a diver with the group that I was leading) quietly that stressing the wildlife wasn't the best thing for them, and he might want to take this into account. He didn't take it very well and basically said that the critters were lucky that he didn't have a speargun with him. We don't get along very well anymore.

He sounds like a right arsehole , you should have switched off his air

 

[adshepard]

CincyBengalsFan once bubbled...


I don't touch crap underwater and my divers generally don't either. But man, maybe your the one that should be out of diving. If I stressed about all that kind of stuff I would probably have a heart attack. Just let people be, good or bad. It's problem enough looking after yourself let alone eveyone else.

Not stressed at all. Just a small rant. But no you just don't let people be good or bad. Bad behavior should be corrected. Isn't that why we have laws and things to correct bad behavior?

Now real stress would be cheering for a losing team like the Bengals.

DSDO

Alan

 

[CincyBengalsFan]

adshepard once bubbled...



Not stressed at all. Just a small rant. But no you just don't let people be good or bad. Bad behavior should be corrected. Isn't that why we have laws and things to correct bad behavior?

Now real stress would be cheering for a losing team like the Bengals.

DSDO

Alan

Well, the bengals comment is 100% T R U E !!! Man, they still suck this year. What laws though do they have about touching stuff underwater, except in some few marine parks? If I see someone taking a sand dollar down in the gulf who cares. We will never and I mean NEVER have a shortage of sand dollars on this planet. It's like houseflies, they'll never be shortage.