How much coral damage do you see?

[DeepSeaDan]

On my last trip to Coz I had occassion to observe some of my fellow divers enjoying the sights as we drifted along, and many of them seemed blissfully unaware they were snapping off coral growth with errant fin kicks, tank scrapes and careless leg movements. Most of the damage I witnessed was in the swim-throughs. It is at such times that I rue the day corporations took control of rec. diving & foisted it upon the masses. I'm not sure our reef systems can withstand the onslaught of "vacation divers," many of whom never spend enough time under the water to become adequately skilled, careful, and caring divers. All divers must be "stewards of the sea", or soon enough, there'll be nothing to "see."

The human presence u/w in Coz is such that we exert tremendous pressure on its' reef ecosystems. Some days off the coast of Coz it looks like the L.A. freeway at rush-hour. Or perhaps I should say "most days?"

Am I overly-concerned here? Can anything effective be done about it anyway?

Regards,
DSD

 

[Mossman]

I think you're overly concerned. I was in Coz the Carnival after Wilma devastated the reefs and town. The town has built up nicely, better than before. As for the reefs, they were sad then. Lobsters were walking around in broad daylight since they had nowhere to hide. Since then, I've noted major reef improvement (i.e. less sand), and my last trip (last April) found healthy reefs with big schools of reef fish in the shallows and much regrowth/resurfacing in the deeper areas where the sand finally blew away. While subjective impressions are difficult to substantiate, I swear that I found the reefs in better health on my last visit then even my pre-Wilma experiences.

That said, there is continual development on the island, so many cruise ships visiting daily, and now the omnipresence of lion fish.

You've addressed the human factor and I totally agree with you that there are plenty of novice divers without the best buoyancy control who occasionally smack into corals. I would go further than that as I've seen plenty of pro dive masters and experienced divers also kick corals in their oblivion. But IMO the reefs look nicer now than did they pre-Wilma and with all the other environmental impacts, I highly doubt a few kicks here or there are a significant problem. (See my rants about eco-sunscreen for a similar analysis)

The corals of Cozumel have far more pressing issues than divers enjoying them. They're bombarded with multitudes of cruise ships and their effluent every day, they're subject to global climate changes, there's continuous development on the limestone island that supports them, yet they've been tolerating masses of divers for years. We're not the problem.

 

[Brules]

I personally hate swim throughs due to all the damage caused by even the best divers........I avoid them at all costs.
T

 

[MMM]

There actually isn't a lot of live coral growth within swim throughs, IMO. Where I see more injury/damage is outside the swim throughs by divers who rest their fins on the bottom of life (not usually coral growth, but life nonetheless) while taking photos or looking at something a DM has pointed out. Since it's not my job, I try not to be a dive nazi but nevertheless, have, on occasion, lifted a diver's fin from where they are touching things over and over. Amazingly enough, back on the boat they usually thank me, saying they were unaware they were doing this. I have watched the dive ops go by who cater to cruise ship and/or new divers and by and large, their DMs are pretty good at keeping their divers far enough away from the reefs that they aren't a hazard....to the point of hauling them away by their tank valves.

 

[Mossman]

I take pictures, though photographers are usually blamed as the bane of the reefs, but my personal philosophy is to never get a shot if I have to damage anything. A finger touch on a dead coral, a hand in the sand to thwart the current, no problem. But I always look back to see what my fins are doing.

Best "attitude" for macro on open reef is fins in the open water, body arched. Too often I see photographers laying on the reef, maybe their knees are in the sand but their fins are whacking soft corals to death.

Swimthroughs, as MMM mentioned, are usually dead already, whether from too much traffic or inhospitable conditions (i.e. corals like light). Yet divers still kick the crap out of them to the detriment of whatever life could manage to live there in the first place. Don't kick! My preferred way of slowly navigating a swim-thru, provided they have a sandy bottom like most, is to get perfectly neutral, then poke my way along with my fingers in the sand. Watch out for hydroids!

