Do Not Touch

[fishb0y]

I have a question about touching turtles (and other species): Is it true (as one DM in Egypt told us) that touching a turtle's shell can cause some protective slime cover to be wiped off exposing the turtle to infection or some such thing?

Turtles crawl onto the sand to lay their eggs. What do you think is more abrasive, sand or the human finger?

Come on people, just because we are talking about conservation and environmentalism (two different things in my book) doesn't mean we don't need to engage our brain.

 

[Christi]

Turtles crawl onto the sand to lay their eggs. What do you think is more abrasive, sand or the human finger?

Come on people, just because we are talking about conservation and environmentalism (two different things in my book) doesn't mean we don't need to engage our brain.

Some things are taken way too literally here. Of course simple touching won't automatically cause a fish to die...touching certain corals...YES...they can literally die from one human touch.

I was simply making a point...the OP wants a list of things not to touch...the simple answer is don't touch anything intentionally.

 

[ManilaMike]

I've witnessed many divers 'touch' things when they dive here. The OW students and even a great many AOW newbies don't exhibit the best buoyancy control around here. They are constantly 'touching' the coral - intentionally or not. The vast majority of new ocean divers around here seem to think nothing of trying to anchor themselves while conducting a new skill demonstration. Despite numerous "look but don't touch lectures" and underwtare admonishments, their skills are often insufficient.

Add to that the washing machine current and you've got the hand over handers who haven't learned to kick hard and follow their leader. I recognize that I live in a part of the world that still sees dynamite and cyanide fishing, but we see thousands of new divers and dive tourists (just a handful of dives a year) haunting our hot spots. Whether we dive Anilao or Tubbataha, the damage is the same. I've witnessed banca (our dive boats) crew toss anchors onto the tops of plate and stag horn coral. The guy with the $6,000 camera rig loves to prod the anemone until Nemo assumes the perfect profile. We try like hell to fight the good fight but it is definetly against the current.

Peak buoyancy control is key. Gloves often enable a newbie to touch, so we encourage them to keep them off - the water temp is terrific! That said, we see it almost every dive.

 

[serambin]

Here is the problem. If you dive, you will damage some form of life. I've seen massive damage from anchors in the Keys, often in the protected park areas. Setting up mooring buoys can help, but still many divers want to see the 'edge' of the reef and drop their CQR plows or Danforths on it, then drag for several feet before it hooks up.

You will break eggs if you want an omelet. I guest the responible thing to do is the think about the consequences of your actions. Speaking of eggs, I think I'll fire up the grill for those redfish I shot last weekend.

Stan

 

[desiredbard]

Bas -- that's not it at all. What we're doing is helping you NOT make mistakes. Don't touch ANYTHING and you won't kill anything! It really is that simple! Now, if you want to go out and touch stuff... fine -- but beware that you could be killing it, and leave that on your conscience. In fact, assume that everything you touch or provoke will die, then see how you feel after you touch some different creatures.

Personaly i think that an individual description would help. Like those photo's of horrible disease the want to put on sigarette cartons.
As a smoker it only ruins my apetite and with that the after dinner/desert cig, but i do think the graphs are more of a deterrent then "SMOKERS DIE YOUNGER"

Of course its best not to touch, it would be better not to be down there at all ....

But I think that detailed descriptions might be good idea for those consoiddering breaking the do not touch "rule".

Furthermore will somebody grab a dictionary and explain what a LIST is?

 

[KrisB]

Bas, you've been given several reasons why you're not likely to be given a list here:

1. there's just too many things to list, there's no way it could be made complete
2. there's an ethical issue for people who *do* know -- it's not something that should be shared.

Keep asking, and you'll keep getting the same answer.

 

[desiredbard]

They are two bollocks reasons if you ask me.
@ 1) If people can bother to write 9 pages of beating around the bush answers why would a long list put them of, A lot of newbies do want to learn.
Studying law also seems boring, still a lot of people do it, who are you to decide if the list is to long, we'll see how it goes. "Too Long" is a descission for the readers to make. Worst case scenario, they do get the point that its better not to touch at all.

@2) Ethics, in not warning people clear enough, but only pointing a finger and no clarification a sign of ethics ????.
Fishboy has a good point with the catch and release remark.

3) If your tired of NOT answering me ..... cause that is what you do.... then dont. I want more detailed info and with all these "experienced" divers around here one of them might be willing to give answers. (I am getting PM's so). Not as much as I would like but that is either to people not knowing themselves (and again this is why I think this COULD be a good informative topic) , or thickness and "ethics"

You people make it out of touching a fish (I am not talking corals) leads to the deaths on a NAZI germany scale. Would it have been ethical for any of the people involved there not to speak up about what happened? 6 million people just died??

 

[Christi]

Furthermore will somebody grab a dictionary and explain what a LIST is?

Asked and answered through 9 pages.

If you are so insistent on having this specific information and want to pay for my time, I'll do the research for you and compile the list for you. I suspect I would be able to have an extensive (although not exhaustive) list compiled for you in about 6 months.

 

[Sideband]

They are two bollocks reasons if you ask me.
@ 1) If people can bother to write 9 pages of beating around the bush answers why would a long list put them of, A lot of newbies do want to learn.

There hasn't been any "beating around the bush" that I've seen. Most everyone has told you straight up that they will not help you assemble such a list and the majority has explained why.

Studying law also seems boring, still a lot of people do it, who are you to decide if the list is to long, we'll see how it goes. "Too Long" is a descission for the readers to make. Worst case scenario, they do get the point that its better not to touch at all.

Boring? I don't recall seeing that reason but I may have missed it. What you have missed is the number 1 reason given for not doing it. They don't want to encourage ANY touching and making a list of things it is "OK" to touch would do exactly that. That and a lot feel that NO touching should be done. Either one kills the list.

@2) Ethics, in not warning people clear enough, but only pointing a finger and no clarification a sign of ethics ????.
Fishboy has a good point with the catch and release remark.

As an adult I find the concept of "don't touch anything you aren't going to eat" to be pretty simple, clear and quite ethical.

3) If your tired of NOT answering me ..... cause that is what you do.... then dont. I want more detailed info and with all these "experienced" divers around here one of them might be willing to give answers. (I am getting PM's so). Not as much as I would like but that is either to people not knowing themselves (and again this is why I think this COULD be a good informative topic) , or thickness and "ethics"

Go out and buy or go to the library and get a book on fish identification.

You people make it out of touching a fish (I am not talking corals) leads to the deaths on a NAZI germany scale. Would it have been ethical for any of the people involved there not to speak up about what happened? 6 million people just died??

Where the h3ll did that come from and what did it have to do with anything?

Here is your list of things it is OK to touch:
Rocks
Sand
Sealife that will later be dinner
Wrecks
Joe

 

[erparamedic]

I can't believe that I'm wasting my time still reading this thread... I guess I'm doing it cause I wanna see how many pages it will take for Desiredbard to get the hint!! :shakehead

Bas... just a little friendly advice... hang it up on this thread.... you aren't getting any answers, you're catching lots of flack (rightfully so, though), and you aren't gaining any friends or potential dive buddies.

Take the advice of 99.8% of the folks that have answered and just DON'T TOUCH. Peruse the site, join in on friendly conversation, don't be defensive, and you might be surprised at just how friendly we all really are.