Doc Wong Pt Lobos Scootering Video

[DocWong]

I just finished a video of a spectacularly fun dive I had last Monday at Point Lobos, California.

All the positive factors seemed to converge resulting in one of the most fun dives I've ever had. Conditions afforded up to 80 feet of viz, comfort in the water, my skills, buddy's skills, team work, scooter skills, gas consumption, etc all added up to a wonderful dive.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSj7Zu-eWBs

That do you think?

If you're there Oct 7th at Pt Lobos, I plan to be on my scooter doing video of everyone at the Oct 7th Scuba Board Meet and Greet.

 

[mobeeno]

Awsome!

 

[dsafanda]

The music doesn't seem to work very well with the sensation of floating through Pt.Lobos. I had to turn the sound off to enjoy. That's probably just a personal bias. I'm sure we've all got very different music going through are heads.

Very cool to see. Looks like so much fun!! Thanks for sharing.

 

[sarita75]

I love it! Will be gussying myself up to be in the October 7th video!!

 

[drbill]

This is not meant to be a diatribe against DocWong's scootering... I have a number of friends who use scooters as well. However, am I one of the few "purists" who feels that scooters are an assault on the underwater world similar to that of jet skis topside?

I can certainly see uses for scooters... to get to difficult to access dive sites (reefs far offshore, deep sites, inaccessible sites in areas adjacent to an access point). However, I think their use by divers in general detracts from the experience by other divers in the area (having had a few burst out of thick kelp cover and nearly run me over). I also question the impact on marine life in the area. Besides, what does a scooter diver really see of the environment other than a "small scale" perspective similar to that of flying over terrestrial terrain in a commercial jet aircraft.

Now who's going to loan me their scooter so I can film Farnsworth Banks?

 

[dsafanda]

I can certainly see uses for scooters... to get to difficult to access dive sites (reefs far offshore, deep sites, inaccessible sites in areas adjacent to an access point). However, I think their use by divers in general detracts from the experience by other divers in the area

I have to admit I've had that reaction myselft at Pt.Lobos. The noise carries a long way and can be a bit much. Perhaps their best suited for more remote dive locations where you're unlikely to be around lots of other divers.

 

[AndrewJD]

Good job on the video Doc.

As for scooters and diving...

I'll wager I've seen more of the environment (Point Lobos, Carmel River Beach, and the Monterey Breakwater in particular) then any diver without a scooter. Not only do I get to see the "big picture" but I can get to the sites that have the best "small picture" stuff. Stuff that hasn't been spoiled because of its accessability to the larger diver population (save maybe those with a boat).

I'll allow that places with a high density of divers such as Casino Point on Catalina Island is not an ideal environment for the use of scooters. However, I consider that a function of the volume of divers.

Furthermore, I'll wager the scooter diver is less of an annoyance and has far less impact on the marine enviroment then the population of divers with poor skills. Mind I've yet to meet a scooter diver with poor skills (although I'm somewhat sheltered in whom my buddies are).

If you'd like to broaden your knowledge about scooters and their use in diving I'd suggest you hook up with Mo2vation. I'm sure he'd be more then happy to push some scooter "crack" your way. Just be warned, after the first taste you'll be addicted...

Some excellent footage of scooter dives can be found here: Dive X-tras

Jonathan

 

[drbill]

Good job on the video Doc.

If you'd like to broaden your knowledge about scooters and their use in diving I'd suggest you hook up with Mo2vation. I'm sure he'd be more then happy to push some scooter "crack" your way. Just be warned, after the first taste you'll be addicted...

Jonathan

Not a chance I'll hook up with Ken... Jaye's already done that.

And until I see a reason why I personally should use a scooter, I'll resist the urge. I don't see them as recreation, but as a tool. As I said, there are some uses that I'd consider appropriate... although that's just one person's opinion. Certainly you raise some good points on uses that might be appropriate.

 

[DocWong]

The music doesn't seem to work very well with the sensation of floating through Pt.Lobos. I had to turn the sound off to enjoy. That's probably just a personal bias. I'm sure we've all got very different music going through are heads.

Very cool to see. Looks like so much fun!! Thanks for sharing.

OK, for the Oct 7th dive, I'll choose different music!

 

[DocWong]

This is not meant to be a diatribe against DocWong's scootering... I have a number of friends who use scooters as well. However, am I one of the few "purists" who feels that scooters are an assault on the underwater world similar to that of jet skis topside?

I can certainly see uses for scooters... to get to difficult to access dive sites (reefs far offshore, deep sites, inaccessible sites in areas adjacent to an access point). However, I think their use by divers in general detracts from the experience by other divers in the area (having had a few burst out of thick kelp cover and nearly run me over). I also question the impact on marine life in the area. Besides, what does a scooter diver really see of the environment other than a "small scale" perspective similar to that of flying over terrestrial terrain in a commercial jet aircraft.

Now who's going to loan me their scooter so I can film Farnsworth Banks?

Hey drbill, I've never heard of any issues with other divers regarding scooters. Perhaps it's that it's not very crowded here at Pt Lobos that has a limited number of allowed divers each day.

Also, I don't know how a scooter would be able to burst out of thick kelp and almost run you over. You must have some real cowboys out where you dive. When I'm going thru kelp, I tread very gently to not get entangled and the thicker the kelp the more entanglement possibilities.

Impact on marine life? In my experience, divers with scooters are usually pretty skilled and I find the more skilled you are in the water, the less impact you have on the environment.

Come on drbill, I'll lend you my scooter! Don't blame me if you get hooked!