 

[Carlos Diver]

I see videos all the time of people hitting the reef. Makes me cringe. Not gonna lie, I suck. Newbie and all, buoyancy is terrible, but I dont go low enough to hit the reef. If I cant see whats there, oh well, not gonna get any closer. It pisses me off when I see it, I know how long it takes to grow back, and if a newbie clown like myself can keep from doing it, anyone should be able too.

 

[Darol]

I find it interesting that some people think we are so important in the big sceme of things. Having dived pre and post Wilma, and not that long ago, I think the lionfish are more of a threat than divers. Sure it's not cool to bang into coral, but it happens and will continue to happen. Education is the first step, control and awareness will help. Swim-throughs, for the most part, are boring as hell. After the first dozen or so, it just becomes sand and crotches. I pass on them. I find it more destructive to demonize a fellow diver who is doing the best they can, or are totally unaware. Hurricanes destroy coral, and it comes back, a natural cycle that's been happening long before Mr. Jacques Yves Cousteau turned on the world to Cozumel. Perhaps Instructors could do a better job, before handing out C-cards like chiclets?

 

[Brules]

I see videos all the time of people hitting the reef. Makes me cringe. Not gonna lie, I suck. Newbie and all, buoyancy is terrible, but I dont go low enough to hit the reef. If I cant see whats there, oh well, not gonna get any closer. It pisses me off when I see it, I know how long it takes to grow back, and if a newbie clown like myself can keep from doing it, anyone should be able too.

You mean people like this:

[video=vimeo;60211862]http://vimeo.com/60211862[/video]

I call them "Reef Bulldozers".

 

[ggunn]

That said, there is continual development on the island, so many cruise ships visiting daily, and now the omnipresence of lion fish.

FWIW, in the seven days of diving there I did a couple of weeks ago I saw a grand total of ONE lionfish, and it was a juvie. I'm not counting the ones I saw on my plate at La Perlita, of course,

 

[DeepSeaDan]

I find it interesting that some people think we are so important in the big sceme of things. Having dived pre and post Wilma, and not that long ago, I think the lionfish are more of a threat than divers. Sure it's not cool to bang into coral, but it happens and will continue to happen. Education is the first step, control and awareness will help. Swim-throughs, for the most part, are boring as hell. After the first dozen or so, it just becomes sand and crotches. I pass on them. I find it more destructive to demonize a fellow diver who is doing the best they can, or are totally unaware. Hurricanes destroy coral, and it comes back, a natural cycle that's been happening long before Mr. Jacques Yves Cousteau turned on the world to Cozumel. Perhaps Instructors could do a better job, before handing out C-cards like chiclets?

I would say the human species are very, very important / influential in the "big scheme of things." Human activities globally exert continuous pressures on our environment, with recreational diving activities being a small part of that force directed at a specific part of the environment. It was not my intent to "demonize" my fellow divers, though there exists a small contingent of individuals who put their personal pursuits ahead of everything ( we usually call them ***holes! ) - those folks I do tend to demonize. Those that cause damage unknowingly or inadvertently should, I think, be made aware of their mistakes, as tactfully as possible. I think most decent folk will appreciate it, and try to do better in the future.

One thing I'd like to see is more divers using the "modified frog kick" method of propulsion more often, though I find I need to use a variety of kick styles ( or no kicking at all in some areas, as Mossman pointed out ) when navigating the various formations inherent to Cozumel.

I have often stated that it is, overall, too easy to attain an Instructors certificate; further, a return to more comprehensive basic training would result in better divers, hence proportionately less impact on the diving environment. Sadly, in todays fast-paced, "insta-gratification" world, such desires are only so much wishful thinking.

Regards,
DSD

---------- Post added May 21st, 2013 at 08:58 AM ----------

I see videos all the time of people hitting the reef. Makes me cringe. Not gonna lie, I suck. Newbie and all, buoyancy is terrible, but I dont go low enough to hit the reef. If I cant see whats there, oh well, not gonna get any closer. It pisses me off when I see it, I know how long it takes to grow back, and if a newbie clown like myself can keep from doing it, anyone should be able too.

Thanks for your honesty about your buoyancy issues nashwl, and even greater thanks for your determination not to harm the corals. Have you thought of hiring a dive pro for a dive or two to try & improve your buoyancy skills?

Regards,
DSD