The continuing sagas of the Blue Heron Bridge

[mntlblok]

Silt

I still consider myself to be a "newbie" at BHB diving, but it seems to me that there are at least three different types of "bottoms" out there. I've fashioned a "monopod" to screw into the bottom of my camera housing that has an old screwdriver for the part that I use as the "finger rest" on the "bottom".

In some areas, this "rest" actually just rests on the bottom surface substrate (rare). In the "broken shell" bottom areas, it sinks in a couple of inches and I can hold still even in moderate current and surge and even manage some decent video with a 60mm macro lens on the DSLR.

In some "sandy" bottom areas, the screwdriver sinks down a few more inches, but still eventually "grabs" and will help me remain relatively stable in current.

However, there are definitely areas where the "silt" on top of the sand is like nothing else I've ever divven around. My 14 inch "monopod" would bottom out without ever getting a purchase in this powdery stuff. AAMOF, I've had times where I was "skulling" with my hand for a little positioning maneuver from three or four feet off the bottom, and I stirred up a huge cloud of silt as if I had kicked the bottom with my fins.

Don't really know exactly how this might fit in with the current (pun intended) discussion, but I *do* enjoy stirring things up and muddying the waters (see above).

Kevin

 

[MDJ]

For those of you who missed it...enjoy!

WHoa! I just found out the stacks came down. I haven't lived in WPB/Jupiter since '97 but used to drive the BHB almost daily to spend my lunch break at the beach or to surf pump house. Ahhh, I miss the warm water.

 

[Adobo]

Here is an idea I want to run by all the regulars of the BHB and get feedback.....

Dan,

I am from California and know nothing about the Blue Heron Bridge. In fact, I don't think I have been to Florida in the past 10 years even. From the pictures I have seen, it seems that there are very interesting things to see there. Certainly, if there was a dive site similar to it where I live, I would personally treasure it.

I don't know how productive your idea would be. In fact, I suspect all you will do is antagonize some folks. However, I do recognize the issues that you are trying to address - poor training and divers who are destructive to a resource that is uncommon.

As a consumer, I would appreciate having the information on who does a good job and who doesn't when selecting from one instructor or one shop vs. another. Who wouldn't pick the one that did a better job, all things being equal? In fact, I for one would rather pay $800 for a good scuba class than pay $99 for the groupon special you captured on video.

As a diver who gets probably less than 40% of dives where vis is better than 20ft in my local dive spots, like you, I am floored that the professionals are not the first ones to line up to protect/preserve this resource. I would suspect that many of our fellow divers who are limited to quarries and murky lakes as their primary dive sites would be similarly taken aback at the lack of appreciation for this resource.

I agree with some that you likely will not be able to fix these bigger issues with a video camera alone. But I do share your concerns that caused you to think of this idea in the first place.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

I've posted this before. This is a photographer. Pic one is not bad. Acceptable to me.

But this one is NOT OK. You want to see photogs mess up the reef? yes, the top of the shopping carts is a reef in the making. And while it's not a perfect shot, you can see the photographer lay across the shopping carts No shot is worth this:

.

 

[MB]

I'm surprized that this is even controversial. (Guess I missed too many previous posts.)

It hurts to see so many instructors who teach so little about how to dive well. There is nothing instinctual about smart diving - nearly all of it is learned. How? Most is learned from a skilled instructor who will take the time to teach, guide, prompt, remind, and then give feedback to students as they learn the right and wrong ways to do things. But to do that, instructors need both diver-awareness AND instructor-presence. When students don't have an instructor who can/will teach, then they go about the business of doing what they do and never knowing there is a better way to dive.

I still see instructors at BHB take their students down, sit them in a semi circle, and run single skill drills completely out of context, while everybody waits, flapping their arms, sinking into the muck. Later, they play follow-the-instructor who doesn't notice how miserably overweighted they are as they proceed along a head up / feet down profile kicking up a trail behind them. It makes me wonder whether the instructor even knows there is a better way.

Lord knows my own students do not always make me proud! But when they go weird, I teach them what to do - now - on the spot - before they can develop a bad habit or a motor memory of the wrong moves. Perhaps the biggest reason that is an exception rather than the rule is because I also teach through "pre-correction." A good instructor knows where the breakdown will occur, and teaches students what to do before it occurs (i.e., correct the error before the error occurs). But that does assume that the instructor knows the difference, and takes the time to actually teach...

