The Observer Effect?

[rongoodman]

I just returned from a trip to Cocos Island. The only time I felt the need for gloves, in spite of having to hold onto rocks in the occasional ripping current, was when we had to pull ourselves down old mooring lines, covered with stuff. Sea urchins were everywhere, but gloves offer no protection against them.

 

[The Chairman]

I don't find a need for gloves as I pull myself down mooring lines. I actually look where I put my hands and can identify fire coral and hooks before I injure myself. It's just not that hard: just pay attention!

 

[BRT]

I don't find a need for gloves as I pull myself down mooring lines. I actually look where I put my hands and can identify fire coral and hooks before I injure myself. It's just not that hard: just pay attention!

Some mooring lines in Mexico have no space to touch that is without stinging animals.

 

[TMHeimer]

Likewise if the Loop Current in the north Gulf of Mex. is strong. You just want to grab it anywhere tight. Not just playing Devil's Advocate, but once the current nearly blew the reg MP out of my mouth (thus I got a molded MP). Sometimes you just want to get down and out of the current ASAP and won't be looking exactly where you put your hands.

 

[TMHeimer]

I just returned from a trip to Cocos Island. The only time I felt the need for gloves, in spite of having to hold onto rocks in the occasional ripping current, was when we had to pull ourselves down old mooring lines, covered with stuff. Sea urchins were everywhere, but gloves offer no protection against them.

Thicker gloves may help--if they're not too warm.

 

[tursiops]

You don't get to work for National Geographic by having exemplary diving skills
<snip>
I've also heard similar feedback from people who witnessed National Geographic filming wildlife in Africa. .

Since my wife just retired from 2 years at National Geographic I feel compelled to defend them a bit: very few people are actually National Geographic photographers... most are free-lancers trying to sell something to Nat Geo, or perhaps they have a contract with Nat Geo to sell them something. This competitive, financial pressure brings out the worst in people.

I don't find a need for gloves as I pull myself down mooring lines. I actually look where I put my hands and can identify fire coral and hooks before I injure myself. It's just not that hard: just pay attention!

Pete, clearly you need to get out into the world and dive in more kinds of environments and locations.

 

[dmaziuk]

Likewise if the Loop Current in the north Gulf of Mex. is strong. You just want to grab it anywhere tight.

We got hit with a bit of a surge on Catalinas, grabbed anywhere tight, and our hands were healing for a week after that. (Actually, it's 3 weeks later and the scab on my ankle is not entirely gone yet.) I wouldn't've minded gloves at that time -- but that was the only time so far.

Well, that, and the local lakes are friggind cold. I don't dive here often, but when I do I prefer dos gloves.

 

[ronscuba]

I agree with you. I think there is a difference between swimming & chasing. This didn't look like chasing to me. It looked like a diver doing a regular dive happening upon a school of fish & then slowly swimming with them. To be fair, it also looked like the diver was touching the bottom which I personally don't agree with.

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I agree that showing everyone the beauty of the underwater world can convince people it's critical to protect it, but I have seem so many amateur photographers/videographers touching & damaging the reef that it makes me ill. And to know that the experts do the same is just disgusting! I understand that it's even harder to draw the line when it's your livelihood at stake, but crap like this shouldn't happen.

Agreed, professionals of all people should be protecting the ocean. Sad to see that sometimes they are the worst offenders.

The diver in question used his muck stick to avoid his body touching the sand. I agree with not touching reef or coral, but sand ? I understand the possibility of marine life living in the sand/bottom. However, not touching the sand/bottom is kind of strict.

Yeah, I lucked into that school of fish. Most of the time I do have to swim after the subject. Not sure the word chase is really correct. It implies a threat and possibility of capture. If the fish really want to avoid me, they can easily do so. I don't think divers with cameras "chasing" are a threat to fish life.

Here is a video where I had to do a lot of fast kicking to get the footage. Call it chasing if you want, but it is obvious the fish do not see me as a life threat.


Please don't freak out about the diver touching the whaleshark. Was not me and not a good practice but probably the equivalent of a piece of dust touching your arm.

 

[drrich2]

However, not touching the sand/bottom is kind of strict.

When I walk across the lawn in summer, I may crush some bugs. Walk in the woods across leaf litter, and I imagine similar results ensue. I'm not interested in rolling around on the bottom, but I'm not above touching it. For some types of dives, it's expected (e.g.: some wildlife interaction events).

A big reason I try to stay off the bottom involves stingrays. I've seen enough pretty well-hidden nearby to keep them in mind.

Richard.

 

[RayfromTX]

Of all those divers surrounding the whaleshark, I wonder which one I would be when I found myself there in that moment. I can't honestly say but I am certain of this. I would have been angling to be nearer such a creature. My head says I should back away but my heart says "swim with me!" It's a tough topic. What harm can I do? is at war with the knowledge of all that we don't get to experience because those before us didn't think what they did mattered. They forever changed the world and now it's our turn to decide. What will we leave for our great grand kids? Healthy reefs? Species in abundance? Glaciers? Clean air and water? It is convenient to say that what we do doesn't matter but history would argue that it does. The pressure we place on the things we love....

Pardon me while I plan my next trip in an aluminum tube to a Caribbean island where a thousand of my closest friends go out every day to enjoy nature and talk about how much nicer it used to be back in the day.