How would you handle this?

[MXGratefulDiver]

Update ... six shops have now banned the guy and his dive buddy. Sure he can send friends in for fills, but it's going to make life inconvenient ... and hopefully send a message.

Also, we've got a couple more organizations on board for an effort to turn this site into a Marine Protected Area. The more people behind us, the better.

At this point, I want to focus less on the idiot who created this issue than on what we can do to make it less likely to be repeated.

As for the idiot ... I've seen more pictures off his Facebook page, and it's really unbelievable. He's been bent (bragged about it, with pictures from inside the chamber), pictures of blatant animal cruelty, picture of him and his friends posing in front of a whiteboard with racial slurs on it, a picture of him and another young man pointing rifles at each other, and bragged about spearfishing inside a Marine Park (this is what the WDFW wants to talk to him about).

Sounds like a "mommy look at me" type ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Lopez116]

I agree with fjpatrum. Sometimes law overlaps with morality and ethics, sometimes it doesn't.

My personal opinion is that this guy is a piece of garbage and Bob did the right thing. I admire that he had the courage to stand up and confront this guy.

 

[letterboy]

Update ... six shops have now banned the guy and his dive buddy. Sure he can send friends in for fills, but it's going to make life inconvenient ... and hopefully send a message.

Also, we've got a couple more organizations on board for an effort to turn this site into a Marine Protected Area. The more people behind us, the better.

At this point, I want to focus less on the idiot who created this issue than on what we can do to make it less likely to be repeated.

As for the idiot ... I've seen more pictures off his Facebook page, and it's really unbelievable. He's been bent (bragged about it, with pictures from inside the chamber), pictures of blatant animal cruelty, picture of him and his friends posing in front of a whiteboard with racial slurs on it, a picture of him and another young man pointing rifles at each other, and bragged about spearfishing inside a Marine Park (this is what the WDFW wants to talk to him about).

Sounds like a "mommy look at me" type ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

nice effort to focus less on the gentlemen and more on the issue as a whole.

 

[Rich Keller]

"he went to school for this" Why? Was the underwater basket weaving class full that day? Please tell me agencies are not giving out c-cards for something this stupid! As much as I do not like this, it is legal. Some of the tactics you are using to go after this guy might not be viewed as legal though. They could be seen as harassment.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

Update ... six shops have now banned the guy and his dive buddy. Sure he can send friends in for fills, but it's going to make life inconvenient ... and hopefully send a message.

Also, we've got a couple more organizations on board for an effort to turn this site into a Marine Protected Area. The more people behind us, the better.

At this point, I want to focus less on the idiot who created this issue than on what we can do to make it less likely to be repeated.

As for the idiot ... I've seen more pictures off his Facebook page, and it's really unbelievable. He's been bent (bragged about it, with pictures from inside the chamber), pictures of blatant animal cruelty, picture of him and his friends posing in front of a whiteboard with racial slurs on it, a picture of him and another young man pointing rifles at each other, and bragged about spearfishing inside a Marine Park (this is what the WDFW wants to talk to him about).

Sounds like a "mommy look at me" type ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I would love to have that area declared as a protected marine sanctuary. People need to realize how unfortunate they are to have such great waters in their backyard. I was actually looking to relocate to Seattle just so that I could be next to such great diving.

 

[ScubaSam]

Update ... six shops have now banned the guy and his dive buddy. Sure he can send friends in for fills, but it's going to make life inconvenient ... and hopefully send a message.

Also, we've got a couple more organizations on board for an effort to turn this site into a Marine Protected Area. The more people behind us, the better.

At this point, I want to focus less on the idiot who created this issue than on what we can do to make it less likely to be repeated.

Bob (Grateful Diver)

#$@%*&$#% was my reaction when I saw a FB link to your post in NW Dive Club. One of the main reasons I flew out to Seattle this summer, in addition to diving with Lynne and you) was to see a GPO.

Your focus to turn the site into a Marine Protected Area is a step in the right direction. WDFW (Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife) and Karma will take care of Mr. I went to school for this...

Thank you, Bob, for bringing this to the attention of the dive community.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Some of the tactics you are using to go after this guy might not be viewed as legal though. They could be seen as harassment.

How so?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[merxlin]

We have an area here in So Cal on Catalina called Casino Point. Many divers thought it was a protected area, and treated it as such, even if it was not. Occasionally you'd get some hunter taking from the park, but facing the wrath of the dive community for the same reasons- it was shooting fish in a barrel. It is now a MPA so no more hunting, but for many years it was able to survive just because of a diver's moral code and willingness to keep it unharmed. Go after the MPA, it will be worth it. But also keep up the peer pressure (within reason). It does have an impact.

 

[BabyDuck]

i just saw a report of this in a friend's facebook feed. the friend isn't a diver, lives in dc, and she commented on a thread of a friend of hers who very obviously had picked it up from a friend of his. the word is definitely getting out!

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Social networking is an amazing thing ... but I don't do Facebook.

I just got another call from a local TV station.

We need to harness all this energy and turn it into something positive ... the question is how.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)