Posted by tleemay on December 23, 1999 at 10:30:51:
In Reply to: Re: Missing diver posted by Brian Park on December 21, 1999 at 11:43:25:
Brian,
First of all, the discussion is about the KSDA, not Koreans
in general. I know many Korean divers (including yourself)
that I assume do not condone what the KSDA does on their trips.
And as far as boats the KSDA do not take out because they became undesirable,
that's a statement I find hard to believe. I know of two boats
that are being inquired on every other month since March of 99 by the KSDA,
and the Captains and owners of those boats have not taken their charters.
You have to believe that if boat "X" get's asked every 30 days if KSDA can
cahrter it to Santa Rosa or Santa Barbara Isles the boats are considered desirable.
The boats only become un-desirable to the KSDA when they are told their charters will
not be taken. And when that happens, I am sure the KSDA becomes vocal about it.
Yet they still call trying to book for next March of 2000 (like they did 12/8 of
this month.
As someone with a professional concerned attitude
with sport diving and hunting off SoCal boats,
I request you review your log book (or whatever
medium you task) and come up with the
date you "(saw) Chinese divers on the great escape
take abalone". Such an accusation is of great concern to me.
As far as anyone taking short game such as Cali's on boats, I have
(as well as other crew members, DM, Captains or charter
organizers) firmly slammed such divers who do it. It
usually only takes one time to get the point across
to the average diver. And those divers usually don't
argue about it - especially when at sea.
The difference between the majority of KSDA members and any other
diver "X" is that the KSDA for the most part ignores the warnings
and proudly defy the F&G and it's take/poaching laws.
If you want proof, go on one of their trips - see it first hand. Listen to the
Captain and/or DM lay out the F&G rules and take laws for the site they are at.
Also listen to them explain why it's not a good idea to take
3"-4" scallop or small sheeps & opals. Imediately following the briefing, watch
the faces of the KSDA members as they confirm among
themselves that they are on a rape and pillage trip - be
damned what the Captain or DM said about the game laws. Watch and listen
to the KSDA members in between dives as they guard their game bags
with fervish passion if the Captain or crew decides to take a game count for the
ships log.
No one is pointing the finger at Koren divers in general - the pointing is
at the members of KSDA who recklessly abandon the F&G laws (among other rules)
to in favor of their own gain.
With the word out on KSDA and their MO, it's a surprise that the Explorer even took the
charter, but when you run a boat where the Captain and crew cannot manage a
missing diver situation or rescue scene, I guess they will take anyone to
stay in business since the other boats in Ventura Harbor don't have that problem.
It's just a matter of time until Truth Aquatics bans them too... as
ecological-ethical Truth Aquatics promotes themselves as, KSDA's clock is ticking.