instructorinasia
Contributor
I live in Lembeh and I love my muck stick - it is for use to steady yourself or to point to something not to harass critters! They are cheap and useful, I would get one!!
Muck Stick?
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I agree: they are great for pointing.
Steadying yourself can be achieved through proper buoyancy and finning.
Steadying yourself can be achieved through proper buoyancy and finning.
Most of the time I have seen these sticks used,.... it has been to compensate for poor buoyancy, trim & control.
Get one!
1. good for pointing
2. when used sparingly can be good for moving things or tank banging
3. makes a great anchor when in a current over smooth sand, rubble, or muck bottom and you need to hold a steady position to take a macro shot, just stick it straight down and use it as a hand-hold
Unfortunately some people abuse these and feel that they should use them move every critter to see it better, get the perfect shot, etc. Be responsible and it's a great tool.
1. good for pointing
2. when used sparingly can be good for moving things or tank banging
3. makes a great anchor when in a current over smooth sand, rubble, or muck bottom and you need to hold a steady position to take a macro shot, just stick it straight down and use it as a hand-hold
Unfortunately some people abuse these and feel that they should use them move every critter to see it better, get the perfect shot, etc. Be responsible and it's a great tool.
buiszie
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Its a pointer stick, and thats what it has to use for.
So it is not a bouyancy device, putting it in the sand, rocks, or corals.
It can be used as emergency attender.
or maybe if there is something specials in the water, manta, shark, mola mola etc. But dont them for clownfish, scorpionfish, crabs, frogfish or anything that doesnt move quickly. It is a ruins ur dive if u hear al the time the sound of the pointersticks of all the guides. and mostly they dont need it.
Also it not a device to move or lift things up. We are guests in the water, we have no right to touch or move somethings. U dont like it either when someone comes in ur house and takes ur tv or computer?
So it is not a bouyancy device, putting it in the sand, rocks, or corals.
It can be used as emergency attender.
or maybe if there is something specials in the water, manta, shark, mola mola etc. But dont them for clownfish, scorpionfish, crabs, frogfish or anything that doesnt move quickly. It is a ruins ur dive if u hear al the time the sound of the pointersticks of all the guides. and mostly they dont need it.
Also it not a device to move or lift things up. We are guests in the water, we have no right to touch or move somethings. U dont like it either when someone comes in ur house and takes ur tv or computer?
Bali Diver
Contributor
For those who use Muck sticks/pointer sticks etc.. and know the value of using them and for all the right reasons they are used,going back to my comment,what do you think of the Muck stick Jeff posted also i received my mine yesterday and more than pleased with the quality and optional variation i can add to them,depending on dive or situations.
Anyone who has any and can post a picture/link be interested.
Anyone who has any and can post a picture/link be interested.
Muck Sticks are ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL tools for any serious macro photographer. If you are not a photographer, or a photographer who does not care about the quality of your photos, than maybe you don't need one in Lembeh.
Essentially a muck stick allows the careful photographer or diver the ability to get close to the sand and steady ones self with out silting up the area with their fins. This is what you will do in Lembeh if you are taking photos or just want a closer look at the critter. We all use our fins to maneuver under water. However, when you are on a muck dive and you are within three feet of the sand/muck, if you kick normally, you will create clouds. This has nothing to do with how good your buoyancy is. And I think many photographers will attest to this; if you are not one of the first people to get to the critter in Lembeh then chances are you will not get a decent shot. By the time your dive group is finished looking at something interesting, there will be a cloud of silt from someone's (or everyone's) fins. Don't be that someone!
It takes a while to get used to how to kick properly by keeping your fins away from the sand. Even when you get it down, there will be situations where your dive group is all huddled together over a critter and you have no space to move. If you kick, you stir up silt. So, THE BEST thing about a muck stick is that it allows you to maneuver/pivot around a small area without using your fins at all. You just stick the muck stick in the sand and use your arms to position yourself. You can use it to propel yourself off of the sand when you are finished looking at something and this greatly reduces the amount of silt being stirred up. If you are careful this will have very little impact on the environment.
Muck sticks should NOT be used to poke critters and harrass them into a favorable shooting position. Unfortunately, the dive guides are usually the biggest culprits of this. A simple wave of the hand will tell them this is not OK. And usually they will stop. They are just trying to please their customers.
If you are not using a muck stick in Lembeh, do everyone else a favor and ALWAYS be aware of your fins. Better yet stay 5 feet above the sand so you don't accidentally kick up silt. It is MUCH easier to do than you think.
Essentially a muck stick allows the careful photographer or diver the ability to get close to the sand and steady ones self with out silting up the area with their fins. This is what you will do in Lembeh if you are taking photos or just want a closer look at the critter. We all use our fins to maneuver under water. However, when you are on a muck dive and you are within three feet of the sand/muck, if you kick normally, you will create clouds. This has nothing to do with how good your buoyancy is. And I think many photographers will attest to this; if you are not one of the first people to get to the critter in Lembeh then chances are you will not get a decent shot. By the time your dive group is finished looking at something interesting, there will be a cloud of silt from someone's (or everyone's) fins. Don't be that someone!
It takes a while to get used to how to kick properly by keeping your fins away from the sand. Even when you get it down, there will be situations where your dive group is all huddled together over a critter and you have no space to move. If you kick, you stir up silt. So, THE BEST thing about a muck stick is that it allows you to maneuver/pivot around a small area without using your fins at all. You just stick the muck stick in the sand and use your arms to position yourself. You can use it to propel yourself off of the sand when you are finished looking at something and this greatly reduces the amount of silt being stirred up. If you are careful this will have very little impact on the environment.
Muck sticks should NOT be used to poke critters and harrass them into a favorable shooting position. Unfortunately, the dive guides are usually the biggest culprits of this. A simple wave of the hand will tell them this is not OK. And usually they will stop. They are just trying to please their customers.
If you are not using a muck stick in Lembeh, do everyone else a favor and ALWAYS be aware of your fins. Better yet stay 5 feet above the sand so you don't accidentally kick up silt. It is MUCH easier to do than you think.
Angry Turtle
Contributor
Damselfish
Contributor
I bought a muck stick in the Philippines, which was a simple stainless rod with a lanyard. All the guides used them, and most people got their own after a few dives. Most of our muck dives were in strong current which no amount of finning was going to overcome, and there they were used mostly as an anchor. It was a perfectly sensible way of actually being able to look at anything in that environment photog or not, had nothing to do with with compensating for poor buoyancy control, and no damage was done. (I would consider using one to move critters an abuse.)
This is like the typical discussion of reef hooks, with comments sometimes coming from folks who have never actually used one in the intended way/environment making assumptions. Like any tool it can be used properly or abused. It would be nice if people got off their high horses.
I found it a pain to stash. I do like the chopstick up the sleeve idea.
This is like the typical discussion of reef hooks, with comments sometimes coming from folks who have never actually used one in the intended way/environment making assumptions. Like any tool it can be used properly or abused. It would be nice if people got off their high horses.
I found it a pain to stash. I do like the chopstick up the sleeve idea.
Luko
Contributor
Looks there are very few photographers in this thread... I have unfortunately seen (and was a victim of) much more divers with poor buoyancy skills without a muck stick than carrying one.
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