Do you ever break the rules?

[TMHeimer]

I have collected live shells (mollusks) in a state park where it is prohibited.

 

[reticentDiver]

I've been on plenty of dives without any cutting instrument.

My D4 has told me I was in "deco" a couple of times, but not by much and always when I had already started the ascent. I guess you could call it a calculated risk. In multiday/multiple dive trips it seems to become very conservative (tables would tell me the profile was fine). I prefer to continue a controlled ascent and do some extra time in the safety stops rather than shooting up like a rocket as I have seen some people do...

Generally speaking I do not like to break rules because they come from the aggregated experience of many divers and there is typically a good reason for them. For me the key is to understand the origin of the rule and the consequences of not following it. That tells me if it is ok to bend it/break it or not (for my "comfort zone" if you like).

 

[sschlesi]

I have collected live shells (mollusks) in a state park where it is prohibited.

That's breaking a LAW. You've taken it to a whole new level.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

I have collected live shells (mollusks) in a state park where it is prohibited.

Hopefully you will get busted for this some day! Even if you stop today I hope Karma gets you!

Vandalized car, stolen dive gear, heavy fines or just plain a$$ whooping. You are a pathetic example of a band geek!

 

[TMHeimer]

Here we go. Actually I TAUGHT Band 19 years. Also played HS basketball in New York. Why do you knock BAND!!?? WE HATE THAT. The question was asked and I responded honestly. The post before said I have taken it to another level-breaking the law (though I'm not sure where the in-water boundaries of this shore park ended). But I can agree with the point he made. But a Holier than Thou anti-shell collector diver must respond once again. No more on this-check out "diving vs. shell collecting". Interestingly, the folks who don't use dive flags where it's the law or carry knives where it's against the law don't get slammed. Moderator- should his thread be deleted? He suggests violence and more toward me.

 

[rockjock3]

olice: I have all your names and offenses. You are all under arrest by the scuba police.olice:

 

[DevonDiver]

Expert: The diver is capable of making correct decisions on an intuitive basis. He or she no longer needs to rely on rules, guidelines or maxims and posses an authoritative knowledge of the disciplines that make up diving that leads to a deep tacit understanding of, as well as a holistic and intuitive grasp of situations. In complex circumstances, the diver moves easily between intuitive and analytical approaches, using analytic approaches solely in completely novel situations or when problems occur. The diver sees the overall 'picture' and simultaneously grasps alternative approaches. The diver is comfortable taking responsibility for going beyond existing standards and creating original interpretations using a vision of what is possible. Excellence is achieved with relative ease.
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I agree with this. Although it must be activity specific (cave, wreck etc).

However, I see the biggest problem arising on the basis that divers are free to self-assess themselves on this scale. I see plenty of examples on this forum of self-considered 'expert divers' who are far from it...and take un-warranted risks in their diving based on ignorance, not knowledge or experience.

From the top of the scale, looking down, it is easy to identify the capabilities of other divers. From the bottom of the scale, looking up, you do not have the perspective to accurately catagorize your capabilities.

 

[Sas]

No more on this-check out "diving vs. shell collecting". Interestingly, the folks who don't use dive flags where it's the law or carry knives where it's against the law don't get slammed. Moderator- should his thread be deleted? He suggests violence and more toward me.

I do not think carrying knives or going without a dive flag is going to necessarily cause harm. You collecting live molluscs in restricted areas can be damaging to populations and state parks are set up with one of their purposes to protect species and so on. There are plenty of places to get live molluscs without going into state parks. I have no ethical issue with collecting them in general as I collect abalone myself but I would NEVER take from state parks, take ones that are not legal size nor take them out of season. And I live in a place where I only get 60 days a year to take them and the only real spots where I can get ones large enough are surf beaches and only diveable in a blue moon.

 

[TMHeimer]

Yeah, maybe. But I don't think state parks in Florida with very limited dimensions have anything to do with shell populations in the Gulf of Mexico. I thinks it's just a law. There's a bunch of scientific data that says shell populations are not at risk at all (save certain species which are collected commercially for food, curios). It's not at all like the decimated fish populations worldwide or the damage to reefs and all life from pollution and global warming/coral bleaching. I appreciate your input. Somehow, collecting shells 20 miles down the shore from the state park really is about the same as doing so in the park when the shoreline is 600 miles long.

 

[DevonDiver]

It's odd to find a diver who is completely unconcerned with environmental efforts to safeguard the oceans..and consequently the hobby they enjoy.

I am not used to seeing divers try and justify causing damage to the marine environment, where laws exist to protect it. Normally it is the other way around...divers protesting at a lack of laws.

Divers tend to be better educated on such issues.....but, I suppose, there is no accounting for rank stupidity, ignorance and outright greed.