57 replies to this topic

[Bubble2Bubble]

If a sea creature touches you and you..Well... Two Wrongs don't make it Right. The next time a shark bites into me, I am going to carefully take out my slate and then using the proper pronunciation and grammar Write..I would appreciate it if you would remove your teeth from my leg..and if that doesn't work..then..Rewrite it in Spanish or French. Take pictures all you want but don't leave bubbles as in B2B.
I don't want to be in a Open Water Reality Show.
Great Thread tho..sawy for this commercial break

Bubski

[damselfish]

I've been diving with a lot of DM's that buddy with me that pick up all kind of sea creatures and try to hand them to me, all in good intention. Trying to get a good tip, show me a good time, whatever. I never handle them though.
I do have to admit, when it comes to sea turtles, I can't help it. I'll touch if I can because I'm so facinated by them. OK so I'm going to come back as a sea turtle in my next life... you can get close, as long as you don't come back as a shark! ~ D

[Penguin]

I've been diving with a lot of DM's that buddy with me that pick up all kind of sea creatures and try to hand them to me, all in good intention. Trying to get a good tip, show me a good time, whatever. I never handle them though.
I do have to admit, when it comes to sea turtles, I can't help it. I'll touch if I can because I'm so facinated by them. OK so I'm going to come back as a sea turtle in my next life... you can get close, as long as you don't come back as a shark! ~ D

I have to agree D. I'm a hands-off diver but I do have to admit to touching a turtle or two throughout the years....shell only, gently and only from outside of its vision.

[peterbj7]

I have once or twice deliberately touched a turtle, but a couple of years ago the species got its own back when a turtle hit me a heavy glancing blow from behind as it swam through. I didn't even know it was there before impact, though the people I was with had been staring past me (I thought they were admiring my diving style!) with wide eyes.

[scubajunkie6]

I've seen people break off coral to get the perfect photo. I've seen people handle nurse sharks and eels to try to wake them up just to get a better photo and to make a better story after the dive is over.

Why can drivers licenses be revoked, but not c-cards?

In fact, I used to know the guy who won the Honorable Mention for the Darwin Awards in 2006. It was "honorable mention" award because he didn't die. He was bitten on the lip when he attempted to kiss a nurse shark. The red snappers took revenge though, and enjoyed the nibbles of his lip also. This guy was always looking for an adventure (both in and out of the water). I'm sure he didn't learn from that lesson, and that's the sad part about it.

But I agree with others that when the animal moves to you, such as the overfed stingrays or maybe curious dolphins, mantas that bump into you, etc that's a little different. I've touched a green moray with a single finger, while it was wrapped around someone's waist/arms, but I'm certainly not going to pet or play with the animal. I'm OK with the petting pools at aquariums because its a contained area, and they will never be released back to the wild. The photo of me with the dolphin was a family trip, and a memory my son STILL talks about!

RESPECT WILDLIFE!!!!

-Margaret

[Scubatooth]

I've seen people break off coral to get the perfect photo. I've seen people handle nurse sharks and eels to try to wake them up just to get a better photo and to make a better story after the dive is over.

Why can drivers licenses be revoked, but not c-cards?

In fact, I used to know the guy who won the Honorable Mention for the Darwin Awards in 2006. It was "honorable mention" award because he didn't die. He was bitten on the lip when he attempted to kiss a nurse shark. The red snappers took revenge though, and enjoyed the nibbles of his lip also. This guy was always looking for an adventure (both in and out of the water). I'm sure he didn't learn from that lesson, and that's the sad part about it.

But I agree with others that when the animal moves to you, such as the overfed stingrays or maybe curious dolphins, mantas that bump into you, etc that's a little different. I've touched a green moray with a single finger, while it was wrapped around someone's waist/arms, but I'm certainly not going to pet or play with the animal. I'm OK with the petting pools at aquariums because its a contained area, and they will never be released back to the wild. The photo of me with the dolphin was a family trip, and a memory my son STILL talks about!

RESPECT WILDLIFE!!!!

-Margaret

Thats a big violation to the rules of alot of photo competitions for stressing animals or moving items and will cause entries to be disqualified. To me I wont manipulate nature to perfect a shot as then thats not nature, plus im good enough in photoshop I can fix it later.

Now for playing with the widelife now you get what ever happens to you as i remember seeing it on a dive boat in PR that is so true. it read "By stepping off this boat you are no longer a apex predator, but part of the food chain"

Edited by Scubatooth, 20 February 2009 - 02:11 PM.

[Diverbrian]

On the few times that I dive warm water, my underwater wildlife photography rule is more like a deer up here. I do my best to hover and wait for the creature to get into the best possible position and take my shots.

