Don't Touch That Thang

[DawgPaddle]

Howdy Howdy...

I've just finished reading some of the exciting experiences that some of the divers here have posted in "Startled UW". WOW!

I thought of something.... Again, this is from a diver in training so understand the lack of knowledge delivered with this question.

1. Is it generally a rule to look and not touch under water.

2. Should I "assume" that every creature down there is poisonous, venomous, and charged with 2 bazillion volts.

I'm so excited about getting out in the open water off the Jersey Coast, but I'm not too excited about getting lit up, bit, and stuck.

HELP

DawgPaddle

:fly:

 

[miked]

Dawgpaddle,
While I don't think it is a " written rule"-except in many marine parks, and where part of local law, the idea of "look but don't touch" is a good one. Not only are there creatures that are as you describe them, but there are many more -including corals- that can be stressed, damaged, injured or killed by the wrong touch.
My advice would be unless youare 100% sure that the lifeform in question is harmless to you-and would not be harmed by your touch-leave it alone. This is in line with the "take only pictures,leave only bubbles" mindset.
Please note, I am not referring to approved hunting/fishing/etc. with this comment. although I do none of those, I think they are part of a different scenario.
Good luck,
Mike

 

[tholt576]

Sounds like a good idea to me.

 

[chepar]

As a new diver myself, I am relatively unfamiliar with most of the creatures I see underwater.

Therefore:

I look but don't touch.

While I know not everything is poisonous/venomous, my personal look and don't touch rule works for me.

 

[Ontario Diver]

It is not just you that is in danger. Touching animal life can cause health problems for the animal as well.

A couple of examples

In the great lakes, the fish are covered in slime.. If you touch the fish you may remove the slime and that opens the fish up to parasites. I can't remeber what those little plants were called, but the pull in all of thier tentacles - lloks cute but the animal isn't feeding when its tentacles are in - and it takes a while for the tentacles to come out (usually the next day)

You may scare the animal life and put it off of its diet, mating cycle. Or you could scare it out of its territory.

So it is best to be a low impact diver and make like a Sierra club member - Take nothing but picures leave nothing but bubbles.

And don't touch the wrecks either!

 

[Rick Murchison]

If you touch things in the sea without knowing what you're touching, you'll eventually get burned, bitten, stung, stuck, poisoned, or any combination of the above, to say nothing of damage you may unwittingly do to delicate marine plants and creatures.
On the other hand, if you never touch anything at all you'll be missing out on some wonderful experiences and some fascinating interactions with nature.
How to know what to touch and what to stay away from? Study, study, study.... start at this site: http://touchthesea.com/
Rick

 

[Zept]

Dumbest thing I've seen on television lately was a marine biologist picking up a crown-of-thorns starfish, showing it to the camera, and then batting it away with her gloved hand. In the next shot she was back on the boat, applying ointment to the puncture wounds and describing the pain. Sheesh! Why would anyone grab something that has more spikes than a roll of barbed wire?!


Zept

 

[DawgPaddle]

Thanks for the link...I've spent the last 3 hours on their web site.

I really do care about the sea-life that I haven't seen yet. I suppose I want to give the future divers the scenery that you rated divers have given me.. Thanks,

Originally posted by Rick Murchison
If you touch things in the sea without knowing what you're touching, you'll eventually get burned, bitten, stung, stuck, poisoned, or any combination of the above, to say nothing of damage you may unwittingly do to delicate marine plants and creatures.
On the other hand, if you never touch anything at all you'll be missing out on some wonderful experiences and some fascinating interactions with nature.
How to know what to touch and what to stay away from? Study, study, study.... start at this site: http://touchthesea.com/
Rick

 

[BILLB]

DawgPaddle,
You came to the right place. Just stay with me and you will be down there sooner than you think. While you are training, give others your feedback on a weekly basis. It may spark new threads and encourage others to join the elite club of divers.:balloon: :balloon: :balloon:

 

[ninja]

Handling sealife such as fish and coral is almost fatal to these organisms. Ontariodiver hit it on the head!!

take only pictures leave only bubbles.

Besides when you get bored of the pretty little fishes and colorful corals you can dive in to history in one best preserved shipwrecks in the world. The great Lakes!!!

NINJA