Reef Killers

[Hank49]

The argument about turtles and natural disasters causing damage to reefs and humans being another part of nature is really rather irrelevant. If mother nature wanted humans to be on the reefs then she would have given us gills or some other way of surviving underwater. Humans are not meant to be underwater, we are visitors and as such we must respect our host.

Mother Nature gave us the intelligence to make masks, snorkels, scuba gear and we are the top predator on the planet. I think we have as much right as any fish to be on the reef. We most likely came from there anyway.

 

[Hank49]

... not since the invention of the wheel ... Mother Nature never intended for us to spend our time underwater ... technology made that possible ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Sorry Bob. I posted the other post before I read this one.
I think we ARE intended to be in the water. We have the natural born physiology to free dive to 200 plus feet on a breath hold. We can equalize, swim, invent things to make us do it better. It's all in Mother Natures plan if you ask me. We want to do it. You spend as much time in the water as most frogs do.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Sorry Bob. I posted the other post before I read this one.
I think we ARE intended to be in the water. We have the natural born physiology to free dive to 200 plus feet on a breath hold. We can equalize, swim, invent things to make us do it better. It's all in Mother Natures plan if you ask me. We want to do it. You spend as much time in the water as most frogs do.

I dunno if I agree with that ... Mother Nature, after all, took our ancestors OUT of the water ... gotta believe it's because she didn't intend for us to be there ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Hank49]

I dunno if I agree with that ... Mother Nature, after all, took our ancestors OUT of the water ... gotta believe it's because she didn't intend for us to be there ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I think it's irrelevant whether or not we're "supposed" to be there. Fact is, we are and will be for the foreseeable future. And it could be that we're on our way back to the water, evolutionary speaking....some of us anyway.
Anyway, I'm outa here. Honolulu bound and down. ya man....

 

[wrybosome]

Was I arguing, or offering food for thought?

It's good food for thought and is something I've thought about while diving. For me personally I touch nothing on the reef because even though storms, parrotfish, starfish, etc may do more damage than I can I still can't help but notice that reefs which are troublesome to get to tend to be in much better shape than house reefs in the same location. Severe storms may be decadal events but crappy divers are an everyday phenomenon. So for me the rule is don't touch.

 

[iztok]

Mother Nature gave us the intelligence to make masks, snorkels, scuba gear and we are the top predator on the planet. I think we have as much right as any fish to be on the reef. We most likely came from there anyway.

However with ability comes responsibility.

Planet really doesn't care about ecology. Earth could care less if we poison ourselves to extinction. This wonderful world around us this wonderful "doesn't-give-a-****-about-us" universe just is if we continue to exist or not.

We are the lucky ones to be able to enjoy it and some of us care enough to do what we can so our successors can enjoy it as well.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

It's good food for thought and is something I've thought about while diving. For me personally I touch nothing on the reef because even though storms, parrotfish, starfish, etc may do more damage than I can I still can't help but notice that reefs which are troublesome to get to tend to be in much better shape than house reefs in the same location. Severe storms may be decadal events but crappy divers are an everyday phenomenon. So for me the rule is don't touch.

Reef | Define Reef at Dictionary.com

1. a ridge of rock, sand, coral, etc, the top of which lies close to the surface of the sea
2. a ridge- or mound-like structure built by sedentary calcareous organisms (esp corals) and consisting mainly of their remains

So when I think about the reefs I am diving, I know that not all the reef is alive. Often, touching the non living reef is a great way to protect the living reef. I do not usually intensionally cause harm to marine life, be it reef coral, non reef coral or other living "parts" of the reef and underwater realm. A few times per year the dive boats I frequent have reef cleanup days; where often we go to reefs that are "troublesome" to get to, and remove lots of the abandoned human fishing gear from the reef. There is plenty of live coral that is damaged during a typical Maui reef cleanup, but the "net" result is a healthier, safer and prettier reef.

One of my "house" reefs is Ulua Point, Wailea, Maui. Many typical tourist divers dive that reef, pretty much daily, and my photo record of the past 5-6 years shows no perceptible evidence of scuba diver impact. You can now plainly see; more invasive algae due resort landscaping run off, more silt that does not settle due golf course fairway housing development, the broken antler coral and tree pieces due a flash flood a few months after a forest fire high up on the mountain, and the fairly large partially live coral covered igneous boulders that occasionally tumble around on other live coral during heavy surf action.

 

[danegr]

HEY! when was this dive trip in Key Largo? May, by any chance? I think I was on the boat with this guy. I "talked" to the guy but all I got was a bad attitude and the stupid statement, "we all make our mark". I just walked off thinking nothing is going to change this guy unless, as you suggest, we get lucky and a barracuda gets him. Where are the great whites when you need them?
And as for crew members, on my boat, one of the instructors tried to talk with him but that went nowhere so he walked off too.
Really, funny, this guy naturally had a camera and claimed to be diving for 40 years. This has to be the same clown. He had a dive buddy who was almost as bad, maybe a bit younger, the old one was in his late 60's, the younger one in his 50's or so.

That sounds like the guy! I was there the week of June 12th. I have decided I will never let an chance like that pass me up again. The next time I will shut his tank valve off and swim away!

 

[ozzydamo]

Dear Carribean Diver who's poo has no smell. I only say that for the dig on quarry/mudhole divers. We mudholers hear a phrase repeated over and over. "If you can dive here, you can dive any ware". We do not enjoy the blue warm water with the wonderful viz and abundant life often, but we use the quarries to make sure we have it down when we arrive. Diving with silt is way more difficult than simply not touching the reef. Being aware that a movement you make near the bottom will affect silt gives you skills you Salty Dawgs know little about. To me the issue is how to get it across to the "ReefKiller" that they are doing something that needs to stop. ClayJar made some fantastic points that I will be using...leading by example. But there are some case where direct and immediate ass chewing has got to happen. I was recently in Key Largo diving with a gentleman who was in his 60's and claimed to have been diving for 40 years. He took a camera down with him and we (mudholers) observed him laying on the reef. Using beautiful purple tube sponges to reposition himself for a closer shot, snapping off chunks of coral and stirring up so much sand that all you could do was flee and hope that a barracuda would handle it. Later, on the boat I was trying to figure out how to approach him. I spoke to a crew member who simply shook their head and said "*******" under his breath. Finally in a conversation with another diver I was able to bring up (loudly) not touching the reef. He knew I was aiming my comments at him, to which he replied, "I get my best shots laying on the coral". I asked him if it mattered at all to him that he was killing the reef. He said "back when I was certified we use to bring that stuff up to the boat for souvenirs". I explained with a sh*ty tone that I didn't appreciate him screwing it up for the next generation of divers. He laughed and went on about his business. Not one crew member said anything and neither did the captain. Not being sure if I was out of line, I retreated. I figured somebody else on the boat would have jumped in and said something. Nothing. And there were several experienced salt water divers on that boat. I can say that my quarry training and trainers drilled into our heads "touch or take nothing, leave only bubbles". I have to assume from this that people trained in salty water need an additional course in Environmental Awareness!!! I am only kidding. I do however think there should be less fear from all of us to jump someones sh*t for causing damage.

The envy is strong in this one!

 

[ozzydamo]

Mother Nature gave us the intelligence to make masks, snorkels, scuba gear and we are the top predator on the planet. I think we have as much right as any fish to be on the reef. We most likely came from there anyway.

Maybe........... Ol' Father time will sort it out!
2012 is coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!