|
Incident
We have been promised that the sky will fall on our heads, the pox will get us and a plague of locusts will eat our BC's
if we do not observe the necessary etiquette with regard to the Raggies at Aliwal Shoal.
Well we all agree that this is a necessity in order to retain the Shark Population and to have as little impact on its
breeding habits as possible. So "most" of the Dive Charter operators at Aliwal agreed to observe a loosely worded
code of conduct. It seems that this code of conduct applies only to the law abiding diver and not some scientists.
While diving at Raggies Cave a few weeks ago I noticed a diver (not allowed to say who or what sex) kicking dents in the
soft coral, holding onto the reef and bouncing all over the place at the entrance of the Cave, the rest of the group, led by
a newly qualified DM (nice guy don't get me wrong) trying his best to keep control of his divers had moved off some distance
and were now out of sight of "the diver". Suddenly this diver swims directly into the cave (watch out locusts are
coming) and proceeds to try photograph the solitary little Raggie from 2 inches away.
The Raggie gets the heck out of there and I can hear locust wings approaching so I tap xxx (sex not revealed) on the
shoulder to ask in my most stern expression what the heck xxx (sex not revealed) thinks (oh what the heck) she (there I gone
and did it) is doing. The diver then violently points to a name on her camera ("by goodness a scientist" I
recognize the name but don't recognize the diving style so it can't be the person who's name is on the camera).
So in my male lack of understanding (us men are really dumb sometimes) but by sign language I now understand in no
uncertain terms that because the diver is carrying a camera that belongs to a "scientist" that it's ok to stuff up
our coral, scare our sharks and behave like a (not allowed to use term here) because by gad they have a PERMIT to do so.
Reality Statistic
Before I go on let it be understood that I have NO scientific statistics only gut feel and years of quietly watching. And
I am by no means a scientist basher, some of them I hold in the highest regard.
I have been diving Aliwal for over ten years, in my opinion the number of divers has not really increased significantly;
the numbers have probably proportionately increased at Sodwana Bay however. Last year we had an average turnout of Raggies -
more or less what we have been accustomed to in the last few years, This year we have had an absolutely dreadful turnout of
sharks, at best we see them in ones and two's, often none.
The only change that has happened that I am aware of, is that our poor sharks were darted mercilessly last year with radio
transmitters. Now unless they can convince me that the transmitter falls out within a year none of last year's darted sharks
to my knowledge have returned.
The shark population at Sodwana however (undarted I believe) has remained constant. As a matter of fact increased
according to some sources.
Fact or Fiction - You decide, If you would like to enter into this debate please mail your comments to raggie@seaforever.com
and if we get enough response I will pass them on (names removed) to the relevant scientists for their comments.
|
