I witnessed something stupid & potentially very dangerous on a recent dive.

[Skinsfan1311]

Originally Posted by Monkeylemon

I'm glad the guy was OK, too, but besides the danger to himself, he should also get slapped upside the head for even wanting to touch coral. A divemaster worth his salt will tell people ahead of time never, never.

A diver worth his salt shouldn't have to be told not to touch coral.

[LRDWILDER]

Unfortunately its people like this that do stupid stuff and get hurt that make non-divers look at the sport as dangerous! Its only as dangerous as the stupidity of the diver!

[wgt]

Originally Posted by LRDWILDER

Unfortunately its people like this that do stupid stuff and get hurt that make non-divers look at the sport as dangerous! Its only as dangerous as the stupidity of the diver!

It is possible that I am simply not understanding your exact meaning. However, I am not sure that I would agree with the statement that the sport is "only as dangerous as the stupidity of the diver!"

[hooligan]

Originally Posted by scubarobin

yup, a group returned from Coz a few years ago and were talking about being there and 4 people got bent at their dive op in 1 week... common denominator? You got it - free diving on surface intervals. Yes, apparently some DMs don't know not to do it. The 3 people we spoke with were furious that the DM let them do it (the teenage son got skin bends, the others who got bent were in another group). They were discussing with our LDS about suing. LOL My comment to them is they should have remembered the discussions about DCS in class (they had just done their OW class with my husband as instructor a few months before the trip and I know how much he talks about safety). The guy shut up and we never heard another thing from them. Sometimes people are sooooooo stupid and forget that once they get certified they are responsible for their own behavior!

No one ever want's to "own" their own actions. Every stupid thing they do is someone else's fault.

[gregor]

Originally Posted by wgt

It is possible that I am simply not understanding your exact meaning. However, I am not sure that I would agree with the statement that the sport is "only as dangerous as the stupidity of the diver!"

Only time scuba diving gets any real press is when someone dies or gets hurt, so to the majority of the general public, we are seen as crazy stupid risk takers who are knocking on deaths door.

[diver 85]

Think of it this away, better to learn that lesson thru him(someone else) than you......Some people have to graduate from the School of Hardknocks 1st before using their education for their betterment....

[tal_y]

what a stupid idea , those kind of jerks simply raise the injuries statistics.
lesson is well learned

[Zeagle Eagle]

Originally Posted by MConnelly2

Now, the Loon isn't a sit-on-top job. It's a sit-inside battlewagon of a kayak. foot braces up high on either side, where of course my feet were planted. That lobster had crawled to halfway between my knees and where I didn't want it to go before I realized what was likely about to happen - and this isn't a southern spiny lobster. This was a New England, cold, pissed off lobster with two mean claws crawling straight towards my lap. I very nearly backrolled off that kayak.

So, "Stupid and potentially very dangerous" - yup, got that out of the way for the season. And it's been a week so I'm willing to laugh about it now.

That is a great story it cracked me up.
The same sort of thing happened to me. I was returning to shore along a pipeline at Gun Beach on Guam. I was in about 2 or 3 feet of water, just enough to clear the bottom. I spotted this little moray eel, It had little white spots all over it and it was sitting right on top of the pipe that I was going to go over. I waited a little bit to see if he would move on. He didn't so I picked up a stone a tossed it at him. He immediately made a bee line for me and disappeared right between my legs. All I was wearing was a loose bathing suit. Holy S!@#$!. I came out of the water like a minuteman missile. My buds on shore said I looked like the Michael Jackson doing the moon walk with fins. I never saw the little bugger again. I still have nightmares over that one.

[Daz]

Originally Posted by Zeagle Eagle

I never saw the little bugger again. I still have nightmares over that one.

So what happened to the moray? Was he OK?

[scubajane]

I always respect a DM that is willing to yell at a dumb diver even if I'm the dumb diver.

I was diving off a boat once and they were training a new 1st mate and I heard the trainer say, " no you just turned her air OFF" I waited and checked my air again before my giant stride.