How to tell someone that they are damaging corals....

[sassyalice]

... Not sure if this question is in the right spot but here goes.

I just come from doing a week on the aggressor in Palau and saw a diver with over 500 dives fin a few soft corals in half. Grab on to hard corals to get a picture and top a few fans with her fins on her way over them, at first I thought she was a new diver and was floored she had so much experience, and I tried to let her know she was hitting a lot of stuff, (that was day 2) but nothing changed by the end of the week. I am not a scuba cop but I want to visit Palau again (and many other places) and want my impact to be at a minimum, and assume that others feel the same way. My question is how do you let someone know that they are a destructive force underwater, without coming across as a bitch or a know it all?

 

[Mopar]

You can not. I would tell them straight up. If that does no good talk to the dive outfit you are with. I don't want to be a rat bastard, but if the reefs get tore up they are going to not let us dive on them anymore. We already can't wear gloves.

 

[drbill]

I would have thought the Aggressor boat crew would have done something about this. Did any of them see it? Did you report it to them? A diver with that level of experience just should NOT be doing that (nor should an inexperienced one, but they have some excuse).

I would definitely have repeated my comments to her several times during the trip, and would have reported it to the boat crew after the second warning.

 

[carrielsal]

I would have thought the Aggressor boat crew would have done something about this. Did any of them see it? Did you report it to them? A diver wit that level of experience just should NOT be doing that (nor should an inexperienced one, but they have some excuse).

I would definitely have repeated my comments to her several times during the trip, and would have reported it to the boat crew after the second warning.

ditto

 

[Bronson]

I personally would mention it to the guy in a soft and quiet way so as not to offend like suggest a buoyancy technique that would inproive their diving.. I am not a cop. probably would say something to the DM. Having dived in Cebu where they still dynamite blast and blow up the reef to hell i don't really get too bothered any more about finning problems and just enjoy my diving. I know this is not politically correct but i have seen some blow outs on boats when divers get into some people's face about this stuff and i am not there to have fights.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

Document the transgressions by recording a video clip of the diver kicking/grabbing onto corals and sea fans. Then take the diver aside and show her what she's doing. If she's a photographer, she should understand the importance of keeping things alive so that she can take pictures of them.

If this didn't work, I'd show the DM/crew what this diver was doing. They would surely do something about it.

It's one thing to describe what you saw...but it's quite another to show someone a video clip of the behavior.

 

[drbill]

Good idea, Bubbletrubble. It could be much more effective if that were possible.

And of course no one (at least no one I'd want to dive with) wants to create a scene or a fight. However, this behavior should be addressed... and hopefully corrected.

 

[fisheater]

And then post that video, as a lesson and warning for us all.

 

[fdog]

In all honesty, I have not yet seen someone (no matter how nicely put) confronted about trashing the environment either:

• Take it well
• Acknowledge that they have a lack of skills
• Acknowledge that it damages the environment

Sad but there it is. I just put distance between them and me, that way, I don't get angry and do something stupid.

(BTW, this applies to someone I hadn't met before the trip - folks I knew before showing up on the dive boat, usually take constructive critisism well.)


All the best, James

 

[grouchyturtle]

I kind of agree with fdog. The worse the skills, usually the worse the attitude.

There was a guy in Aruba a few years back. Really arrogant, I'm Mr. experienced diver attitude. Well Mr. diver was up and down like an elevator. I'm talking within a few feet of the surface and crash onto the bottom up and down here. He pretty much ran a marathon across the bottom, leaving a THICK trail of silt behind him. Then his tank fell out of the straps, and he was completely oblivious to this. Another diver had to get right in his face and make him stop as I fixed the tank. Finally he ended the dive long before the rest of the group, because he sucked his tank down. I was very inexperienced at the time and even I ended the dive with the rest of the group, and plenty of gas left.

Back on the boat, no humbleness, no thanks for helping with my tank. Same arrogant attitude on the way back. I could only imagine what the attitude would have turned into if one of us told him how much he really sucked.