Open Water the MOVIE...

[miketsp]

The funny thing is, in spite of all these trash movies, like Jaws and many others I think divers have a much more realistic idea of the risks of actually getting attacked by sharks.
Back in the early 70s, a "shark stick" was a standard piece of diving equipment. Today it's hard to find a diver who even knows what that is or even where to buy one. For the younger among you who have never seen one it's a length of steel bar about 50cm long with what amounts to a self triggering gun at the tip. Mine had a 0.303 rifle bullet with the tip filed off and notched to cause a dum-dum effect. To fire it you just pressed it against the shark and a big hole would appear.
Now the strange thing is I know several professional divers who actually had to resort to the use of these devices. So does that mean that there were more sharks around and they were more aggressive? Or that even professional divers were more nervous in the presence of sharks 30+ years ago? And that all these movies had actually had a dumbing effect?
Maybe I should start a poll as to how many divers on Scubaboard have actually dived with and fired a shark stick?

PS - I just posted a poll in "Diving Equipment"

 

[dweeb]

If this movie turns just 1 person away from joining the diving community, then this film has had a negative impact of Scuba Diving.

That assumes that every person who enters the diving community will be good for diving, which is an obvious fallacy. Community growth is not a universal good. Just ask anyone who's lived in the Seattle area for at least 30 years. 30 years ago they were telling the world how wonderful it was there and now they wish they'd kept their big mouths shut. There is nothing good in this world that can't be spoiled by being 'discovered' by the mainstream.
I started diving as a refuge from all the idiots in the world; I don't want them to follow. Only an idiot would let a film like this sway their decision to start diving, so, it follows that anyone it turns away would not have been good for diving.

Now, if they could only make another movie like "The Other Side of the Mountain," maybe the ski slopes would become a more pleasant place again.

 

[saying]

After Titanic came out a Swiss company announced that it had bought the White Star plans and was going to reproduce the ship exactly and set it to trans-Atlantic passages.

Rumor had it that whole voyages were completely sold out by the time the financial backers realized what a stupid idea this was. Rumor that I can neither credit nor discredit, all I'm saying is I wouldn't even be a little surprised if this movie actually recruits people into diving. Humans are friggin morons like that.

That is, if anyone actually sees this movie. I can't imagine watching two people slowly die of exposure will be the most thrilling ride.

 

[DivePartner1]

Two people floating in the ocean? Kind of a thin story line, isn't it?

 

[dweeb]

After Titanic came out a Swiss company announced that it had bought the White Star plans and was going to reproduce the ship exactly and set it to trans-Atlantic passages.

Rumor had it that whole voyages were completely sold out by the time the financial backers realized what a stupid idea this was.

If there was such a good market for it, why was it a stupid idea? The only criteria seems to be whether it would be profitable - if you're suggesting that the new ship would be similarly doomed, that's ludicrous.

 

[Kat]

You never know when one of those Great White killer iceburgs will senslessly attack a ship. :lol2:
It just ain't safe.

Seriously, hadn't heard about the White Star. What happened to it?

 

[aquaoren]

Just stumbled over this thread and had to add my 2 cents.
I agree with the other, that if someone got scared away from diving by this movie, than diving isn't the right sport for them.
On the other hand, if it will affect cruise operators to overthink their safety precautions because of declining bookings (which I don't believe will happen) and if through that only 1 person less will be left behind, than the movie had something good too
I am shocked by how many people nowdays don't have or lost the respect for the sea.
Water can be a very unpredictable and unforgiving element. Many people don't appear to realize this anymore with the "everything goes" mentality.

 

[love2godeep]

I saw the trailer for this movie a while back, and was quite disgusted with the whining, etc.

But I have to admit I did think of this movie when I was abandoned (for a short time) during a recent dive. I saw the boat pulling away, but I knew they were looking for me, and would be back--and they were.

I suspect the way it will hurt the diving industry the most is when non-diving friends and family see it, and use it as ammunition to prove we shouldn't be diving.

 

[pbr]

Its based on a true story...I am thinking the one of the couple in Australia, but this movie is based out of the Bahamas.


The Bahamas - YIKES!! I'm going to the Bahamas in a month on a live aboard!

 

[aquaoren]

Its based on a true story...I am thinking the one of the couple in Australia, but this movie is based out of the Bahamas.


The Bahamas - YIKES!! I'm going to the Bahamas in a month on a live aboard!

Take a safety sausage with you and have fun
I wish, i could go :frown: