I had to stop watching

[doctormike]

The most troublesome issues I see in the video is the women who is steadily loosing her tank, but nobody is paying attention. She was obviously way out of her comfort zone, simply by the fact that she is clutching the computer and watching the information is taking up 90% of her band width.

If the tank popped out and pulled the reg from her mouth there would have almost certainly been a life threatening panic attack. That was more concerning to me than needlessly kicking up silt and trying to bury the computer in the sand in order to record the maximum depth possible.

I think that someone has to volunteer to cut a preview or do a highlights edit, so that we don't all have to watch all 16 minutes!

 

[The Chairman]

But I would be careful about shaming divers who dive in different environments with different dive missions with sweeping generalizations.

Please, where did I shame anyone? If my commitment to not touch the bottom can be construed as shaming others, then I would have nothing to post. Why is everyone upset by my commitment here?

so therefore it must be right for everyone else in the world,

Again, something I didn't post or even suggest. I feel like you're trying to shame me for being so neutral and promoting it!

There are divers who have chosen to change how they dive and I'm one of them. People love to tell me how i can't do something and that only motivates me to do it anyway. That includes not letting my students ever kneel, stand or lie on the bottom during training or me doing whatever activity I am pursuing underwater completely neutral.

@doctormike: I use pull and glide all the time and even on reefs. I don't mind myself or student touching "scuzz" (the algae) on a reef. I don't mind them touching bare metal on a wreck either. However, I either time my shot if there's a current or surge or I blow off the shot if I have to set down to get a picture. However I can't remember the last time I had to blow off a picture either. Not much of a macro man, though. No, I don't go up to photographers and challenge their commitment to the environment, but it's a choice I make. Yes, my example has made a few people feel self conscious, but not because I go and rub their noses in it. When you see someone doing what you say can't be done, then it can be unsettling. I've even been accused of lying, until people see me teach or dive. It's OK. I'll take the abuse for always being neutral.

As far as your personal opinion on the snares being gentler on the bug than hands, let's just say that snares are not allowed here in New England.

I've never injured a lobster with a snare. Before snares, I had to dig for bugs like you do and there were antennas all over. No issue if the bug is legit, but needless harm if she's prego or a short. I'm glad Florida allows them as it reduces harm to the critter as well as the environment.

 

[doctormike]

Please, where did I shame anyone? If my commitment to not touch the bottom can be construed as shaming others, then I would have nothing to post. Why is everyone upset by my commitment here?....

I use pull and glide all the time and even on reefs. I don't mind myself or student touching "scuzz" (the algae) on a reef. I don't mind them touching bare metal on a wreck either. However, I either time my shot if there's a current or surge or I blow off the shot if I have to set down to get a picture. However I can't remember the last time I had to blow off a picture either. Not much of a macro man, though. No, I don't go up to photographers and challenge their commitment to the environment, but it's a choice I make. Yes, my example has made a few people feel self conscious, but not because I go and rub their noses in it. When you see someone doing what you say can't be done, then it can be unsettling. I've even been accused of lying, until people see me teach or dive. It's OK. I'll take the abuse for always being neutral.

Look, Pete... I don't mean to give you a hard time, but when the owner of the board says that you should "never, ever touch the bottom", that can make those of us who do when the situation so dictates (especially newer divers) feel that they are doing something wrong.

And it also seems that you are selective in what constitutes inappropriate impact. You made the (correct) point that kneeling or standing on the sand can kill small organisms. Well, so can pull and glide, even on surfaces that seem to be clean.

All I'm saying is that as divers, we are all impacting the marine ecosystem in various ways. I just don't think that a universal and non-negotiable rule about touching the sand makes sense in all situations.

 

[MichaelMc]

My objection is that their skill level is minimal yet they are at 130 feet and horsing around. Someone failed them.

Goofing around when you have a good safety reserve and are not damaging things is fine. Doing it way beyond your depth shows lack of judgement.

 

[ReefGuy]

I've seen Pete touch the bottom.

I even have proof.

Unless he somehow Harry Pottered those teeth into his bag.

