Well here I stand with a decision to make. I have said I am not going to participate anymore but after several emails, pm's, karma's, and even a phone call or two, I'm not sure.
I am sure that I will take a breather from getting overly involved in anything controversial(maybe) at least until the charter season is over. I am resolved not to stoop to the levels of some of those I do not see eye to eye with and try the high road. If I stumble, I call upon my friends and not so much friends to remind me of my new found stance(in a pm of course).
I also would like to clear the air on this spearboard issue. I participate there on a limited basis...much as I do here. At first I found the site to be quite intolerant and even encouraged many of the freedivers there to follow me here. Now, in all honesty I find just as much intollerance here and maybe that is what bothers me most. On spearboard, scuba and freedivers have found a way to co-exist, largely in part to spearos that are accomplished at both disciplines, such as Bucket One(Ritchie Zacker). We have also found common ground because of the recent legeslative threats to our sport. In fact, together we formed a group to lobby in our interest and make the presence of spearos felt in regulatory meetings. I might add this effort has had great success including preventing unecessary closures founded on junk science and even overturning bad decisions. It is largely due to spearboard that we have such a great organization. In fact some of the best freediver in the world are there and noty here b/c they dont want to be associated with the "holier than thou" attitude found here sometimes. Guys like GR Tarr, Roberto Reyes, Sasa Bratic, ect, ect. Many of us choose to lurk on both.
I guess my problem is from you international guys who have had horrible experiences both with scuba spearos and your governments lack of forsight to prevent the pilaging of our seas. I also dont understand how many of you who have never dove the enviornment many of these divers hail from can deem them sporting, unsporting, moral, ect, ect. We have rules in place to adequately protect our resources and insure access to them by all user groups. I can promise that the guys you are bashing are just as much concerned with resource sustainability as us freedivers. A little cultural/regional tolerance goes along way. It might not be for you but dont forget, there is someone out there who thinks what we do is not sporting....the guys using only hawaiian slings, who are looked down on by the guys using polespears, who are looked down on by the guys using their bare hands, and so on. We all choose what's right for us and I guess its human nature to justify this choice as the best or most fitting one. Why? To each their own.
When the time comes that my input is no longer wanted here I will step out, but I dont think that time is now.
Have a good week, Ive got 9 trips in the next 7 days :crutch
Mike Freeman
I am sure that I will take a breather from getting overly involved in anything controversial(maybe) at least until the charter season is over. I am resolved not to stoop to the levels of some of those I do not see eye to eye with and try the high road. If I stumble, I call upon my friends and not so much friends to remind me of my new found stance(in a pm of course).
I also would like to clear the air on this spearboard issue. I participate there on a limited basis...much as I do here. At first I found the site to be quite intolerant and even encouraged many of the freedivers there to follow me here. Now, in all honesty I find just as much intollerance here and maybe that is what bothers me most. On spearboard, scuba and freedivers have found a way to co-exist, largely in part to spearos that are accomplished at both disciplines, such as Bucket One(Ritchie Zacker). We have also found common ground because of the recent legeslative threats to our sport. In fact, together we formed a group to lobby in our interest and make the presence of spearos felt in regulatory meetings. I might add this effort has had great success including preventing unecessary closures founded on junk science and even overturning bad decisions. It is largely due to spearboard that we have such a great organization. In fact some of the best freediver in the world are there and noty here b/c they dont want to be associated with the "holier than thou" attitude found here sometimes. Guys like GR Tarr, Roberto Reyes, Sasa Bratic, ect, ect. Many of us choose to lurk on both.
I guess my problem is from you international guys who have had horrible experiences both with scuba spearos and your governments lack of forsight to prevent the pilaging of our seas. I also dont understand how many of you who have never dove the enviornment many of these divers hail from can deem them sporting, unsporting, moral, ect, ect. We have rules in place to adequately protect our resources and insure access to them by all user groups. I can promise that the guys you are bashing are just as much concerned with resource sustainability as us freedivers. A little cultural/regional tolerance goes along way. It might not be for you but dont forget, there is someone out there who thinks what we do is not sporting....the guys using only hawaiian slings, who are looked down on by the guys using polespears, who are looked down on by the guys using their bare hands, and so on. We all choose what's right for us and I guess its human nature to justify this choice as the best or most fitting one. Why? To each their own.
When the time comes that my input is no longer wanted here I will step out, but I dont think that time is now.
Have a good week, Ive got 9 trips in the next 7 days :crutch
Mike Freeman
