I mentioned specific boats, they all happen to be steel. These boats originally started coming to Indo from Thailand during the season when they couldn't operate in the Similans. With them they brought all of the practices that have systematically ruined the Similans over the last 15 years: anchoring on, or as close as possible to dive sites (yes, Similans have moorings now. They didn't always); dangerous and noisy dinghy operations directly over safety stop locations and during dives - totally unnecessary; dropping all 16 or more divers and guides on small sites all at once - why not stagger entry times, or use multiple nearby divesites to break up the groups and not scare all the big stuff out into deeper water? These boats use multiple tenders and could just as easily operate with more decorum AND provide a better experience for their divers; using a buoy line attached to a weightbelt to mark the site!! - nicely trashing the top of the site, which is now almost barren with not much left to look at on safety stops... why don't they just get better at knowing where the darn rock is??
I could go on... but you get the point.
Now that the Similans are hardly worth a trip, these boats and a few more have re-registered under Indonesian flags. But they haven't modified their practices to respect the environment that they profit from. Now there is no recourse... they presumably bribed the necessary people to get in permanently and operate with immunity. They pay a one time large fee, and after that can go back and forth and just raise a new flag depending on where they are diving. And the changes to my favorite sites in Komodo are already showing serious wear and tear. Will look like Similan soon.
Of course some people will prefer one type of build over another. And there are plenty of wooden phinisis that were built either by people who didn't go in with diving in mind or were just poorly thought out from the get-go. I prefer the organic feeling of the wooden ones. There are plenty of phinisis with redundant and/or back up engines. There are plenty of dive-dedicated phinisis.
Of course some phinisi operators are not behaving any better. But many are. And they should be rewarded with loyal guests and word of mouth. The dodgy, solely profit-motivated operators should be shunned and sent packing!
The problems in Komodo aren't solely these operators, don't get me wrong; they are just the most stark transgressors of proper behaviour and ethics. The park management is also an abject failure. There are now so many new boats, shops and resorts - with plans for many more - that if it weren't for the inferior cuisine in the village, I might actually think I were in Thailand! lol
Fortunately, I don't have a boat or business in the area. So I am in Komodo right now to enjoy the place before these people f--k it up! And they will. We can slow it by choosing boats and operators with understanding and history in the area.
Is all this clear enough? Any major and specific objections to my thinking?
