Ummmm discokat....
The snotty tone of your rant above is one of my pet peeves...thanks for providing such an excellent example.
A. I didn't see where Hank49 looked ignorant or blissful. Since he has had >1000 dives, it could be that while you were doing a google search, he was doing an underwater exploration.
B. I don't see where Hank49 said that he HAD to touch a reef. Really.
C. Your logic on your point A above does not hold up. There may be (I don't know) 15 million PADI divers. How many of them were in the water 24 hours a day 365 days a year like a turtle? How many of these divers feed on a reef? Have you seen (or heard) a turtle chomping on coral?
D. What foreign elements are divers leaving on the reef? Are they not covering their nose when they sneeze?
Perhaps you actually didn't read my post since you seem to have neglected certain points I did make or maybe I should clarify them. I wasn't snotty but remarked upon his obvious sarcasm (which you seem to have either ignored or neglected to notice) and blissful tone.
A: Not sure why having 1000+ dives has anything about being ignorant about certain aspects of what he or she is doing, if he never explored them. I learned basic things about skills I had used for over 20 years. You should always be learning, no matter how often you might have been doing it. I guess because I haven't had 1000 dives means I can't impart anything to someone who has. I'm glad I don't think like that in my own line or work or hobbies or I would never learn anything. Perhaps, just perhaps, I might have knowledge learned over years of experience that directly relates to what we are discussing, just not through diving.
A: I stated quite clearly that the 7x as many PADI divers per turtles (which isn't the only certification board) didn't dive 24 hours a day or 7 days a week. Neither are the turtles hanging on a reef that much time. However, when a diver DOES dive, he almost always does so on a reef (natural or artificial). I have taken video footage of a sea turtle chewing on coral (imagine that with my limited dive experience). It doesn't come close to measuring up to the amount of damage I have seen divers do in the same amount of limited dive experience.
B: I never stated that Hank49 (whom I quoted though I could have for several others who have expressed the same viewpoint) had to touch a reef. His point seemed to indicate that he didn't think it was much of a sticking point to touch a reef at any time, whether he had to or not. Really.
C: answered in point A
D: what foreign elements? I'm not sure how much turtles and other seafaring creatures are hanging out on land but it sure isn't as frequent as humans. Much like the foreign elements that were introduced to humans living on the continents called the Americas by those who traveled over from the Old World (or even the plague of the 1300s, Dingos in Australia, etc.), we as intrepid divers likely introduce elements that are not indigenous to the marine world and these elements might very well have a detrimental effect on the world we are visiting. I believe we could offer quite a few instances of these we have done in the recent past underwater with just a little thought on the matter.
I didn't mean to be so obtuse but the callous attitude remarked upon by someone with a considerable amount of respect and experience in the marine world doesn't bode well for the future of the world we are all seeking not only to explore but to conserve for future generations (I hope).
I notice you didn't remark upon my comments regarding the degradation of many of the reefs around the world, which have obviously been negatively impacted by human intervention. Seems you know quite clearly that our limited forays into the undersea world over the last few decades have had an enormous, and for the most part, negative impact on it but instead chose to launch a broadside at my "attitude" towards one member.
Most land studies indicate the Elephant is the second most destructive mammal towards the environment on land. Its damage is utterly insignificant to what humans have wrought. Hank49's argument is similar to this statement.
I'm sure after my 1000th dive I'll have the same attitude towards those who refuse to acknowledge the potential we humans have towards our environment, both above and below the water. I only hope that it won't take 1000 more dives for those who don't believe that to change their opinions so that future generations will be able to enjoy what we may take for granted in person and not through video footage.
