Anchor on the coral head!

[jomcclain]

In the location where you experienced this, it is the normal method of anchoring.

Are you telling me it's normal or asking if it is? I never said what the location was.

 

[ScubaWithTurk]

As much as I would like to go public with the name and location of the dive shop, I'm not going to do so, as it could lead to problems for a particular innocent person.

How many times a day/week is that boat going to that site and anchoring on a different part of the reef because they have customers coming through the door that want to dive?

It doesn't sound like this is an isolated incident, so how much additional damage is being done each week / month / year?

Maybe outing the shop that doesn't care about the health of our reefs will keep people from using them, which in turn means they're making less trips to that dive site, which means less damage being done in the process.

By knowing, and not sharing, you're doing a disservice to the other divers on this board that would prefer to not patronize an op like this, a disservice to the reef by allowing them to continue their destructive behavior, and a true disservice to the sport by allowing an op to go out and provide cannon fodder for those who believe we are a contributing factor to the decimation of the world's natural reefs.

Of course - this is just my 2 cents - your opinions may vary.

I understand the OP's quandary here. The OP is clearly concerned about the reef hence this post being created. If he (or she) knows someone associated with the dive op I would have that person voice my concerns.

I also see your point Scuba-Blue and agree that just ebing quiet won't work here. Something more needs to be done but I do not believe he has to out the dive op or the Captain on this forum. Maybe a different and less public approach would work better. Sure, the OP said they tried to discuss it but IMO, taking a second run at the dive op and trying to deal with this issue direct is a better option that blasting it on here when we do not have all the facts.

As my Grandpa used to say "There are two sides to every story and somewhere in the middle is the truth"

 

[redacted]

Are you telling me it's normal or asking if it is? I never said what the location was.

The response you received from the boat captain and the owner is not the response you would have received from an operation that prioritizes protecting and preserving the environment you and I enjoy and that supports their livelihood.

Their action was not a rare occurrence. But if you just keep quiet about it, there is no reason for their behavior to change.

 

[Doc]

A quick look a your posting history tells the tale and gives good clues as to where this apparently recently occurred. The area for dive travel of which you were recently inquiring? No need or reason to drop iron on a reef in those parts.

Believe me, I have lain awake and agonized over this. There is a personal situation that is keeping me from telling. If and when that changes, I will tell. This may seem cowardly, but it's what I have to do for now.

I've un-clipped an anchor chain that was doing industrial chain saw damage. Coulda lost fingers, but I made the judgement call. The yacht was well crewed and my act of vandalism caused them no danger.

Context here is everything, in this case the context might well be satisfied with a general locale...this speaks lots about local practices and exigencies. Soooo.....Florida, right? (Correct me if I'm wrong lest I start a Rumor-Rama)

If you are that conflicted over exposing this operator, I suggest you contact a SB Mod and have them delete your post.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Anchoring on a reef is illegal in Florida. They don't enforce it as far as I know. And i have asked for an example, any example of the LEO EVER changing ANYONE with anchoring on live bottom. The answer I got was no. Too difficult to prove that the anchor was actually on the reef.

The whole premise of this thread cracks me up, people piss and moan about divers touching coral, kicking sand, grabbing onto a sponge, laying on the bottom, but this is exactly what a sea turtle does all day every day. the actual impacts have to be minor. Especially compared to an anchor - However, the chain is what really ruins the bottom, the anchor itself is rather small.

Anchoring over live coral is a HUGE issue, incredibly destructive and only necessary in an emergency. You either anchor on the sand or drift. To not reveal the name of the operation is validating the practice.

 

[TMHeimer]

Yeah, I agree with dumpsterD and others, but also see the logic in approaching this without using social media. Innocents do get hurt, as I once personally experienced that (nothing to do with diving). But jomcclain, I wouldn't lay awake agonizing about it as this probably goes on in many worldwide locations, and as well there are more distressing things going on to lose sleep over.

 

[tilikum]

Of course the operation should be outed. The only way to get them to change practice is through public shaming.

 

[sealark]

Man it's not the end of the world, If the people realize they screwed up and correct there procedure. What else can be done short of ruining someone's livelihood for a simple mistake. Now if they think it's ok to anchor like that Post away who it is and bust there ass.

 

[boulderjohn]

Soooo.....Florida, right? (Correct me if I'm wrong lest I start a Rumor-Rama)

This might not be correct. The OP's recent posting history does talk about South Florida, but the most recent is Gray's Reef in Georgia.

I have dived in South Florida for quite a few years, during with time I have done hundreds of dives with at least a dozen operators. Not one of those operators has used an anchor for any dive.

 

[RyanT]

When I see this behavior, I just cut the DM's hose off long so I can watch it flop around and beat them.