I don't know whether the video idea is a good one or not. It is interesting idea, simply because video is such a powerful teaching tool (to those who actually teach). I do know that both the instructors and the photogs could do a better job with diver etiquette. We expect that students will make errors. We can only hope that they'll learn as a result. But it disappoints mightily when the pros don't learn that as well.

And having said this, I know that I'm going to plant my next students in a mud pile in front of 10 people who will never let me live it down... :doctor:

 

[pjohnson]

why is it obviously a class? And not just bad divers? Lots of the video people are bad divers. And FYI, currents are not that bad, even with students, if you head east. Instructors have video cameras too, be careful with the stones. I will guess your buoyancy and control is not perfect, especially when diving 2 hours before high tide in 5-7 feet of water. Or maybe I am wrong and you are a GUE instructor, but not likely.

I figure the video people show up 2 hours early or more.....The students dont usually get in this early due to currents....We shoot people massing and obviously a class---stills would be fine, just easier facial recognition than U/w, but you would see the wetsuits and general look of each group. Later, if the group is really good, we praise the daylights out of them...if a group is really bad, we make sure others get to see the diveshop and group in water, and draw their own conclusions.

I want good instructors and their students to use the bridge. I think it is good forthe area. I dont want classes like the one in the silting video YouTube - ‪silting-instruction‬‏ .

The photographers are actually making an effort to be better about all of this....have you notices how many are frog kicking now, and watching their trim and bouyacy? The ones doing damage should have a friend alert them to the damage---I dont know of any photographers at the BHB that would purposely damage the marine life at the park. There are a few without enough situational awareness yet, to always be doing the right thing--and I think they would want to know.

I am doing a boat dive Saturday, or I would be happy to shoot some video of you and your class--hopefully to show everyone the RIGHT WAY for a class to be conducted. If you would like this though, I am sure we can arrange this soon.


Let me say this again..there are some instructors out there that do a phenomenol job of teaching bouyancy and trim, and how to move around. Maybe we should start by just trying to shoot the really GOOD classes, and then suggest to all new divers that their class should be somethng like this ??

 

[DennisS]

why is it obviously a class? And not just bad divers? Lots of the video people are bad divers. And FYI, currents are not that bad, even with students, if you head east. Instructors have video cameras too, be careful with the stones. I will guess your buoyancy and control is not perfect, especially when diving 2 hours before high tide in 5-7 feet of water. Or maybe I am wrong and you are a GUE instructor, but not likely.

 

[Splitlip]

I wish all the instructors would take the time at the sailboat ramp to get students' weights dialed in. I know instructors who do. "I don't want to just certify them to dive, I want to teach them to dive."

Just doing the "eye level" thing will mitigate a lot. I know from myself and my daughter.

 

[danvolker]

why is it obviously a class? And not just bad divers? Lots of the video people are bad divers.

Lots of videographers and photographers have been working on trim and non-silting behavior in the last 6 months....We put this video out back in December, YouTube - ‪gue-reversekick1‬‏ which likely helped some that were interested.....there are certainly alot more frog kicking today than a year ago Point being, I don't see photographers or videographers out at the BHB that are not interested in the doing what they can to not wreck the area. When you see a new one that needs help, typically they are interested in being better....So I really don't know what you are getting at...No one is bring hordes of BAD videographers out to the BHB

And FYI, currents are not that bad, even with students, if you head east.

Instructors have video cameras too, be careful with the stones. I will guess your buoyancy and control is not perfect, especially when diving 2 hours before high tide in 5-7 feet of water. Or maybe I am wrong and you are a GUE instructor, but not likely.

For me, the current is a non issue at any part of BHB 2 hours early---but I have spent time developing bouyancy and trim, and propulsion techniques that render the current at the BHB insignificant. I am not a GUE Instructor, I am one of George Irvine's Tech diving buddies --this would make me DIR from the 90's ...I like exploration diving, not teaching. But videos like the one I did here, are something I do enjoy helping with.

Again..I DO WANT good dive instructors teaching students at the bridge. I think it is AWESOME! I do NOT like seeing huge groups getting piss poor training, and being destructive to the environment at the same time, AND destroying the vis at the same time....The GOOD instructors don't do this, at all. Again, I really think we need to start naming all the really good instructors that all prospective students should be aware of--and let the prospective students see what a class is supposed to look like !!!!

 

[scootsity]

I have a question about BHB. I have only dove it once. When we got there, it was recommended that we swim around the mooring lines of some of the boats out there. Where do you all dive the bridge? I saw a bunch of folks headed directly under the bridge, others out along the beach/boats with us. Any particular areas to head to? Areas to avoid?

Thanks!