Blue Heron Bridge Trolls

[danvolker]

It's hard to get down on the students, many know what they should and should not be doing but still
not there yet with the skills. The instructors I'm sure would love to have an organized, controlled class
to show off at the bridge. The reality is it takes time to develop these skills even with the best instructors
and best intentions by the students. I do think the instructors should keep the students in an area that is
mostly sand and from what I have seen they try to do that. There will always be the renegades with nothing but
their own interests in mind but I think with the students all you can do is emphasize the importance of not kicking
or disturbing things and have them try their best. I think most are trying their best, takes a little time.
75F ? Those temperatures are GOIN THE WRONG WAY !!!

I think we have to blame this on Instructors, that choose skills sites that are in the primary diving areas.
[video=youtube_share;dgdabfvr2B0]http://youtu.be/dgdabfvr2B0?hd=1&t=50s[/video] [ Area of interest in the video begins 50 seconds in, if you want to advance it] This is extremely typical of many classes run here....The students are being told to stand and kneel on the bottom, and to do skills that have them impacting it, and silting it. The instructors directing this behavior, feel it is their RIGHT to run classes at the BHB. I do feel they have a right to be at BHB, but kneeling and standing in classes needs to be in designated areas only. We could actually DEEPEN the area on the east side in front of the docks.....we could blast the bottom sand with scooters, or use hoes, and get this to 25 feet deep over a couple of weekends....then the classes would INSIST on using this area, as it meets their training guidelines much better !!!

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

WOW!!!! Not even gonna start on all that is wrong in that video.
No amount of buoyancy control is gonna stop the recklessness that abounds at the bridge. Unfortunately, the bridge has the reputation of being a "must dive" on the east coast, and with it's shallow depths, and excellent destination for training dives. I LOVE the idea of an entry point for classes, to do skills. Of course, this should in no way keep them from the rest of the dive area.


On a more positive note, the J's had a fantastic early morning dive this morning. Good way to start the day. Vis dropped to under 10' with the tide change.

---------- Post added April 17th, 2012 at 12:22 PM ----------

I think we have to blame this on Instructors, that choose skills sites that are in the primary diving areas.
[video=youtube_share;dgdabfvr2B0]http://youtu.be/dgdabfvr2B0?hd=1&t=50s[/video] This is extremely typical of many classes run here....The students are being told to stand and kneel on the bottom, and to do skills that have them impacting it, and silting it. The instructors directing this behavior, feel it is their RIGHT to run classes at the BHB. I do feel they have a right to be at BHB, but kneeling and standing in classes needs to be in designated areas only. We could actually DEEPEN the area on the east side in front of the docks.....we could blast the bottom sand with scooters, or use hoes, and get this to 25 feet deep over a couple of weekends....then the classes would INSIST on using this area, as it meets their training guidelines much better !!!

As a note, I was with an instructor earlier this year from a different agency. He was cross training a couple divers in the pool. They automatically dropped to their knees to do skills... it's not all the instructors, the agency is to blame too for poor skills being taught through their videos and books.

 

[scubajim 1]

"We Dive at Dawn!" The Buoyancy Babes and I had the bridge all to ourselves this morning for a dive lasting 112 minutes. The temp was 75 and viz was about 25 until after the tide turn and it dropped to under 9. Of course Jet led us to more "not fighting". I'm begining to wonder what types of events she plans at work.

We saw a very tiny shortfin pipefish, octopus, batfish and this 3 inch searobin plus the usual suspects (not fighting)



It was a great dive and I'll let the Babes tell the rest of the story, except for wondering why jet was trying to strangle her camera with the dive flag. :doh2:

 

[jet126]

On a more positive note, the J's had a fantastic early morning dive this morning. Good way to start the day. Vis dropped to under 10' with the tide change.

"We Dive at Dawn!" The Buoyancy Babes and I had the bridge all to ourselves this morning for a dive lasting 112 minutes. The temp was 75 and viz was about 25 until after the tide turn and it dropped to under 9. Of course Jet led us to more "not fighting". I'm begining to wonder what types of events she plans at work.

We saw a very tiny shortfin pipefish, octopus, batfish and this 3 inch searobin plus the usual suspects (not fighting)

It was a great dive and I'll let the Babes tell the rest of the story, except for wondering why jet was trying to strangle her camera with the dive flag. :doh2:

It was, as always, another once in a lifetime dive. The "not fighting" we witnessed this morning was only the third time in my life I have seen such a thing. What a blessing. But the nature of (at) Blue Heron Bridge. While Jim and I were watching & photographing the pair, Jenny saw a nurse shark.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Wondering why they were smoking cigarettes when I strolled back...

 

[scubajim 1]

Wondering why they were smoking cigarettes when I strolled back...

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

 

[Splitlip]

That hurt to watch.. Not because of the poor skills nor even the silt, but rather what the pounding and walking and dragging may have done to the creatures and their habitats. Worse think I've ever seen but for maybe one day at Spade Fish.
Check my photos. There're only 7. I wish I had video, but at one point one guy was sitting on the reef.. Not intentionally, but they certainly do any good. My buddy snapped away thinking something bad was gonna happen. The photo quality is poor, but you'll get the picture. I ended up getting kicked.

Guys, Sunday at the bridge was another POSTER DAY for why we need to get help from the Park to change the way Classes and individual divers move through the more delicate areas...such as where the nudibranchs are ( since photographers have driven sometimes over 2 hours for this) or such as where physical damage could occur, like where we have some rare oculina corals ( a deep water coral known for providing deep water nursery grounds for fish--usually from 250 feet to 1500 feet deep).
This video was of a certified diver I spoke "politely to" after his dive....where I tried to identify the issues for him, and get change to occur. He, like many new divers at BHB, thought the bottom was dead, and that he should have had no concerns for what his fins were doing....the student classes need to be educated on this as well...See the video...
[video=youtube_share;UVpD08Ko2DY]http://youtu.be/UVpD08Ko2DY?hd=1[/video]
It begins with some Nudibranch video, and then we get run over by this guy....

We may need underwater signs..we may need an awareness program in all the dive shops....I already have the Park willing to meet with the dive Association on getting stairs north of the west and lower bridge, near the bait cleaning stand, where students could enter and do drills in 12 feet of water--about 200 feet out....and to the north of all BHB highlights..silting would be only headed for the mangroves.
The instructors will still want the students to get close to 20 feet, so the other option is getting them on the far east side, by the docs for this.


We actually DO have a bottom that should not be roto-tilled. We SHOULD formulate a plan that can make the BHB less likely to get trashed every weekend...Thoughts?

 

[jar546]

Any recent reports on water temp, vis, etc.? I need to know if I should still be bringing my drysuit like I have been....

 

[danvolker]

Any recent reports on water temp, vis, etc.? I need to know if I should still be bringing my drysuit like I have been....

I did 120 minutes Sunday with a 2.5 mil freediving suit on..Temp was ok till right around 120 minutes, then I started getting chilled...Sandra went on another hour, but was wearing two 3 mil suits, one on top of the other......Vis was very good 2 hours before high tide...and remained good, except anywhere near students ( which were all over) and bad divers walking on the bottom( also all over)... 2 hours before high tide usually means no students and few poorly skilled divers )

 

[scubajim 1]

deleted by poster

---------- Post added April 17th, 2012 at 04:21 PM ----------

Any recent reports on water temp, vis, etc.? I need to know if I should still be bringing my drysuit like I have been....

it was 75.9 today (Tuesday) Jar I've been in a 5mil with a rashie and am ok for about 2 hours. Viz has been extremely variable from gin clear to under 8 feet. Call me when you get down.