I had to stop watching

[ofg-1]

I have about 200 Caribbean dives and have only seen one divers butt.
.

No reason to complain about it, just look harder.

 

[Damselfish]

Is it time for a pic of Moonie?

 

[dberry]

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.

Wow. And I thought *I'm* a humorless old crank... To be honest, it never occurred to me that the caravan of buffoons - (an apt description, btw) - was ridiculing our sport in general!

 

[The Chairman]

And it also seems that you are selective in what constitutes inappropriate impact.

Yes. I am selective. Very selective.

I just don't think that a universal and non-negotiable rule about touching the sand makes sense in all situations.

A few years ago, I was asked by a spanking new instructor to lead a night dive for him. There were three classes on the boat that evening and we were the last to splash. I gave instructions, including for everyone of my group to stay neutral, and I was the first (in our group) to go in. There, on the bottom, was the other two groups all standing on the bottom. Standing. Each group leader was directing which way their group would go, and I was simply stunned. No, I wasn't their instructor of record, but I made sure as each one splashed that they would remain neutral. I was a great dive and soon a few of the other divers gravitated over to us as we seemed to find all the good stuff like sharks and eels. As we gathered under the boat for our safety stop, the sea biscuits had surfaced out of the sand and I took care to show my divers how living that bottom really was. Sure enough, I saw a depression on one of the ridges in the sand, so I took a closer look and sure enough, there was a crushed sea biscuit in there. I also showed my group the now dead critter and signaled that they should stay off the bottom. One of the instructors came over to see what I was showing them and asked me about it on the boat. No, he had never seen a living sea biscuit and had no idea they were under the water. I pointed out that someone standing on the floor at the beginning of the dive probably killed it. Incredulously, the instructor tried to justify standing on the bottom by pointing out that I picked up the dead critter. Sigh.

I don't define rules by exceptions. Most divers have no need to kneel, stand or lie on the reef. Many who think they do, really don't. I know I certainly don't need to stand, kneel or lie on the bottom even for a fish, a lobster or a picture. You don't have to dive like I do and the converse is also true.

Unless he somehow Harry Pottered those teeth into his bag.

This is getting tiresome. Touching the bottom is one thing. I even mentioned this in one of my posts. You can support your entire underwater weight on just one finger if you need a moment to get your buoyancy right. But I've seen many divers kneel down to clear a mask, even to check their air when they shouldn't have had to do that. Why? Because their instructor never made it a priority nor did they set a proper example. I don't see a need to kneel, stand or lie on the bottom. Ever. You can dive however you see fit and you can be sure that I will also.

I sincerely apologize if I've offended anyone with my stance on sitting, kneeling or standing on the bottom. Well, sorta. I still haven't seen a compelling reason to change that opinion, so I'm going to keep it. If at all possible, please stay off of the bottom. It's better on you, on your gear and on the environment. If you need a moment, support your body with one finger on the scuzzy part of the reef. Avoid fire coral or stinging critters and definitely don't try this on a soft or silty bottom if you do.

 

[Sam Miller III]

@ofg-1
stated in post #38 to this thread as follows:

I thought this was a discussion of basic SCUBA. Now, in my sorted youth, you could get "basic scuba" certified with 3 open water dives. "Open Water" was 5 dives. And Sam, you are older than me, and there was no such thing as a B.C. when I took my classes in 1967, some of the classes at that time looked like bottom dredging. You look at these people that may have as little as 5 training dives, and bitch and moan about them. Some of you are condescending arseholes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I some how some way suspect this is being personally addressed to me -- Why? I don't know but will attempt to respond

1) Yes I am older than you -- considerably older
I began as a goggler in the 1940s in an activity that had no name no periodicals few books no training no rules
we considered our selves just a bunch of lousy divers

2) I have documented the growth of diving via lectures and four dedicated columns in national diving magazines and
the first US news paper column devoted to diving

Recreational diving began in California and migrated west vis Skin diver magazine (1951) and via the summer catalogs of the big three retailers of that era Sears (1956) Wards (1957) and Pennys (1974 ?). Initial diving instruction via LA county UICC, NAUI and much later PADI and now all the rest ...

Since the very beginning of recreational diving I have also created a rather extensive library devoted to diving which includes 2500 books and periodicals and most of the dive catalogs.
(PM me and I will send you a description of my dive library -- much too larges to post here)


FYI
I reviewed my 1967 diving catalog and discovered the following
In 1967 there were 11 major diving companies who produced diving catalogs, 3 didn't produce BCs
The following 8 did produced BCs in 1967
Dacor
Pro Sub
Sea Quest
Sea Tec
Sherwood
Sport diver
SCUBA Pro
U S Divers (Aqualung)

I do not know your residence but suspect training and equipment was some what lacking, do to the slow migration of dive shops for equipment and trained instructors

Cheers from CenCal

The California sun is shinning bright - time to head to the beach with my dog Lucky

Sam Miller, III

 

[ofg-1]

I humbly stand corrected. Thanks Sam.

 

[CathyE]

No reason to complain about it, just look harder.

I don't swing that way.
Some of the guys took over the next in line spot once they realized the view.

 

[Sam Miller III]

@ofg

I humbly stand corrected. Thanks Sam
.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So when and were did you begin your diving with out a BC?
Agency ?
Instructor ?

SDM

 

[The Chairman]

So when and were did you begin your diving with out a BC?

1969, Lake Underhill in Orlando Florida

Agency ?

None. I did not get a certification for this.

Instructor ?

Master Chief Williams, USN. He taught me as a post mortem favor to my father. A local Scuba Instructor kept telling me through High School that I was going to die. I had a k-valve, no SPG, no BCD, no wetsuit, no weights, a red ribbon for a depth gauge and I tried to use rope to hold my tank on my first attempt in the pool. Other than exchanging the rope for an actual harness, I dove in that configuration for many years like many of my peers. Only the rich had that fancy stuff here in Florida! I learned to use all the other accoutrements when I finally got certified. Not sure which I liked more: the SPG or the BCD. Absolutely brilliant.

 

[ReefGuy]

This is getting tiresome. Touching the bottom is one thing. I even mentioned this in one of my posts..

Sorry, Pete, I was messing around, i thought the tooth reference was a giveaway. I was, of course, referring to the Venice beach shark tooth dives. Kinda hard to get the teeth if you dont touch the bottom.

Maybe with chopsticks.