Disturbing advice given

[ScubaFreak]

In fairness, I don't believe the advice given was to be compared with a potentially threatening situation. I imagine it was said after witnessing (what a lot of us have) a would be photographer without the proper skills trying to get a decent shot to the expense of some coral.

 

[mempilot]

You've never been caught in a vertical flow, have you?

Simply doing what you say will result in a potentially deadly situation. For instance, you are caught in a downflow and you start inflating your bc to try and maintain bouyancy. Then you find yourself out of the flow all of a sudden. Embolism waiting to happen. How might your method keep you safe in a downflow?

Anyway, Nova is right, and I think 99.9 percent of divers will agree with that opinion.

Although in these situations one may hold on to a coral, one's best solution (rather than a temporary one) would be to simply calmly ascend.

Grabbing on to a coral and then subsequently getting stung will do little to ease the situation. Some coral will break off, again, doing nothing to assist.

Get out of a life threatening situation by establishing positive bouyancy, inflating the bc and dropping the weights if necessary.

I agree that human life is a higher priority, but holding onto coral in the above situations do not solve the problem, and may in fact exacerbate the problem, if the diver grabs on to the wrong species of coral!

 

[OWSI176288]

A few days ago I read a thread were someone ask all divers to respect coral reefs by not touching them. Well I agree that coral reefs should be conserved , I would like to bring up the fact that there is a valid reason for grabbing one.

Should you ever be put in a position were you might be pushed into a strainer, be pulled out to sea, or be in a downflow that will end your life , please feel free to grab anything that you can to save your life or the life of someone else. while this may fly in the face conservation. It is your life, and sometimes what's right is not always best.

thank you for understanding, NOVA

SAY WHAT???? How did you make the leap from "A friendly and serious reminder to the UW photographers out there..." to "disturbing advice given" to a diver in a life treating situation?

The original poster was simply reminding UW photographers that "It is NEVER OK to stand on, grab on, or wedge a fin or otherwise "steady" yourself using the coral in order to get that perfect shot." It had nothing to do with an emergency situation and IMHO should no way be referred to as "disturbing advice given".

 

[OE2X]

Mem - good points.
The only time I'll drop my weights is at the surface and only if I can't establish buoyancy any other way.

 

[mempilot]

After reading the aformentioned thread on photographers and coral, I'm laughing a little at this thread. It is a bit of TROLL.

 

[ScubaFreak]

I'm laughing a little at this thread, because it is a bit of TROLL.

Here Here

 

[cyklon_300]

shows the initial poster's tenacious grasp of the obvious.

Thanks for sharing another profound insight.

 

[novadiver]

Their is always a few that will screem BS as soon as they see the name NOVA, This was posted for the people that would like to live another day, anyone else can be my guest and wash out to sea, get held by a strainer or get the coral washing machine treatment, not to mention the nice veiw at 200 feet where another cross current can pick them up and feed them to the really deep creatures, sea monsters need to eat too.

 

[matt_unique]

A few days ago I read a thread were someone ask all divers to respect coral reefs by not touching them. Well I agree that coral reefs should be conserved , I would like to bring up the fact that there is a valid reason for grabbing one.

Should you ever be put in a position were you might be pushed into a strainer, be pulled out to sea, or be in a downflow that will end your life , please feel free to grab anything that you can to save your life or the life of someone else. while this may fly in the face conservation. It is your life, and sometimes what's right is not always best.

thank you for understanding, NOVA

Obviously do what you need to do to survive, that is the number 1 priority.

People have a different idea of what it means to "take every precaution". It is prudent to emphasize that people should take every possible precaution to AVOID touching the coral. Take steps to avoid the situations where you would need to grab a hold of something to save your life. I get your point. I think the real point and intention of the "no touch" advice is to encourage people to dive better so they don't have to grab anything.

--Matt

 

[Uncle Pug]

up the dose a smidgen