Why pineapple?

[Nathan Doty]

In my ongoing crusade to look as dumb as possible, I pose the next question. Every boat I've been on has given out pineapple slices during the surface interval. They also do crackers and other "Please stop throwing up" snacks for those that insist on feeding the fish. Do I just have knack for finding random boats that do pineapple, is it a tradition or some other reason?

Feel free to make fun of me now

 

[rongoodman]

Not making fun of you, but I don't think I've ever seen it. Annecdotes are not data.

 

[tursiops]

Cheap, popular, easy. But I see watermelon or orange slices more often.

 

[fmerkel]

Fresh pineapple?
1. It's good
2. It's got bromelain, an enzyme with multiple health benefits, a couple of which are directly advantageous for divers.

I take papaya enzyme on multi-day charters/outings and suck on tablets before and between dives. It acts as a local anti-inflammatory to the Eustachian canals and may provide a bit of benefit for clearing. Minimally it hurts nothing, has no side effects, and tastes good.

 

[NelleG]

Probably because pineapples are cheap and go pretty far when you slice them up.

 

[Doby45]

It is delicious and ultra sweet, sadly I have not gotten pineapple on any of the boats I have been on..

 

[uncfnp]

The acidity cuts the saltwater taste post dive.

 

[hammet]

The acidity cuts the saltwater taste post dive.

Yup.

 

[ibj40]

In my ongoing crusade to look as dumb as possible, I pose the next question. Every boat I've been on has given out pineapple slices during the surface interval. They also do crackers and other "Please stop throwing up" snacks for those that insist on feeding the fish. Do I just have knack for finding random boats that do pineapple, is it a tradition or some other reason?

Feel free to make fun of me now

We were served pineapple on the SI when we dove Hol Chan with Ecologic Divers on Ambergris this past May; which I have to say might have been the first time I've ever had freshly butchered pineapple on a dive boat.

My experience has been that bananas seem to be the snack du jour most frequently, and we'll take our own if we know that the dive op doesn't.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Pineapple and watermelon seem popular in Mexico, Honduras and Belize. I know they grow a lot of pineapples and bananas in Honduras. On liveaboards they tend to give you fancier snacks like freshly made cakes and cookies/biscuits and stuff. But worldwide, on average, I would say they give you nothing at all.