Dive boat operators face charges of illegally feeding sharks in state waters

[The Chairman]

I have dove with him. That's why I say he's dangerous.

If you're not a competent diver, then any boat is dangerous for you to dive from. If you're a competent diver then every boat is safe for you to dive off of. Your perception of safety says more about you as a diver than about the boat in question. Randy takes great pains to inform his clients that his is an advanced diver's boat. He goes deeper and he's not going to coddle your ass. If you need someone to hold your hand, then don't go diving with Randy. However, if Randy detects that your mouth exceeds your skills and experience, you'll be gently escorted off of his boat with a smile and put on the "We're full" list.

As for an agenda. Sure. I have made it clear that I consider Randy a personal friend. I don't like my friends to be treated unfairly by people casting aspersions they can't back up. So, what did Randy do that was so dangerous? This I gotta hear.

 

[djtimmy77]

And there you have it. No point in any further discussion in this forum.

 

[The Chairman]

What? I can't have friends? I can't defend them when their honor is being unfairly impugned? Have I edited any comments? Have I deleted anything bad said about Randy?

Here's a clue: don't expect me to act like you would in the same situation. I don't do petty. I don't do "it's my way or the high way". It's simply not my fault if you can't deal people who simply disagree with you, because I certainly can.

 

[djtimmy77]

Haha funny read that last paragraph really carefully.

---------- Post added April 18th, 2014 at 09:27 AM ----------

Also neither of us has anything to gain taking this part of the discussion any further so I am bowing out of this thread for real this time.

 

[nimoh]

I have dove with him. That's why I say he's dangerous. (First time I didn't know better, second time he had changed operations and I didn't realize I was booked on his boat until it was too late. Yeah, I could have aborted the dives, but every diver is responsible for their own safety, and by then I knew how to be safe despite a careless DM.)

If you say his first concern is safety (or even second or third) then you have an agenda to promote the guy. And I know many others who share the opinion, just not the gorillas of Scuba Board who think that loud voices are more knowledgeable. I think I'm safe in saying that despite his loyal followers, you'd find a greater population who knows to steer clear of the guy, but that will never be reflected in any blog. Yeah, yeah, I can never prove it and blah,blah blah..., and I don't care... I know what I know and think it's important enough to share. Gee, why do you think the FWC & Sheriffs office investigated the guy? Where there's smoke there's fire. Even if you think you know better, you don't break the law!

Just my opinion, as I am not an operator, but it seems to me that at a basic level no dive operator has safety as their first concern. Their first concern is to go scuba diving.

Operators decide on the types of dives they will offer, estimate the risks of doing such dives and then decide if they are worth it, and what types of divers they are willing to take on these dives.

 

[guyharrisonphoto]

That's the point. The feeding didn't happen on the boat where a GPS would work. It happened in the water where they don't work.

Not exactly, the chumming began when the crate hit the water off the dive platform. Just no way around that.

 

[The Chairman]

I don't think he brought chum with him... as far as I can tell, he fed the sharks as he shot the fish. I could be wrong, but I think that's how he did it.

 

[guyharrisonphoto]

From the article: "During the dive, video was taken of Randall Jordan feeding sharks by hand while within state waters. He also used a milk crate filled with fish chunks to lure sharks to his location." Every video posted on this board shows that they don't go to the bottom with an empty carton, spear, set up a fillet table, then chop up, then put chunks in the carton, then take chunks out for the feed. The carton with fish chunks ready for feeding goes down with them. The spearing is a bonus (?) to amp up the action. Just saying, it seemed like a thorough and proper investigation. The wisdom of the citation and of the practice is being debated here, but I don't think there is really any doubt about what took place and where.

 

[diversteve]

I don't think he brought chum with him... as far as I can tell, he fed the sharks as he shot the fish. I could be wrong, but I think that's how he did it.

Then you need to look at Dizzle's latest video again. Unless Randy took the time to surgically split the shot fish and put half in the crate. Specifically around 1:50.

Dizzle's been there. Maybe he can tell us...

 

[The Chairman]

Like I said: "I could be wrong". A man is still innocent until proven guilty. Let's see what the court does with all this, if anything. He's pretty sure he was outside of three miles.