Are gloves ok in Coz?

[cvchief]

Knife rule? Who's rule, and what is it?

No knives? Park rule I believe.

---------- Post added December 15th, 2015 at 07:06 PM ----------

So what? Many laws are like that.

That is the point, I think.

 

[boulderjohn]

Usually due to the Op/DM not having the cajones to tell a diver to take them off for fear of risking business/tip.

I have not been to Cozumel in a number of years, but I used to dive there often. I can think of several occasions in which divers on my boat prepared to dive with clear violation of the rules--wearing gloves, knives, and even collection bags. In each case, I saw the DM clearly recognize what the diver was about to do. In each case the DM said nothing. In each case I casually mentioned the rules, and the diver immediately got rid of the offending equipment.

In contrast,...

I was on a boat in Grand Cayman, and a diver was pulling on his gloves. The DM said, "There is a $500,000 fine for wearing gloves in the marine park." The diver laughed and continued to pull on his gloves. The DM narrowed her eyes and said, "It's a $500,000 fine! Take them off!"

He took them off.

 

[Tracy]

What is the reason for this? I have never done a dive without gloves on, Cozumel included. I can't think of a reason not to wear them?

 

[boulderjohn]

What is the reason for this? I have never done a dive without gloves on, Cozumel included. I can't think of a reason not to wear them?

What is your reason for wearing them?

Is it temperature? Not likely. The water is warm, even at its coldest. I frequently go without gloves with temperatures in the high 50s.

The rationale for the no glove rule is that the reason you want to have gloves is so you can grab the coral without injury. I did a dive in Belize once when a father and two sons showed up diving in the warm water wearing just bathing suits, T-shirts, and 5mm gloves. They quite literally did the dive pulling themselves hand over hand across the coral. They made no attempt to achieve buoyancy. As was the case in the dvies in Cozumel, the DM made not one move to stop them from destroying the reef.

That is what they are afraid of.

 

[redacted]

A cutting instrument is a basic piece of safety gear in OW where fishing line or other entanglement hazards may exist. I have never had any problem.

 

[boulderjohn]

A cutting instrument is a basic piece of safety gear in OW where fishing line or other entanglement hazards may exist. I have never had any problem.

Cutting instruments like Z-knives and shears are allowed. Knives are not.

On the other hand, as has been said frequently on this thread, what the rules are and what actually happens are two different things.

 

[Brules]

What is the reason for this? I have never done a dive without gloves on, Cozumel included. I can't think of a reason not to wear them?

Reason #1 - because it is the law lol.

Justification: so idiots with gloves don't touch the coral/grab on to it to hold on etc. Its a no touch, no glove, no knife marine sanctuary.

 

[ggunn]

That is the point, I think.

It would be a wonderful world if everyone lived in respect for one another and for their environment and no negative sanctions of any kind were necessary. Let me know if such a place exists and I'll move there.

 

[cvchief]

It would be a wonderful world if everyone lived in respect for one another and for their environment and no negative sanctions of any kind were necessary. Let me know if such a place exists and I'll move there.

Well Mexico is little like that. As mentioned about, rules aren't strictly enforced. It seems some op let you wear gloves or carry knives. However, perhaps if you start stabbing grouper or riding turtles, they will make you stop and follow the rules.

Like the sudafed thing.

---------- Post added December 16th, 2015 at 08:45 AM ----------

plus the drugs thing.