Rude Divers on the Boat

[MXGratefulDiver]

My recent experiences with truly rude diver behavior have nearly all involved GoPro camera divers, with their camera-on-a-stick rigs.
This is a relatively new phenomenon where these completely self absorbed "divers" seem to turn on their video cameras, and then zoom around the reef, "capturing everything".

Several times I have been watching critters, and even carefully setting up for a shot, only to have zippy-go-pro come racing over, shove their stick into whatever I am watching, trash the scene, and then race off again.
NO idea at all what I was looking at, but confident that they have captured it, to view later.

They also seem to have no idea where I'm seriously wanting to shove their camera on a stick if it happens again.

That happened to me once at my local mudhole. Not sure who the guy was ... and I usually know most of the divers who go there regularly ... but he followed me around the whole dive. As soon as I'd set up for a shot he'd zoom in, shove his GoPro on a stick between my camera and the subject, and sit there for a few seconds ... continually churning the botton with his fins the whole time. By the time he moved off the site was too stirred up for me to get a picture ... and in some cases the subject had swam off in disgust anyway ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[maj2]

My recent experiences with truly rude diver behavior have nearly all involved GoPro camera divers, with their camera-on-a-stick rigs.
This is a relatively new phenomenon where these completely self absorbed "divers" seem to turn on their video cameras, and then zoom around the reef, "capturing everything".

Several times I have been watching critters, and even carefully setting up for a shot, only to have zippy-go-pro come racing over, shove their stick into whatever I am watching, trash the scene, and then race off again.
NO idea at all what I was looking at, but confident that they have captured it, to view later.

They also seem to have no idea where I'm seriously wanting to shove their camera on a stick if it happens again.

I encountered the "Go-Pro-on-a-stick" diver on a trip to Bahamas this past fall. It was my daughter's first ocean dive after getting certified over the summer. Towards the end of the dive, I decided to take a photo of her to commemorate the occasion. We moved a bit off the reef so as not to be in the way of other divers, and found a spot over a flat sandy bottom (with frankly not much else to see near us). Lo and behold, someone's camera stick was shoved into my field of view under my daughter (between her and the sand) just as I took her photo. Thankfully, it was able to be photoshopped out and the photo saved. Ended up with a lovely pic of her that sits in our family room to remember our trip and her first ocean dive.
Couldn't believe that they would shove their stick into a clear father/daughter photo-op with no other subjects of interest within about 15 feet.

 

[kelemvor]

On the other hand there is just something about that camera that seems to attract the most self centered, unskilled of divers.

It's the pricetag. $129 (modern hero) including the housing is tough to beat. It puts underwater cameras into a price range just about any diver could afford.

---------- Post added April 13th, 2015 at 12:45 PM ----------

So another diver grabbed my regulator hose to get my attention...

Again? Don't buy lottery tickets anytime soon!

 

[Wojo]

Until I felt confident of my ability to position myself any way I wanted AND remain able to handle events that could affect my buddy's and my safety, I did not feel it was appropriate for me to have a camera. I have long thought a camera was something for super-experienced divers. (Of course, I starting developing this perspective back when dive cameras used film, and there was hardly an underwater point-and-shoot in existence much less a GoPro.) Only now after several hundred dives and a lot of time spent practicing skills do I feel a camera would be appropriate for me. I realize I am in the tiny minority with this thinking. I try not to let it get to me when I see a brand-new diver with a camera flailing all over the place. However, I still have not ventured into photography because I do not want to be competing for shots with those people.

I agree. I've been freediving and taking pictures for decades. I got my scuba certification last spring, and after a summer of diving I've yet to take my camera with me.

 

[KathyV]

Until I felt confident of my ability to position myself any way I wanted AND remain able to handle events that could affect my buddy's and my safety, I did not feel it was appropriate for me to have a camera. I have long thought a camera was something for super-experienced divers. (Of course, I starting developing this perspective back when dive cameras used film, and there was hardly an underwater point-and-shoot in existence much less a GoPro.) Only now after several hundred dives and a lot of time spent practicing skills do I feel a camera would be appropriate for me. I realize I am in the tiny minority with this thinking. I try not to let it get to me when I see a brand-new diver with a camera flailing all over the place. However, I still have not ventured into photography because I do not want to be competing for shots with those people.

