Moalboal name and shame

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Mucksavage

Contributor
Messages
272
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97
Location
The Philippines
# of dives
431570_212728855501271_100002924737424_386015_140219429_n.jpg

Spotted by Andy doing the rounds on Facebook. It apparently shows divers in Moalboal.

It would be interesting to know the name of the dive operation that permitted this.

In Malapascua we have a very big problem with inept and ill trained divers trampling the reef in an effort to see a thresher but this is on another level really.
 
Shamefull
 
Would be nice if the dive operator concerned was 'outed'. As dive pros, we have a responsibility to help develop diver sensitivity to ecological issues - in respect of this picture, it seems hugely lacking.

I've encountered groups before who had similar mindsets, but always strove to educate and inform them. Done correctly, it tends to make a difference. Sadly, many of the groups I've encountered who had this sort of attitude were of Asian background (HK/Chinese/Korean). There's obviously something drastically wrong in the scuba educational system where these people are learning. A fact that has been reinforced to me by the fact that their instructors (group/trip leaders) were foremost in encouraging/demonstrating this damaging and unaware behavior.

Likewise, I've also seen a limited tendency amongst more responsible dive operators to 'tolerate' this behavior - or at the least, to turn a blind eye to it - on the basis of not wanting to offend their paying guests. That's understandable from a business perspective - but since when did we become diving professionals and representatives of the global scuba community purely to extract maximum cash from the scuba community, without any semblance of ethical and environmental consciousnesses?
 
Yeah, it's simply intolerable. They probably don't realize that they are putting the turtle in jeopardy of drowning. That's just ignorance and ignorance hurts most everyone.
 
Missed the link sorry
 
This is Shameful, I am currently in the states when I get back to Moalboal next week, I willl ask around. Unfortunately most of the Korean divers dive with "Korean operators" and it is very difficult to address this kiind of bad behaviour.. Unfortunately this is prevalent in many places theBig Korean Groups go.

Cheers,
Roger
 
Sounds like part of a DM's training should be police work also. I am sure this is not the worse behavior out there. Trouble is, the DM is trying to make a living and if they get too hard on the divers they lose tips.
 
A lot of the online commentary points out the potential nationality of the perpetrators. It may be a cultural thing or it may simply be the consistently poor training that is provided in some countries in this region which opens a larger debate on training disparity and why agencies are not doing more about it. A comprehensive course should be the same in Korea, Philippines, Ireland, Bolivia etc etc but it seems this is not the case.

It is possible to help a card carrying abominable diver if they sign up for a course (basically re teaching key OW elements as part of your AOW class which can make a big difference) but if they don't then its 'lie back with your tank in the coral and watch the thresher sharks as you hold on to stag coral with your gloved hand or grab the turtle with your mates for a great photo'.
 
I'm guessing that the one who shot the above pic signaled to the other bastards to look towards him/her for one more group shot.

I don't want to imagine more if ever it was a thresher and all of them were hanging by the tail....and making the peace sign. 'click'..'click'
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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