Do you touch?

[RICoder]

I'm going to go with "use common sense and er on the side of caution"

Yeah, pet the octopus or stingray. No, don't touch the coral or excite the puffer (or poke the shark). There is a difference between interacting with the environment and causing damage.

Last time I touched anything alive it was the shark who bumped ME...I tried to explain the no touching rule, but he wasn't buying it.

 

[SparticleBrane]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_Directive

"The Prime Directive dictates that there be no interference with the natural development of any primitive society, chiefly meaning that no primitive culture can be given or exposed to any information regarding advanced technology or alien races. It also forbids any effort to improve or change in any way the natural course of such a society, even if that change is well-intentioned and kept totally secret. "Primitive" is defined as any culture which has not yet attained warp drive."


So as it would apply to the underwater world--look but don't touch.

 

[LeFlaneur]

Feeding the bears at Yellowstone once won't cause them to raid dumpsters.
Taking a flash picture of a priceless oil painting will not cause it to fade in any noticable way.
Throwing one beer can out your car window will not pollute the forest.
Shooting heroin one time will not make you an addict.
Making a cruel comment to a random stranger will not leave them emotionally scarred.


We ought to be able to tell the difference between a single isolated incident and a prevailing attitude of entitlement -- and how that attitude leads to a million "isolated" incidents one after another, until we have lost what we love.

 

[Matsya]

I dont touch for a few reasons:

1. There is no need to. I am there only as a visitor to see. I don't want to touch.
2. I do not have the knowledge to distinguish between what can be touched without harming and what cannot.
3. I don't know what will harm me if touched !!

 

[hopeitsapar]

Don't touch, never know what is there--- Other divers really do not want to see the damage left after a careless diver. Have been on dive boats that will not allow gloves to the temptation is not there

 

[fishb0y]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_Directive

"The Prime Directive dictates that there be no interference with the natural development of any primitive society, chiefly meaning that no primitive culture can be given or exposed to any information regarding advanced technology or alien races. It also forbids any effort to improve or change in any way the natural course of such a society, even if that change is well-intentioned and kept totally secret. "Primitive" is defined as any culture which has not yet attained warp drive."


So as it would apply to the underwater world--look but don't touch.

Wow... do you also go to the Church of the Jedi?

Come on, instead of trying to get people not to touch, try focusing your energy on getting more Marine Preserves.

Take a look at Hanauma Bay here on Oahu. Millions of tourists a year bumbling around on the reef, grabbing at whatever would come near. Sure the inner reef is dead, but after the breakers, it is one of the best sites here on Oahu.

Now am I saying that touching the reef will not harm in... no. With the shear volume of tourists, not even the most robust reef would last to that number of people crawling over it. The outer reef, which still sees a large number of people, is teaming with life with healthy reefs.

Why is it like this you ask? Easy, fish are not allowed to be taken from this area (hence a marine preserve). Trust me, commercial fisherman will do far more damage to the eco-system than divers who touch, will ever do.

 

[Gatistrufi]

its like the saying for the digital underwater photography: take memories but leave only bubbles...

no matter what people say , we shoudlnt touch, its an experience enough to be down there to see everything, and its not as if we will be faster than a fish, so its not relly worth it chasing one...

The only thing i have ever touched has been a starfish, as im interested in underwater photography theyr great for practicing on, as they dont swim off =p And when we do discover dives somes times we let the dives touch one, but we always put him back down where he was nice and carefully... though thats not on every discover dive, i prefer to look

 

[Dan Dan the Scuba Man]

i never touch reefs.. i took a marine life class and some of the stuff i saw over those two days was enough to say no for the rest of my life... still i love looking and sometimes picking up sand dollars on nice sandy bottoms....

 

[desiredbard]

Ok this is an exampl;e what not to do:
http://www.sealife-cameras.com/video_gallery/video3.html
At least before you touch learn them to smile properly before the camera
OMFG your womand hasty smile .... she nearly breaks the sound barier puting her regs back in

 

[ehuber]

OMG, I would be SO pissed if I saw someone on a dive do that! That's the kind of behavior that makes us all look bad.