 

[Diving Dubai]

The most troublesome issues I see in the video is the women who is steadily loosing her tank, but nobody is paying attention.

I thought that initially too, but then I watched a bit longer, and they do notice, and they do fix it "mid water" Sure it's not demonstration quality, but they do get it sorted.

Yes they all have their gauges, and the take away I saw was that they were regularly checking and communicating. I'm with @ofg-1 on this one.

I've seen a lot worse, indeed on my early dives I made this group look good

 

[Landlocked123]

Well what prompted me to put this up there is because as I said I have only dove Caribbean once. This was 8 years ago. I dive every weekend but do so on a budget... hence I don't have tons of cash to throw at scuba destination diving but have been seriously contemplating pulling the trigger on a dive trip. To me someone touching the bottom to take a picture here and there is far less of an issue than watching a caravan of buffoons ridiculing not only themselves but the sport in general by exposing their rear and acting like morons. As I stated I have only had one real experience and that was in Mexico and on that day the two partially drunk morons that dove on our boat pretty much ruined the day for everyone. These 2 guys, after rocketing up from 85 feet or so at the end of the dive proceeded to start an argument with one of the DM's who was asking them what had happened. The argument got pretty intense and i regretted dropping 150 bucks on the dives. So I was really just trying to figure out if I want to go sink hard earned cash and get a feel for the real probability of ending up with similar dive buddies.. I am not referring to their skills, I quite don't care about their lack of skills. I see that every weekend in the water. It's the attitude which would bother me much more.

 

[seeker242]

than watching a caravan of buffoons ridiculing not only themselves but the sport in general by exposing their rear and acting like morons.

I think the issue with this here is that if you don't want to dive in a place that has morons, you will have no place to dive anywhere.

 

[CathyE]

Well what prompted me to put this up there is because as I said I have only dove Caribbean once. This was 8 years ago. I dive every weekend but do so on a budget... hence I don't have tons of cash to throw at scuba destination diving but have been seriously contemplating pulling the trigger on a dive trip. To me someone touching the bottom to take a picture here and there is far less of an issue than watching a caravan of buffoons ridiculing not only themselves but the sport in general by exposing their rear and acting like morons. As I stated I have only had one real experience and that was in Mexico and on that day the two partially drunk morons that dove on our boat pretty much ruined the day for everyone. These 2 guys, after rocketing up from 85 feet or so at the end of the dive proceeded to start an argument with one of the DM's who was asking them what had happened. The argument got pretty intense and i regretted dropping 150 bucks on the dives. So I was really just trying to figure out if I want to go sink hard earned cash and get a feel for the real probability of ending up with similar dive buddies.. I am not referring to their skills, I quite don't care about their lack of skills. I see that every weekend in the water. It's the attitude which would bother me much more.

I have about 200 Caribbean dives and have only seen one divers butt.
Note to divers who just wear a bathing suit - thongs don't leave much to the imagination for the diver following you in the swim through.

 

[flyboy08]

Well what prompted me to put this up there is because as I said I have only dove Caribbean once. This was 8 years ago. I dive every weekend but do so on a budget... hence I don't have tons of cash to throw at scuba destination diving but have been seriously contemplating pulling the trigger on a dive trip. To me someone touching the bottom to take a picture here and there is far less of an issue than watching a caravan of buffoons ridiculing not only themselves but the sport in general by exposing their rear and acting like morons. As I stated I have only had one real experience and that was in Mexico and on that day the two partially drunk morons that dove on our boat pretty much ruined the day for everyone. These 2 guys, after rocketing up from 85 feet or so at the end of the dive proceeded to start an argument with one of the DM's who was asking them what had happened. The argument got pretty intense and i regretted dropping 150 bucks on the dives. So I was really just trying to figure out if I want to go sink hard earned cash and get a feel for the real probability of ending up with similar dive buddies.. I am not referring to their skills, I quite don't care about their lack of skills. I see that every weekend in the water. It's the attitude which would bother me much more.

You Dive with Mickey Mouse operators, you get Mickey Mouse customers....that just won’t happen on the many many Dive operators you can choose from on Cozumel.