The veterans wanted to dive with Spencer Slate....some of the OBP supporters...people that have been involved in donating to this charity, had set up the dive with Slate after hearing from the Veterans that this would be an experience they would like.
Spencer as you may know, has been doing this petting zoo concept for ages, and even in the early 90's was feeding a big cuda with a fish in his mouth....Spencer is a showman, and that is what some divers want for a dive now and then. I don't see the harm. I don't have to like every kind of dive you like, and you don't have to like every kind of dive I like..... For many people with few chances to dive in one year, or ever, this may be their solution to seeing as much as they can see of exciting underwater life.....Again, to me, this is alot better than their "opting" to go out on one of the 60 passenger , Fishing Party boats, and sitting on a 50 foot reef for several hours hooking fish, nurse sharks, or even the occasional moray eel--which by the way, is perfectly legal, advertised heavily, and the MAJORITY of the US population thinks this IS the way to enjoy the ocean. Slate has done alot to change that, by offering so many experiences to people that had never dived before, or that has so little interaction with marine life before that they would never have been emotionally connected to it otherwise.
Again, vilifying Slate, when Fishing party boats are the norm, is really attacking a powerful ally.
