How many people a year die while ....

[matt215]

Ok, some of the reaction to this shark diving tragedy is getting to me. I don't get it. If somebody wants to engage in a risky behavior because it is their passion, that's their issue. If they get hurt doing it, that's their issue. It is not someone else's job to go around telling them they can't or shouldn't do it. I believe that it is human nature to engage in risky behavior.

How many people a year die on the side of Mount everest? As Meredith Viera said "it's little consolation to their family" if they die because it was a risky behavior, but they still have the right to do it. Maybe Meredith should put up a fence at the base of Mount Everest so no one can climb it and possibly suffer a boo boo or die. For that matter, maybe NBC should string a bunch of long lines in stingray city so that no one should ever have to relive the Steve Irwin tragedy. And while we're at it, no more jumping out of a perfectly good airplane to defy death with a parachute. Our lives are better with a guarantee of our personal safety, even if someone else has to tell us not to do something.

Now the shark feeding issues may actually have some merit. I'm not sure if I agree with altering natural animal behavior, but on the other hand, those tigers at the Mirage in Las Vegas didn't just stroll up the strip and do what Sigfreid and Roy told them to do. So I guess it's ok to alter animal behavior if it's for family fun. But your rogue scuba divers better keep those big animals at a distance.

I wish that some cages would have been on site, even if no one elected to use them. Maybe that would keep the media from jumping on this. If you don't want to dive with sharks ... don't, but get outta my way if I want to see these big animals. It sucks that it's nearly impossible to see them without the use of chum, but man has decided to overtake the planet.

Thoughts?

 

[fisherdvm]

I think people can kill themselves on Mt everest, crash a plane, jump in a lake with crocodiles, or go bait tigersharks.

It is when so called "educational" shark exposure to teach human about sharks results in negative public opinion and caused fears about sharks that disturbs me. The more non diving folks hear about how dangerous sharks are, the harder it is to teach them not to kill sharks.

I've witnessed dozens of sharks killed needlessly by a charter fishing boat crew while fishing off the coast of Oregon. I didn't understand much about the harm done until later. All of my childhood, I thought that little sharks grew up to be man killer. But learning more about them changed my opinion about sharks.

My fear is, risky shark viewing trips causes more harm to the shark species through negative publicity than helps. Folks agueing for chumsicle baiting of dangerous shark species said that it "educates the public". Not in my opinion, when the only public viewing the scene are scuba divers, who are just doing it for the kick of seeing a killer swimming next to them.

 

[ArcticDiver]

This subject, in a variety of approaches, is discussed very frequently on SB. It is almost in the ad nauseum class by now.

The fact is that the TV program Deal or No Deal is very much an analog of life. When the first case is selected the outcome is determined unless the contestant decides to check out early. But, there can be a lot of drama between the beginning and the end.

In the same way, once a person is born the end is certain. Unless the person decides to check out early. The only question is just how much drama there will be during the life.

So, if a person wants to live a High Drama life; go for it. If they want to lead a flour pancake life that is their choice. I honor the choice and fully believe that everyone should have the right to make their drama choices and either benefit from or suffer the consequences. We may have the power to take this away from them. But, we don't have the right.

 

[matt215]

yeah, the sharks will be losers in this mess too. It wouldn't surprise me if a bunch a people go fish for those schools of spinner sharks off the coast of FL they keep showing on the news. They'll kill a bunch of them and line their carcasses on the docks for a good photo op.

 

[tankdiver]

I think bad press like this leads to Government regulations which is a shame as they will limit the potential fun and adventure which is pushing the envelope which for some is what diving is really all about. I generally think that this was a dangerous operation go their website not very warming i think someone else mentioned that in the accident Forum but accidents do happen and people like myself who've participated in these know the risks and the rewards... such as getting smacked in the face by a fin which is awesome in my books

 

[Nylorac]

yeah, the sharks will be losers in this mess too. It wouldn't surprise me if a bunch a people go fish for those schools of spinner sharks off the coast of FL they keep showing on the news. They'll kill a bunch of them and line their carcasses on the docks for a good photo op.

Yes, and the press will love it. Just like the mantas killed after Irwin's death.

 

[murdrcycle]

As long as the persons engaging in the activity realize the risk and are of sound mind, then it is all on them in my opinion. If the dive operator were to have genuinely misled the people then that is a different story. Diving with sharks is inherently dangerous, and I find it hard to believe that anyone who jumps in and swims with them while there is food present isn't cognizant of the intrinsic risk involved. Unfortunately, in American culture at least, it has become all-too acceptable to just blame your actions on someone else and place the responsibility on them for not "protecting" you, as evidenced by the billions of dollars paid out in lawsuits on behalf of smokers who smoked their whole life then cried foul when they got cancer.

 

[matt215]

Unfortunately, in American culture at least, it has become all-too acceptable to just blame your actions on someone else and place the responsibility on them for not "protecting" you, as evidenced by the billions of dollars paid out in lawsuits on behalf of smokers who smoked their whole life then cried foul when they got cancer.[/QUOTE]

amen brother!!

 

[grassyknoll]

My only issue with the situation was what (if any) impact there may be from imparting a learned behavior or conditioning on an apex predator. A lot of the vitriolic e-mails were really missing the point that divers aren't the only ones interacting with these sharks (and even if we were, some non-shark divers don't seem to like the thought of conditioning sharks to become accustomed to ALL divers). Let's just play what if. What if I wanted to start an above water shark experience for my boat passengers; and the way I planned to do this was to take 7 mil wetsuits and stuff them full of chum to attract sharks for my boat passengers to take photos of. Suddenly, I believe a lot of divers and surfers might not be really cool with the thought that sharks may be conditioned to associate a wetsuit shaped like a diver with food. Now, I admit, this is a little more extreme than what Abernathy is doing, but these sharks do not belong to divers and we do share the ocean with many users so we ought to be damn sure we tread as lightly as possible. I am not saying that the level of conditioning the sharks were receiving rises to any dangerous level or that what Abernathy was/is doing is wrong, all I am saying I don't think anyone really knows what effect this really has. But boy, a few SBers were willing to bet their first born that there was absolutely NO effect.

And as for the pursuit of risky behavior? I have engaged in plenty, but let’s not kid ourselves. When any of us engages in risky behavior we aren't merely risking ourselves-that's a selfish assumption. There are plenty of others potentially affected-the helicopter crew or SAR team that is looking for you or evacuating you could easily come to harm as well as any other rescuers involved. Your actions could result in injuries that focus medical resources away from others who may need it (I wonder who was bumped at the ER by the shark-bitten-diver, I doubt that the trauma team was simply waiting around for something to do). Again, we don't live our lives in a vacuum. A lot has changed since the days when an adventurer was truly only risking his/her life. With EPIRBs, MOB, cell phones, Sat phones and the internet, in this day and age, if you get in trouble, someone is likely coming for you and potentially risking their life as well. Have fun, take risks, just make sure the show is worth the price of admission.

Just my .02

 

[matt215]

yeah but we kind of are conditioning the sharks by "chumming" the water near fishing piers and slicks created by fishing and shrimping boats. There just aren't always divers present. And aren't sharks in feeding mode (possibly) when they mistakenly bite people wading in the surf in Destin, FL or surfing in HI? Just a theory.