JoyfulNoise
Contributor
I was curious if anyone else has read: American Underwater Odyssey: 50 Dives in 50 States, by Charles Ballinger
I just finished it and the one thing that sticks in my mind is how reef diving or reef "tourists" are so put down in this book. I don't understand why someone must put down or bash someone else to make a point.
The author got bored with reef diving saying that it was all the same old same old no matter where you are diving a reef. I thought that a sad comment. I have done over a dozen drift dives off West Palm Beach and each time I see something new. How can seeing a sea turtle, eel, starfish, lobster, or shark ever get boring?
Also some of the dives were such poor vis that basically nothing was seen and the dive quickly ended.
I do understand the author's point that diving is about more than just below the water, that traveling to other parts of the world and even within the US can bring us some very wonderful surprises and interactions above water too.
I just sensed an attitude that if I'm not willing to jump into muddy water with no vis, shoot down a river with no control, put on a drysuit, or go deep, deep, deep... I'm just not really scuba diving. And the endless whining about schedules was boring!
I'm quite happy being a reef tourist and wish I hadn't wasted my money on this book.
I just finished it and the one thing that sticks in my mind is how reef diving or reef "tourists" are so put down in this book. I don't understand why someone must put down or bash someone else to make a point.
The author got bored with reef diving saying that it was all the same old same old no matter where you are diving a reef. I thought that a sad comment. I have done over a dozen drift dives off West Palm Beach and each time I see something new. How can seeing a sea turtle, eel, starfish, lobster, or shark ever get boring?
Also some of the dives were such poor vis that basically nothing was seen and the dive quickly ended.
I do understand the author's point that diving is about more than just below the water, that traveling to other parts of the world and even within the US can bring us some very wonderful surprises and interactions above water too.
I just sensed an attitude that if I'm not willing to jump into muddy water with no vis, shoot down a river with no control, put on a drysuit, or go deep, deep, deep... I'm just not really scuba diving. And the endless whining about schedules was boring!
I'm quite happy being a reef tourist and wish I hadn't wasted my money on this book.
