Gloves on reefs

[Raven C]

Leadweight... one more thing.


The last dive I did in tropical waters here off the coast there were hungreds of jellies all around me as soon as I was in the water. If I had not had full gear including gloves I would have been in trouble.



ONE MORE REASON to say YOU ARE WRONG. I think. Don't you? :wacko:

Sorry, I couldn't pass that one up. R

 

[leadweight]

Once again I stirred up the bottom.

I stand by my posistion on gloves. It seems that Pug argees with me. People around here often ask for proof, so here I have it. The author of the PADI divemaster manual and other important books said no gloves on coral reefs. It is those of you who want to wear gloves who lack support. It is true that there are other ways that coral is damaged. Two wrongs do not make a right.

Divers should be ambasadors for the ocean. We get to see the reefs, to others it is just an abstract concept. For that reason divers should obey the highest standards applicable to protecting marine life. That includes improving their skills to avoid fin strikes. Personally, I don't think that the "vast majority" of divers have terrible skills although enough divers do have poor skills for it to be a problem. There have been many posts in the past about this and the poor quality of dive instruction in general. Taking DIRF is now limited to those willing to invest in DIR style gear. At least one member of this board takes a very rigorous approach to teaching PADI Peak Bouyancy as a means of combating this. Hopefully, some other instructors will take this as an inspiration.

On funny gear: WW I like my beanie even if it is not as macho as a black hood. Actually, I have been thinking of getting a hood as it would be a tad warmer and more macho.

On backplates: I realize everyone around here loves their gear. I don't like it when people criticize the TPII for that matter. So if I have been too critical of the BP today or in the past, please accept my apologies. There is some interesting info in this thread with respect to the Seajay/Walter dialog. They both mean well.

 

[Soggy]

leadweight once bubbled...
I stand by my posistion on gloves. It seems that Pug argees with me.

I don't believe his tongue-in-cheek post counts as agreement.

People around here often ask for proof, so here I have it. The author of the PADI divemaster manual and other important books said no gloves on coral reefs.

You need to look up the word proof in a dictionary, man. "Because he said so" doesn't come close to counting as proof.

It is those of you who want to wear gloves who lack support. It is true that there are other ways that coral is damaged. Two wrongs do not make a right.

Seems like there is plenty of support to me. And since you havent proved (see the link to "proof" above) that there is anything wrong

Divers should be ambasadors for the ocean. We get to see the reefs, to others it is just an abstract concept. For that reason divers should obey the highest standards applicable to protecting marine life. That includes improving their skills to avoid fin strikes.

Finally, you say something that we can all agree on. But this has nothing to do with wearing gloves. Using your reasoning, divers should not wear fins.

On funny gear: WW I like my beanie even if it is not as macho as a black hood. Actually, I have been thinking of getting a hood as it would be a tad warmer and more macho.

Spend the $30 and get a thin hood...they really are much warmer since a fair amount of heat is lost through your neck also. Some divers don't like them because of ear clearing problems, but I don't like not wearing one because of how the mask strap pulls on my ears. One of the problems I find when diving in cold water (I mean really cold water...below 40 degrees) is that some water always flushes around my neck due to the lack of a seal between the hood and the latex neckseal. The rest of my body is toasty, but my neck gets cold.

 

[Northeastwrecks]

leadweight once bubbled...
Once again I stirred up the bottom.

I stand by my posistion on gloves. It seems that Pug argees with me. People around here often ask for proof, so here I have it. The author of the PADI divemaster manual and other important books said no gloves on coral reefs. It is those of you who want to wear gloves who lack support. It is true that there are other ways that coral is damaged. Two wrongs do not make a right.

Once again, who cares what the author thinks. His books are designed for 90 day wonders who couldn't maintain depth and trim if they were anchored to the seafloor and hung off a liftbag at the same time.

Try to read each word in the following sentence.

Wearing... gloves... doesn't... damage... coral.... Touching... coral... damages... coral... whether... or... not... you... are... wearing... gloves.... If... you... can't... stay... off... the... coral... with... gloves..., then... having... them... only... means... that... you... won't... get... hurt... when... you... kill... the... coral...

