Disturbing Bimini Dive

[shark_chica]

I recently did 2 days of diving with Neal Watson and the great hammerhead shark dive. The hammerheads were amazing, but I feel pretty put off by some of the behaviors of the dive guides. There were many nurse sharks that show up to the hammerhead dive, and the guides do NOT like these nurse sharks. They use very forceful methods to keep them away. I saw a guide punch one of them in the head, he also used a pole and forcefully smashed up and down on the top of the sharks head, and I saw several guides stomp on the sharks heads or wedge the sharks head between their foot and a metal box. I understand these sharks have thick skin, but we are in their world, one of the first things we are taught is not to touch the sea life... this seems extremely out of the realm of respecting the ocean. I was also there with a dive instructor who specializes in sharks (not affiliated with Neal Watson) who said it was definitely unnecessary force against the nurse sharks.
No one else seemed fazed by this behavior until I brought it up... and no reviews mention this behavior. I found it pretty upsetting and disturbing. The only reason I did a second day with them is because the guide who was being rough on the first day was off the next day, I thought it was an isolated incident. But there were 3 or 4 guides the next day who engaged in this behavior.
Am I over reacting? I also witnessed 2 of the guides on the second day pick up sea stars and fling them carelessly... seems so opposite of the behaviors I value.
I mostly want to post this here to warn people who love ocean animals to avoid this dive with Neal Watson.

 

[Edward3c]

Have you reported this to the authorities.

 

[Sascha314]

No experience with sharks and not a specialist.

However I would find that very wrong as well. I do not like if someone touches, or worse, marine life just to "show" something.
We see what we see in the living room of someone else. If some thing will not show up or I cannot see it in a specific way, than thsts it. I can find other beauties.
Please report to local marine life authorities and possibly to the scuba agency this dive shop is linked to.

 

[paddydiver]

Agree with the above. To be honest, I would avoid any and all of these 'trip to the zoo' dives. The beauty of diving is exploring and seeing the unexpected. Sitting like a mong while some bored DM flings fish at the marine life is not my idea of an 'experience'. Also, whatever they tell you, it's pretty dubious what benefit any of it is to the animal or to conservation in general. Report it and hopefully it will stop, although looking at the money involved that's doubtful

 

[Pearlman]

Did you video them in action? Submit the video the authorities and hope their license is cancelled…

 

[Wookie]

I recently did 2 days of diving with Neal Watson and the great hammerhead shark dive. The hammerheads were amazing, but I feel pretty put off by some of the behaviors of the dive guides. There were many nurse sharks that show up to the hammerhead dive, and the guides do NOT like these nurse sharks. They use very forceful methods to keep them away. I saw a guide punch one of them in the head, he also used a pole and forcefully smashed up and down on the top of the sharks head, and I saw several guides stomp on the sharks heads or wedge the sharks head between their foot and a metal box. I understand these sharks have thick skin, but we are in their world, one of the first things we are taught is not to touch the sea life... this seems extremely out of the realm of respecting the ocean. I was also there with a dive instructor who specializes in sharks (not affiliated with Neal Watson) who said it was definitely unnecessary force against the nurse sharks.
No one else seemed fazed by this behavior until I brought it up... and no reviews mention this behavior. I found it pretty upsetting and disturbing. The only reason I did a second day with them is because the guide who was being rough on the first day was off the next day, I thought it was an isolated incident. But there were 3 or 4 guides the next day who engaged in this behavior.
Am I over reacting? I also witnessed 2 of the guides on the second day pick up sea stars and fling them carelessly... seems so opposite of the behaviors I value.
I mostly want to post this here to warn people who love ocean animals to avoid this dive with Neal Watson.

Neal Watson Jr. does not know this is happening, guarantee it.

neal@biminiscubacenter.com

 

[DanBMW]

Was this a chummed dive? If so, the entire concept of a "chummed" dive is wrong and it starts there. Bad behavior just compounds the problem.

 

[shark_chica]

No experience with sharks and not a specialist.

However I would find that very wrong as well. I do not like if someone touches, or worse, marine life just to "show" something.
We see what we see in the living room of someone else. If some thing will not show up or I cannot see it in a specific way, than thsts it. I can find other beauties.
Please report to local marine life authorities and possibly to the scuba agency this dive shop is linked to.

I can't find the agency they are linked to, it doesn't seem to be Padi or SSI

 

[shark_chica]

Was this a chummed dive? If so, the entire concept of a "chummed" dive is wrong and it starts there. Bad behavior just compounds the problem.

Yes it was chummed, if I'm honest I didn't do enough research before booking this dive. I will be more diligent in future and avoid feed dives.

 

[shark_chica]

Did you video them in action? Submit the video the authorities and hope their license is cancelled…

I feel a bit silly, I had some of it on film but I deleted it because it made me feel ill. I still have 1 short clip but I shouldn't have deleted the rest.