If you could understand the value and the very reason for nature to be, wouldn’t you use nature in a more respectful way? Look at the consumer who drives his brand new car out of the garage, isn’t he the happiest man in town? Little does he know that driving on his way home his car is getting old and worn down and with it losing all its value and his happiness. So what is it with nature? Look at that seedling only a few inches tall growing to become a 800 year old tree and showing its beauty through-out its life. It will give each of us “who can see it”, the energy of happiness not just for now but also for all the time to come. Nature is the only true beauty on our planet that can guarantee us lifelong happiness. So it is not so hard to understand that when some one is breaking our coral it is like he is stealing a piece of one’s happiness. Just like taking away some ones ability to dream, it is taking away his vision of fantasy its loosing the strength of human defense and survival or even worse the reason to live. With all the dollars you are making of tourism you are helping to destroy nature. If you tell me that we need tourism so we will have the funding to protect the coral, think again. With less tourism there would be less pollution; less hotels less foreign consumption so less need for protection. There is always need for awareness but awareness has to come with education.

If you believe its unfair of me to point my finger to the dive tourism, look at this you tube film “Coral Massacre” where a dive instructor and groups leader ignores all the regulations of safe dive practice and nature protection. This group is performing their deep dive specialty as part of the advanced padi diving course, pay attention to the instructor who not even ones signals his students to adjust their buoyancy during the descent. www.youtube.com/scubavisionfilms and select: “Coral Massacre”

That video made me SO nervous! I watch the coral constantly. When I am above it, I am always looking under and back to make sure my fins aren't getting too close, not even close enough to make the water move it. THAT made me nervous!!! I'm sorry there are people like that, and that's how they learn. My first dives, after certification, were in Bonaire. I learned, from Bert, on my first dive, don't touch anything!!! I never have.

I hope a lot of people see this. Lately I've seen too many video's posted on here that are showing distruction of coral, it makes me sick.

Thanks, It really is important to do a check out dive. Our Bouyancy should be the most important part of the dive.
Currents, Camera's and Excitability from seeing wonderful things are a few examples of what can and does effect our bouyancy. Our health is also a key factor.
I have found myself and my husband (before his hip surgery) being a little loose legged at times. I can almost scream through my mask when this happens! As I am so guilty if I touch anything! We sometimes don't realize till it is too late (for the coral) that we are over weighted, underskilled or just not paying attention!
A bouyancy refresher shouldn't be an embarrasment it should be seen as a conservation effort especially if your dives are few and far between.
I will share the video with Steve as it is an eye opener.

If I didn't see it, I wouldn't believe it. And with a dive master supervising?
Thanks Hendrik for posting.
Should be required viewing for all who purchase the annual dive tags. Some of them were descending so fast and were so grossly over weighted I shutter to think of their eardrums as well.