By your logic, since people probably kick more coral than they touch, divers also should avoid wearing fins.

 

[Raven C]

Northeastwrecks once bubbled...


Once again, who cares what the author thinks. His books are designed for 90 day wonders who couldn't maintain depth and trim if they were anchored to the seafloor and hung off a liftbag at the same time.

Try to read each word in the following sentence.

Wearing... gloves... doesn't... damage... coral.... Touching... coral... damages... coral... whether... or... not... you... are... wearing... gloves.... If... you... can't... stay... off... the... coral... with... gloves..., then... having... them... only... means... that... you... won't... get... hurt... when... you... kill... the... coral...

By your logic, since people probably kick more coral than they touch, divers also should avoid wearing fins.

Bravo!!!

 

[redacted]

Maybe it's time for the solo diving submission or even the spare air manuscript.

 

[Northeastwrecks]

Can I wear gloves while using my Spare Death? Alternatively, can I use my Spare Death to break off pieces of coral. That way, I won't need gloves.

 

[leadweight]

You may wear gloves when adjusting your BWOD, but only on the boat.

"The Recommendation that reef divers refrain from wearing gloves is pretty much commonsensical: When your hands are unprotected, you are less likely to touch the reef. ...

...One is definitely more cautious about handling things when one is bare handed. ...

If you are a skilled diver and mastered bouyancy control, gloves are not necessary when diving on a reef."

All of this is from the article cited above. I believe it is fair to say that Alex Brylske's credentials as a diver are way beyond anyone around here, having authored the PADI divemaster's manual and other training guides.

I would direct you to the example in the post that started this diversion into the world of gloves. A photographer who wears gloves so that he can grab onto things without looking because he is trying to frame something with his camera. That example tends to be self proving. Without gloves his behavior would undoubtedly be different. Prohibiting gloves on reef dives is also supported by TIES and CORAL.

 

[Walter]

I'll have to disagree.

While I don't know Alex, I have met him a couple of times (he lives in the area). He seems to be a fine person and he might even be a fine instructor (I've never seen him teach and have very briefly discused any aspect of training), but your statement:

"Alex Brylske's credentials as a diver are way beyond anyone around here, having authored the PADI divemaster's manual and other training guides."

I find to be without merit. I respect Alex, but there are folks on this board, who quite frankly have done more to earn my respect. I, personally, am not impressed by someone because they've authored PADI materials.

 

[MikeS]

leadweight once bubbled...
It is those of you who want to wear gloves who lack support.

I submit the following in a childish attempt to show support for the Society of Reef Glove Wearers.

leadweight once bubbled...
"The Recommendation that reef divers refrain from wearing gloves is pretty much commonsensical: When your hands are unprotected, you are less likely to touch the reef. If you are a skilled diver and mastered bouyancy control, gloves are not necessary when diving on a reef."

IMO the recommendation to refrain from wearing gloves to prevent damage to coral is typical PADI style cop out. It implies that divers are to dumb to master buoyancy control and/or cannot be trusted not to do what they know is wrong. I agree that when your hands are unprotected, you are less likely to touch the reef with your hands even if you can’t control your buoyancy, so you tend to kneel or stand on the coral instead.

If you are a skilled diver and mastered bouyancy control …
Is that the same thing as buoyancy control?

…gloves are not necessary when diving on a reef."
Define necessary, strictly speaking two second stages are not “necessary” but I bring them along even on reef dives.

I believe it is fair to say that Alex Brylske's credentials as a diver are way beyond anyone around here, having authored the PADI divemaster's manual and other training guides.
Having recently read the PADI divemasters’ manual, I wouldn’t recommend it as a literary masterpiece or as a wealth of diving knowledge. But it is yet another good example of how to deftly insert advertisements into a supposed training manual.

Mike

P.S. Maybe having your hands surgically removed should be a requirement for certification, and then no one would touch the reef with their hands.