Cove 2 Divers Being Stupid

[BDub]

There's clearly an issue with the instructors not passing on adequate warnings to their students.

Lamont-

You are exactly right. Last week I observed another local instructor teaching what I believe was an advanced class surface with 3 students in the no dive zone and proceed to to do a nice relaxed surface swim back to shore. I'd bet money that no site briefing was done prior to the dive. Even worse, that instructor just demonstrated to the students that it's okay to surface in that area.

I was teaching an advanced class and can say my students were shaking their heads in disgust as I already made them aware of the no dive zone in their open water class.

Brian

 

[DavidG]

OK, so the problem exists. I for one have never noticed the notice Bob mentioned on the sea wall. Frankly I never even (really) noticed the posted signs either. When I first dove there I was with Shawn who knew the drill, so I've never crossed the line.

Two things Will Work.
Buddy diving with new divers like Shawn did for me and
have the shops and clubs start talking it up and maybe offering brochures of local dive sites that include both "soft" and "hard" restrictions. I also seem to recall some past problems with noise at Fox Island, Day Island, and Three Tree.

Short of that you can scream and yell at them on the surface, you can flash 5,000w hid's at them, but it'll never stop them.

 

[lamont]

...you can flash 5,000w hid's at them...

where can i pick up one of those?

 

[Charlie99]

where can i pick up one of those?

Here's a link to a 1,500W Sylvania bulb and ballast. Venture Lighting makes some nice 1650W metal halide HIDs. Of course, it's a little awkward hauling along that 440VAC power cord

 

[JDR]

Because they were certified there, so they go to dive there.

There's clearly an issue with the instructors not passing on adequate warnings to their students.

Hmmm, based on today's litigious society, I wonder how many instructors choose to no longer teach classes there?
Here's a little food for thought: If you were an instructor would you feel you were looking out for the safety of your students by conducting an OW class in an area next to a public boat dock, a ferry terminal and a fishing pier? Would you feel that in case of an incident leading to a lawsuit that you could adequately defend your choice of Cove 2 as a training site?

 

[BDub]

If you were an instructor would you feel you were looking out for the safety of your students by conducting an OW class in an area next to a public boat dock, a ferry terminal and a fishing pier? Would you feel that in case of an incident leading to a lawsuit that you could adequately defend your choice of Cove 2 as a training site?

JD-

That's a good point. I typically spend the first day of Open Water at Cove 1, for several reasons. First, I try to knock out as many required skills as I can on the first day, so I can spend the second day focusing on planning, buoyancy, buddy contact, etc....actually diving. The first day of OW is usually a silt fest, and I prefer to keep them out of Cove 2 so it's not silted up for other divers doing 'fun dives'. Third, there's not as much debris at Cove 1 as there is at Cove 2 so it's a little easier for the first dives.

I do like to do Cove 2 on the second day (if tides/current don't allow another site) because I try to have the students have some form of a grip on their buoyancy by the end of the first day and have many of their skills done. This way, we can spend the second day actually diving (working on buoyancy, trim, kicks, etc) and there's not much to see at Cove 1.

I'd much prefer that I am with a newer diver on their first dive at Cove 2. That way I can do a full site briefing, informing them of the boundary line, no dive area, etc. I typical start our dives over towards the Honey Bear, and will head over to the boundary line to show them what it looks like, then turn around and meander back over towards Honey Bear.

I think it all depends on how it's appraoched and presented by the instructor. If you're teaching there for convenience sake, you're asking for trouble and are doing your students a disservice. If you teach them there to familiarize them with the site and engrain the need to adhere to the posted rules, then I think you're doing the students and dive community a great benefit.

Brian

 

[Sideband]

I think the only solution is to require each diver to wear a shock collar to that when they get within 150' of the pier, it delivers a low volt high amp shock...... It works for dogs, so it should work for divers right?

I think you want a High Volt, low Amp shock unless this is a capital punnishment device. Current kills.

Joe

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

That's a good point. I typically spend the first day of Open Water at Cove 1 ...

Dude ... don't advertise ...

Seriously, Cove 1 is a great place to teach OW, but it's a small cove and only good for about 2 classes at a time ... assuming they're normal sized and not the 20+ student OW classes that one prominent LDS is known for ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[cool_hardware52]

I think you want a High Volt, low Amp shock unless this is a capital punnishment device. Current kills.

Joe

So right Joe. With "lotsa amps" you get that "frying bacon" sound. High V and a ma or two is all you need to get someones attention.

Ever touched an electric fence? Ever held on to the plug wire while your Uncle/Cousin/older brother pulled the cord on the mower? Always entertaining.


Tobin

 

[Glaucus]

Seems to me that divers - and "advanced divers" at that - who continue to break the rules at cove two would be wise to invest in the program known as Hooked on Phonics. It's a proven method of teaching a person how to read. I don't know, perhaps there is another "secret" way to enter cove two but as far as I can see there is only one. And directly to the right of those steps is a sign that clearly outlines the no diving zone. If one misses that sign, I guess it's not so inconceivable that they could also miss the well-kept (and now well-cleaned) boundary rope under the waves.

In all seriousness though, if scuba is now so easy that even the aquaphobic bed-ridden can participate, then this is what we get. Granted there are always idiots who can pass the tests and courses who will continue to do as though the globe revolves on their axis. However, is it unreasonable for the diving community to have higher expectations of its members? Better yet, can we ask instructors to be much more selective of their students? I know that turning away a sale is tough, but certifying morons could cost much more in the long run when local sites shut down because of their actions.

Maybe I'm dreaming - or even chauvanistic - but didn't this used to be a "manly" sport where only the intelligent and capable could survive?