Please allow me to jump into the foray.
I have been diving with Joyce as my buddy and will do so again in about 60 days. I have always been impressed with her attention to safety prior to and during a dive. We go over every inch of our gear so that each of us are well aware of anything in case of an emergency. I trust her underwater completely.
I disagree with the killing of lionfish as bait for other animals. It is well known that the divemasters on Little Cayman stopped killing Lionfish on the north side because of the issues with sharks coming in and taking them from the divemasters and the related safety issues with the guests.
In my humble opinion, there was not a DM on the dive with Joyce and her group. There was a paid Lionfish killer employed by the shop underwater with her. I would not expect the DM to be there to assist me in my situation, but I would think the DM should at least be somewhat observant of the situation so as to warn others at a later date of a potential issue in the area. Yes, we are responsible for our own safety.
I do appreciate Joyce amending her initial comments to take the word "emergency" out of her ascent. Had I been the one to have been bitten, I would have done exactly the same thing, that is I would have safely gone to the surface to assess the situation. I do not have any experience regarding underwater injuries and how severe they may or may not be. I am not an ER Doc so I don't know all of the things that are assumed I should know. Just get me somewhere I am familiar with, above water, and let me figure it out.
Last time I checked, I can call a dive for any dadgum reason I choose. I'm tired, I'm cold, I'm bored, I want a beer, my gear isn't working like I think it should, I want to sit by the pool, I don't have to have a reason, I just want to get out. Yes, I would perform a safety stop for any of these reasons.
The few times I have had a small cut, like pinching my hand closing the tank strap, yes, I am clumsy, it seems like I bleed far more underwater than above, even though I assume that is not the truth, it just seems that way.
I have no experience getting bit by an eel and hope I never do. I can only assume that twenty puncture wounds on your hand and arm sure look like you are bleeding a whole lot. Go to the surface and figure it out.
So yeah, I think it is a dumb idea to kill Lionfish and feed them to the other crtters. And yeah, I don't think there was a DM on that dive, only a paid Lionfish killer who could have been more observant.
I have experience diving with Joyce and if you did, I can guarantee you that you would not question her actions. Maybe her choice of words was incorrect initially, but I guarantee you her actions were first rate. She did the right thing. Call the dive and figure it out later. And I bet if it ever happened to most of you, you would do exactly the same thing.
Joyce, glad to know you are fine. I'll take a look at the scars and get the whole story soon.
It is easy to sit back and armchair quarterback these things. I have enjoyed many of the comments back and forth. Let him in glass houses cast the first stone comes to mind with me.
My mother always told me that if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. But in the south, we always add "God Bless Her or Him" to everything and then it is okay. "She sure has put on a lot of pounds after that last baby, God Bless Her". "He can't help his looks with his parents, God Bless Him."
I'm done. Enjoy your dive. Good day.
