Dear Mr Scuba Diver (and friends) in training

[SCOTTYB]

Dear Mr Scuba Diver in training.

I know it is a public wharf, but that is not the place to learn how to dive. There are two instances I can think of that justify this. One is when there is a 40' cruiser attempting to moor and you and your 'class' are at risk of becoming fish food because you insist on paddling just in front of and under the wharf - particularly when you are between the wharf and the reversing cruiser - was visibility so bad you couldn't see the size of the props? Surely you would have heard them. You are so lucky I got the skipper's attention. Secondly, and more importantly is when I am hooked up to a very solid fish - there is no need for you to try and get close enough to it that you get tangled in my line.

The next time have the proper safety gear (ie a diving flag, so people in boats that can mince you up know where you are); use the wharf to get into the water and then get the hell away from it once you are under - better still, use the little beach 20 metres away! Stay away from hooked fish and DO NOT try to grab the line either 'to help' or to get a closer look. Why? I may not know you are there because you don't think you need to deploy a diving flag or bouy. I might think the fish is going for another run and decide to get serious, in which case my 50lb braid will untangle from you in a rather painful manner ie you will lose the limb you got tangled.

Seriously, I know the water is there to share, but have some consideration and put your brain back in BEFORE you leave the house!

I have always been mindful of divers, but this was ridiculous - the 3 of them could have gotten killed. We were out of burley, but that is going a bit far.

Rant over. Need to go and clean up the gear.

ScottyB

Edited June 10, 2012 by SCOTTYB

[LeoB]

The stupidity of people never ceases to amaze me.

Cheers Leo

[tw9635]

this is a big problem at Clifton Gardens

[abecedarian]

The water is there to share, but it goes both ways and shouldn't favour divers or fisherman. Problem is common sense and consideration almost never prevail. There's no accountability these days, people can be rude and inconsiderate and get away with it due to the anonymity of big city life. Some treat others with disrespect and contempt but are never pulled up about it because when they are they cry victim, then continue on treating others like crap knowing they're protected by current law and the fact they are relatively anonymous. People just have no sense of consequence for their actions because the fact is there are no consequences for treating people disgracefully. It's a plague on our society that doesn't seem to have any cure unfortunately.

[Blackfish]

The water is there to share, but it goes both ways and shouldn't favour divers or fisherman. Problem is common sense and consideration almost never prevail. There's no accountability these days, people can be rude and inconsiderate and get away with it due to the anonymity of big city life. Some treat others with disrespect and contempt but are never pulled up about it because when they are they cry victim, then continue on treating others like crap knowing they're protected by current law and the fact they are relatively anonymous. People just have no sense of consequence for their actions because the fact is there are no consequences for treating people disgracefully. It's a plague on our society that doesn't seem to have any cure unfortunately.

Well said Abecedarian.

In all walks of life.

[SCOTTYB]

Well said Abecedarian.

In all walks of life.

+1 - the thing was, they weren't openly rude, or aggressive or anything like that. They just didn't get it. I think my frustration was more amazement at the fact that they seriously had no idea of how to act in the vicinity of others. It was just mindless.

[abecedarian]

And imagine how the skipper of the cruiser would have felt if one got killed as he berthed her... It wouldn't have been his fault but it's still something he'd have to live with the rest of his life and he'd always question himself.

[Testlab]

If only responsibility for the consequences was so clear cut. Most likely the skipper would bear the brunt of culpability for failing to keep an adequate lookout. This is the problem with our accident insurance in Australia, someone must be "at fault" and will therefore be prosecuted or sued. In NZ for example there is faultless accident cover, which in essence accepts accidents do happen and sometimes nobody is to blame.

[SCOTTYB]

That's right - he was pretty angry (and stunned), but thankful we got his attention. From where we were we could finally give him the all clear - the height he was at and the lighting angle across the water he couldn't see the bubble trail from them. Came back a couple of hours later to thank us and apologise for being a bother. Funny thing is, we don't consider boats a bother, just takes a bit more awareness to know who is doing what. If you have to pull a line in, you do it.

[abecedarian]

If you have to pull a line in, you do it.

That's all a part of sharing and common decency! If everyone behaved that way it'd be a much nicer place.

[austral]

their a real pain at terrigal boat ramp too, they just dont seem to understand that boats need too come back in

and its not the smartest idea to form a circle and have a half hour chat 20m off the ramp and the beach:ranting2:

[Catchin Jack]

And i bet there is a diving forum somewhere with exactly the same post but with reversed situations, them bagging out boaters, quite ironic eh.

[Testlab]

Being considerate aside, if they didn't have a flag showing then that's just sheer stupidity. That is the only way a boat skipper can know there are divers about, plus when they do have a flag showing if the skipper has any doubt about their whereabouts or their safety cannot be guaranteed he has to keep clear.

The divers at Terrigal can be a right pain depending on which school they are with but the visiting newbies from Sydney are the ones who are the worst for popping up to see where they are (which is... "in the damned way"). I dive and fish and been doing both from boats and shore for about 35 years and I appreciate both points of view. If I am shore diving near fishoes I go and ask where they are working their lines and what rigs they've got out. I also let them know where I will be and try to keep a decent distance away so as not to put the fish off the bite. We all want to share where the fish are.

[SCOTTYB]

I appreciate both points of view. If I am shore diving near fishoes I go and ask where they are working their lines and what rigs they've got out. I also let them know where I will be and try to keep a decent distance away so as not to put the fish off the bite. We all want to share where the fish are.

Testlab that's awesome - if we get somewhere to have a fish and there are divers, we move up or down the shore line, or just wait to see which direction they are heading if they are already out a bit. Have come across a lot of divers, but none with the level of class you've just displayed