I agree. I've been freediving and taking pictures for decades. I got my scuba certification last spring, and after a summer of diving I've yet to take my camera with me.

My husband has an underwater camera but he doesn't take it with him on the first day of diving to give him a chance to acclimate and check out his equipment. He also leaves it on the boat when conditions are rough because he doesn't want to be distracted by the camera in a potentially dangerous situation. I think that he is a smart guy and that's a good idea!

This link below is not about a scuba incident but I think that it is relevant to this discussion about inept photographers. This incident really happened, it is not an urban myth. Long ago (way back in 1988) a skydiver was filming a dive using heavy video equipment and didn't realize that he wasn't wearing a parachute! He got some great pictures of his fellow skydivers before he plummeted to his death.
Police Say Excited Sky Diver Forgot To Put On His Parachute - tribunedigital-orlandosentinel

Don't get me wrong, I think that underwater photography is a rewarding and enjoyable hobby, but it is always important to keep alert when diving and a camera can become a distraction, especially if it is new camera and/or you are new photographer.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

My husband has an underwater camera but he doesn't take it with him on the first day of diving to give him a chance to acclimate and check out his equipment. He also leaves it on the boat when conditions are rough because he doesn't want to be distracted by the camera in a potentially dangerous situation. I think that he is a smart guy and that's a good idea!

This link below is not about a scuba incident but I think that it is relevant to this discussion about inept photographers. This incident really happened, it is not an urban myth. Long ago (way back in 1988) a skydiver was filming a dive using heavy video equipment and didn't realize that he wasn't wearing a parachute! He got some great pictures of his fellow skydivers before he plummeted to his death.
Police Say Excited Sky Diver Forgot To Put On His Parachute - tribunedigital-orlandosentinel

Don't get me wrong, I think that underwater photography is a rewarding and enjoyable hobby, but it is always important to keep alert when diving and a camera can become a distraction, especially if it is new camera and/or you are new photographer.

I heard a story once about a diver who got scared the boat was too far away so they climbed up on the coral reef and stood on it to wave and scream for attention..

 

[LowDrag]

Okay...so my wife and I are now back from Cozumel. I dove with my GoPro on a stick and stayed out others way when they were taking pic's of. So I was definitely not..."THAT GUY". As a matter of fact, when I was lining up for a video shot I was actually pushed out of the way by an experienced diver with a camera not a GoPro. So, not all GoPro users are rude, anyone with a camera of any kind can be rude. I did get some selfie shot's of my wife and I diving together but I will not be posting a 5 minute video of us on YouTube anytime soon... I did however slide my GoPro up under our senior instructor to get a full face shot of him on a dive. He took it in good humor as it was meant. All in all we had a great week of diving in Cozumel and I would definitely recommend it to camera divers as well as GoPro enthusiast's.

 

[gypsyjim]

I just returned from a live-aboard trip where there were 3 GoPro-on-a-sticks, and no rude divers.
What a relief to know that it's not the fault of the tool itself! I had begun to think the camera was the cause.......

Nope, it's just the in the wrong hands that selfy-stick contraption sure brings out the selfish side of the selfish diver.

 

[DaleC]

I was shooting an octopus once, under a cement block using a GoPro on a stick. There was a line attached to the block and while I was recording, the owner (a student I assume as there was nothing to actually run a line to in the vicinity) wound in the reel and actually stood on top of me while untying it. I thought: How can you not see a diver? but I suppose they were task loaded (or narced at 60'). Neither they, nor their buddy, ever acknowledged my existence. Anyway, because of this I believe tech students, or owners of reels, are truly rude divers.

 

[gypsyjim]

I was shooting an octopus once, under a cement block using a GoPro on a stick. There was a line attached to the block and while I was recording, the owner (a student I assume as there was nothing to actually run a line to in the vicinity) wound in the reel and actually stood on top of me while untying it. I thought: How can you not see a diver? but I suppose they were task loaded (or narced at 60'). Neither they, nor their buddy, ever acknowledged my existence. Anyway, because of this I believe tech students, or owners of reels, are truly rude divers.

Obviously NOT a tech diver, or he would not have had to stand on you or the cement block ( you have to wonder why he got you two confused) in order to deploy his reel. Sounds more like an OW bottom kneeler.