new diver - first dive problems

[RayfromTX]

Hi Matt
There is much to learn about your new hobby. One thing that many of us strive for is to dive in perfect control of our buoyancy and trim. I try to stay above the coral and not to come in contact with it. It takes a bit of practice but I've seen lots of damage that occurs from divers that aren't careful. Studying up on coral life processes, we learn that the act of contacting it affects its growth. Turtles and other sea animals contact it plenty without us adding our impacts. Being aware of it goes a long way and the skill to hover above it and not just lay on it is very important to our overall skill as divers. Looks like you had a great day. I hope you enjoy your journey.

 

[Graeme Fraser]

Hi Matt
There is much to learn about your new hobby. One thing that many of us strive for is to dive in perfect control of our buoyancy and trim. I try to stay above the coral and not to come in contact with it. It takes a bit of practice but I've seen lots of damage that occurs from divers that aren't careful. Studying up on coral life processes, we learn that the act of contacting it affects its growth. Turtles and other sea animals contact it plenty without us adding our impacts. Being aware of it goes a long way and the skill to hover above it and not just lay on it is very important to our overall skill as divers. Looks like you had a great day. I hope you enjoy your journey.

A perfect example of constructive criticism and positive reinforcement.

 

[Matt Spear]

Thanks for the tip - went out today again and really got the hang of it. However, I don't see why to not touch the coral? When spearing, you go down and grab on to something or go in a hole. A great spero once told me the best technique is to dive down, put your d**k in a hole and don't move!
From the coral, my gloves usually go pretty fast from crawling along the bottom. A lot of divers also use there knife to scrape coral off to create clouds that attract the fish. I guess I'm wondering why this would all change just because I put a tank on my back?

Hi Matt
There is much to learn about your new hobby. One thing that many of us strive for is to dive in perfect control of our buoyancy and trim. I try to stay above the coral and not to come in contact with it. It takes a bit of practice but I've seen lots of damage that occurs from divers that aren't careful. Studying up on coral life processes, we learn that the act of contacting it affects its growth. Turtles and other sea animals contact it plenty without us adding our impacts. Being aware of it goes a long way and the skill to hover above it and not just lay on it is very important to our overall skill as divers. Looks like you had a great day. I hope you enjoy your journey.

 

[rsingler]

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[chillyinCanada]

Thanks for the tip - went out today again and really got the hang of it. However, I don't see why to not touch the coral? When spearing, you go down and grab on to something or go in a hole. A great spero once told me the best technique is to dive down, put your d**k in a hole and don't move!
From the coral, my gloves usually go pretty fast from crawling along the bottom. A lot of divers also use there knife to scrape coral off to create clouds that attract the fish. I guess I'm wondering why this would all change just because I put a tank on my back?

I was sincerely hoping that it was only an optical illusion and that you hadn't actually been touching the coral that way.

So, do you do like your buddies and cut the coral too?

A Scuba Diver's Impact on a Coral Reef - DIVE.in

https://sailhawaii.com/hawaii-wildlife/coral-hawaii/

Threats to Coral Reefs

 

[Matt Spear]

Yes, of course I've done that. I remember in the PADI course they said to not touch the coral and I get it if you're touching it for no reason. But if you're using it as a hunting advantage to attract large fish, then it's different I think. It's not illegal and is a spearfishing method, so it's different from the average scuba diver. Actually, some other research I've done related to the spoon method is not only to use it to attract from the light but to scrape off coral as well. If you disagree why this shouldn't be done I would love to hear why.

I was sincerely hoping that it was only an optical illusion and that you hadn't actually been touching the coral that way.

So, do you do like your buddies and cut the coral too?

A Scuba Diver's Impact on a Coral Reef - DIVE.in

https://sailhawaii.com/hawaii-wildlife/coral-hawaii/

Threats to Coral Reefs

 

[Graeme Fraser]

Yes, of course I've done that. I remember in the PADI course they said to not touch the coral and I get it if you're touching it for no reason. But if you're using it as a hunting advantage to attract large fish, then it's different I think. It's not illegal and is a spearfishing method, so it's different from the average scuba diver. But if you disagree I would love to hear why.

Seriously mate? Damage is damage regardless of reason, and spearfishing is no justification. That's no better than an instructor allowing their students to kneel on the reef to teach a class.
(Mod edit)
I was all for people offering you positive reinforcement through the benefit of their experience, but now I'm not sure that's going to change your mindset. Please just take the time to read up on the impact this type of behaviour has and then make an informed decision.

 

[RayfromTX]

The reasons we stay off the reef are many. The health of the reef is the best reason to avoid contacting the coral. The coral takes many decades and centuries to grow and can be destroyed in minutes. Divers that were the first to discover the amazing world under the surface saw a vast expanse of unending beauty and there was no reason to be careful with it because we are small and it is huge. Over the few decades that we have been diving we have seen our impacts on the reefs change them to a devastating degree.

In Hawaii the farming and plantations wrecked a huge amount of the reef. The reefs that remain are now the focus of all the tourism and fishing pressure. Each year we lose more and more. Ask any old diver and they will lament the loss of what once was. We can contribute to those losses until nothing remains or we can make a positive impact while enjoying our hobby.

It takes an ounce more effort and skill to make a pound of difference.

 

[AfterDark]

(Mod edit)
Hey Matt stop digging!

 

[Khrissi]

@Matt Spear bless you lad - yr taking it in and the fishing video was fab ( tempted me to get a Go pro!) but some mental checklisting will be good for you and i was glad to see a shallower dive, mate. K