I'm a rat...

[OneBrightGator]

a snitch, a stool pigeon, a canary, but I had to.

I was at Manatee today, in Catfish Hotel Sink with some new divers doing some OW and I noticed 3 divers with lights, I didn't notice any reels/spools (they could have been in pockets) and all but one had single outlet valves. They were fairly decked out, so I thought nothing of it at first. Then during my dive I noticed one diver a fair distance inside the cavern (both sides) without a line, definitely further then I would have been given the horrible viz in the sink. So when we checked out I looked at the board, all OW except for 4 cave divers (which I had seen during the day), so I reported them to the ranger.

If you can't follow the rules at a site, especially a state park, then go dive somewhere else. If you don't think the rules are fair, then contact the person in charge of making the rules. But for all our sake, don't blatantly break the rules, that's how state parks close for diving, or become restricted or post a ranger at the steps checking, etc, etc.

If you can't follow the rules, then stay the **** out.

 

[scubafool]

No, you are not a rat. At the very least, you left a positive impression on the park management as far as the diving public's concern for our access to state owned dive sites. At the very most, you might have made someone reconsider their actions, and possibly saved a life. I can only hope that I do as well.

I agree. There are several other privately owned dive sites that allow divers to experience an overhead without an overhead certification. Please dive these sites if you wish to dive in a cave. I value the access to the various dive sites, and it really sucks when we lose access.

 

[Wristshot]

I feel your angst. I hate to be a rat, but I would hate it more to have the entire site closed down because some people unwilling to follow the rules manage to get themselves killed. I don't want to derail this thread, and I don't want to start a flame war about our legal system, but if surviving dependents sue for damages due to the stupidity of a few, we who follow the rules end up getting hosed.

I doubt those ratted out would agree with you, but the divers that are allowed to continue diving that site for years to come should silently thank you.


Wristshot

 

[eandiver]

You're not a rat. You brought a potential life(s) threatening situation to attention. Better that than doing a body(s) recovery.

 

[El Orans]

You're not a rat. You brought a potential life(s) threatening situation to attention. Better that than doing a body(s) recovery.

Ditto.

 

[fgray1]

BEN
You done a good thing.
We may not agree on much but on this one we do.
Me and Jean chased a couple of "divers" out of the cave at Paradise a couple of weeks back. I didn't feel bad at all.

 

[PaulChristenson]

Just an undercover member of the scuba police...

 

[Cacia]

so, was that diver a stroke, or do you have to be a tech diver to qualify? Just wondering about the precise meaning of the term. seriously.

 

[netmage]

so, was that diver a stroke, or do you have to be a tech diver to qualify? Just wondering about the precise meaning of the term. seriously.

Yes.

Without getting into the multiple meanings of the word and its negative connotations, in this case the purest definition applies. A "stroke" is an unsafe diver. I think we can all agree - diving beyond ones training is unsafe (especially in the overhead).

And to your second part, it is not a tech only phenominon, and can easily apply in OW scenerios....
Not managing gas
Ignoring the briefing
Diving overweighted/destroying the coral

-Tim

 

[GDI]

Better a rat then a recovery diver