I have dove in areas where the sealife is used to divers and see us a curiosity, something to play with, or as a potential source of food (as long as we are not the food that they are expecting). I don't encourage the wildlife but I won't discourage them either. I figure that dolphins/porpoises that will play in the wake of boat aren't likely to ignore a diver if they are in a playful mood. Sharks that are curious about this strange bubble blowing creature will react the way that they want to. I am not going to encourage it to come out and play. I would rather stay away from a Moray with all of those teeth than handle one for two obvious reasons. One would be the safety of my fingers and the other would be the principle of not stressing out marine life any more than necessary when we dive.

If a barracuda that the local DM's have named Elvis wants to watch divers at the safety stop, he must be posing for a picture, right ? I remember the DM's in Providenciales had names for the some of the animals local to certain dive spots. They didn't handle them, but they knew that the animals were there and liked to watch divers. That was the extent of the interaction with the divers.

I have seen areas where rays have been fed by divers and it is almost sad. They come out and interact with divers, but I don't feel that is their natural habit.

I guess that I am guilty of ignoring DM's handling wildlife. They are generally acting with local custom. If it is my buddy being a pain in the posterior to the marine life, I would react much as Capt. Jack did as I am more able to communicate with my buddy than another diver in a large group. If it is another diver that I can recognize, I would likely say something subtle on the surface about it, but leave it at that to keep the fisticuffs to minimum if the person reacts poorly.

[techintime]

My opinion...As long as someone is not breaking off coral, clearly injuring the wildlife, or putting themselves in danger, then I say "to each his own". I see nothing wrong with touching a sea turtle or brushing the side of a nurse shark to see what it feels like. If the boat or dive site had a clearly stated "no touch" policy then I would follow it and I might wag my finger at a violator, but not much more. In most cases there are no rules, only opinions. And injecting your opinion contrary to someone elses actions is really little more than trying to impose your values on someone else and would likely only piss people off and ruin the dive (or even the dive trip) for a lot of people. And come on...we've all done it. We all touched coral at least once to see what it feels like and we've all touched a sea turtle if we had the chance. Tolerance my friends. This is about having fun.

[WreckWench]

My opinion...As long as someone is not breaking off coral, clearly injuring the wildlife, or putting themselves in danger, then I say "to each his own". I see nothing wrong with touching a sea turtle or brushing the side of a nurse shark to see what it feels like. If the boat or dive site had a clearly stated "no touch" policy then I would follow it and I might wag my finger at a violator, but not much more. In most cases there are no rules, only opinions. And injecting your opinion contrary to someone elses actions is really little more than trying to impose your values on someone else and would likely only piss people off and ruin the dive (or even the dive trip) for a lot of people. And come on...we've all done it. We all touched coral at least once to see what it feels like and we've all touched a sea turtle if we had the chance. Tolerance my friends. This is about having fun.

Thank you for an alternate opinion...and done respectfully too!

As is the case in life...differing opinions make us think! Well done! kamala

[techintime]

My opinion...As long as someone is not breaking off coral, clearly injuring the wildlife, or putting themselves in danger, then I say "to each his own". I see nothing wrong with touching a sea turtle or brushing the side of a nurse shark to see what it feels like. If the boat or dive site had a clearly stated "no touch" policy then I would follow it and I might wag my finger at a violator, but not much more. In most cases there are no rules, only opinions. And injecting your opinion contrary to someone elses actions is really little more than trying to impose your values on someone else and would likely only piss people off and ruin the dive (or even the dive trip) for a lot of people. And come on...we've all done it. We all touched coral at least once to see what it feels like and we've all touched a sea turtle if we had the chance. Tolerance my friends. This is about having fun.

Thank you for an alternate opinion...and done respectfully too!

As is the case in life...differing opinions make us think! Well done! kamala

Im sure that there are a few spears out there with my name on them.

[WreckWench]

Im sure that there are a few spears out there with my name on them.

NOT on this site...maybe others but not here. We accept just about anything if its done respectfully and is well thought out and is kind. You have violated NONE of these rules but you have offered a differing opinion and one that will resonate with many divers.

Besides if there is a spear with your name on it...it has mine on it first!

[techintime]

Im sure that there are a few spears out there with my name on them.

NOT on this site...maybe others but not here. We accept just about anything if its done respectfully and is well thought out and is kind. You have violated NONE of these rules but you have offered a differing opinion and one that will resonate with many divers.

Besides if there is a spear with your name on it...it has mine on it first!

kamala,
Sounds similar to the flight lead/wingman contract. You should have been a fighter pilot.

[Wakemaker]

...WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
...So may the discussion begin.

1. What would you do in this situation?
2. Why would you choose this course of action?

Handling or touching fish and marine life.

I'd get my dive slate and communicate: "If I see you do that again, you're going to get a spank'n!"

Some diver interaction with the marine life is a good thing, me thinks.