Originally posted by Stephan Whelan
Public opinion is another thing we need to consider. Whilst it may be true that X sport is more dangerous the Y sport, the public don't see it that way no matter what you say.
Fred and Scott- My opinion stands as pointed out with Stephan's correct recognition that the public doesn't make the distinction between SCUBA and free divers.
Who cares who's better? We're all just nuts...
Take a look at the original thread's opening line. And then give some genuine thought to the infighting between the various agencies with the ranks of SCUBA and freediving communities. These clowns can't even get together to come up with common standards to measure a freakin' downline! Is it any wonder that we, the WHOLE diving community is looked as at a fringe group of death-inviting wankers, filling the air with complaints of not being able to cross community property, to hold events that will better the sports' exposure and to enable that general public that looks askance at us, to experience that which we enjoy, safely. Safely because we, as an entire sport community have put away the "We're free divers and spearfishermen and we only take what we need, and we're safer 'cause we don't need that failure-prone equipment that the SCUBA guys do; we give the fish a chance..." or conversly, "Hey, we SCUBA divers are just as conservation minded as the free guys. And we do it safer too..." No one cares because we've yet to put aside this bullshit bickering and come together to foster understanding and education for both the general public AND more importantly, our own community, so we don't have to waste keyboard time with subtle and ignorant barbs as to other's experience and assertions that are without credible evidence.
I shoot fish both freediving and with tanks. I've done it all over the World, including Austrailia and the Med. When I needed to use tanks, I wasn' t the only one there doing it. I was with the locals. And I'll tell ya, I came up, and still do more often than not, without fish. And it's not because I don't do it competitively anymore, (I out grew it...) and lack the game, but that the fish I was interested in, didn't present themselves or the shot wasn't a sure thing.
I'm going to be in Monterey this July, Scott and I'll tell you flat out that the majority of the fish speared during this event wouldn't even come to my mind as desirable in size. I'd let them go on by. Regardless of what non-profit's truck the fish eventually end
in, the public's going to see a bunch of shot-up fish in one place, with diver's dressing in the street, pissing in the bushes, filling up garbage cans and tying up the traffic. This is notority that is in no way beneficial to the sport.
That's not an allusion, or an illusion. It's plain fact that I've actually seen. I've been with CenCAl and the USofA since 74, and little has changed, including the heirarchy.
Check my profile. Been there, done that.
sven