Two Divers Arrested for Delaying Cruise Ship Departure

[Oldbear]

I have several Canadian friends on the island as we speak. They promised me a lobster dinner when I arrive on the Feb 9th......nah....it couldn't be.......or could it?

Not now...they are a little "tied up" at the moment.

 

[Wookie]

That's a nice thruster you have pictured there, Steve.

This is a huge big fat hairy deal. Security of vessels, especially of passenger vessels is one of the International Martime Organizations biggest peeves. I'm kinda surprised that this made the pressas this is a massive voilation of port security. Sounds like the Vessel Security Officer was on top of things and made a hull survey. Imagine if this were in FLL or New York City? The hull survey would take days in that murky crap.

 

[diverokc]

My first night dive on paradise i went under the pier, luckily it was sept. and no cruise ships in. I have much better bouyancy and control now-lol
As for these guys- lobsters and spearguns-that is part of the marine park correct? If so wouldn't that be one of the reason they were arrested.

 

[dlofting]

They must be from Eastern Canada. We all drink microbrewery beer in the west, unless they're from Alberta, in which case they drink Budweiser.

 

[Mike]

My first night dive on paradise i went under the pier, luckily it was sept. and no cruise ships in. I have much better bouyancy and control now-lol

In all seriousness my 2nd thoughts after first going for the cheap laughs, was that this was a dive that went terribly wrong, I remember a few incidents of currents causing issues around the cruise ship pier, or mechanical problems, somebodies dive boat ended up crushed against the pier at one time right?

I figured these guys were the victims of a terrible miscalculation of the current or a dramatic change in the current that took them too close to the pier. I can't imagine they'd be that dumb to do this on purpose. I know I'd have peed my wetsuit being in that situation. (peed it on accident instead of on purpose as usual)

 

[BTravlin]

My first night dive on paradise i went under the pier, luckily it was sept. and no cruise ships in. I have much better bouyancy and control now-lol
As for these guys- lobsters and spearguns-that is part of the marine park correct? If so wouldn't that be one of the reason they were arrested.

No, the Punta Langosta pier area is not within the Marine Park. If I'm not mistaken, the Marine Park begins at about the Paradise dive site. If I am mistaken then I will no doubt hear about it shortly.

 

[diversteve]

That's a nice thruster you have pictured there, Steve.

It's from ABB - they built similar ones for the Westerdam. I happened to remember a mention of one of Holland America's other ships sitting on thrusters one day in port. http://www.abb.com/industries/db000...df003b2929.aspx?productLanguage=us&country=US

 

[CamC]

Yeah, they're kind of like the crazy uncle that lives in the attic.

There's another South Park movie song that may be relevant to the "uncle" theme, but I am NOT posting it here as it is considerably ruder than "Blame Canada" !

 

[diverokc]

As far as being arrested i totally forgot you can't use scuba gear for spearfishing. Right? Would they be arrested for that. I will be interested to see what happens to them.

 

[Christi]

I imagine thye were shore diving on their own. This is yet another perfect example of why you should not assume because you are a qualified diver that you can shore dive wherever your heart desires and without local guidance/instruction/advice! NO local would have suggested they dive anywhere in that vicinity. We have the cruise ships, passenger ferries, cargo ferry and other vessels that definitely are not expecting to encounter divers in the area.

Now, as far as the story being true or not - I honestly don't know! I take everything in Por Esto with a very large grain of salt. There could be one piece of truth and the rest very embellished - or it could be true - never know with that rag!