Jetskis

[Daddy B]

Yesterday afternoon, Chunzumbul reef.

Ascending from an Open Water training dive with Greg (sideways, on this forum) and Nicole, a local resident I observed a jetski running rings around my surface marker buoy. We were a mere 1m or so from the surface.

Surface marker buoys are used by all dive guides along this coast to mark their surfacing point so that their respective dive boats can collect them and other vessels can give divers the mandatory wide berth.

As you can imagine, something like this can be very unnerving to experienced divers, let alone to students on their first open water dives.

Coming as close as a couple of feet to surface marker buoys seems to be a favourite pastime of a significant number of vacationing jetskiers (one serious mistake is one mistake too many, in my opinion...) even if they are consistently briefed by the operators not to do so.

I wonder what goes through the minds of these people as they decide it is cool to give divers such a fright...

They risk seriously injuring or even killing innocent people.

Please give surface marker buoys a safe, wide berth and instruct those young people whom you may suspect are prone to such "macho" pursuits (the overwhelming majority of culprits are young men in the 20-30 age bracket, not only teenage tearways) to get their kicks some other way... because, if the chance presents itself, they might also get a good kicking.

[Andiline]

[TeeZet]

Maybe you should consider bringing one of these to give 'em a good scare...:

[Daddy B]

Originally Posted by TeeZet

Maybe you should consider bringing one of these to give 'em a good scare...:

Waved them at some "macho" windsurfers years ago when spearfishing in Portugal.
It did work, plus the sails/windsurfers could be easily identifiable later on at the beach/harbour and matters could - were - be taken further, most of all by reporting to maritime authorities.

I prefer to wait for them as they finish their rides (if I observed them from the surface) point out what they've done, look them straight in the eye and ask, "Were you born an idiot or were you raised that way?". Sort of reduces the value for money they tought they'd got before being humiliated in front of everyone.

Happened twice, they apologised and I suspect they won't be doing it again.
Problem is, there are only a few who can be put to shame in this way because it is impossible to identify them - or the jetski - from below.

As with most things, the solution lies in education.

[TeeZet]

I kinda hoped that you'd react that way, Paolo.
And right you are.

[Daddy B]

Originally Posted by TeeZet

I kinda hoped that you'd react that way, Paolo.

Well, that's plan A.

[Buggirl]

Head for 'em full throttle once you're back on the boat- scare them right back. Maybe they'll learn next time. That, or the harpoon....

(ok- your response was best, DaddyB- but you were more diplomatic than I might have been...)

[Mindbender]

Have you considered using a mine instead of a buoy?

Cretins.

[Daddy B]

Originally Posted by Mindbender

Have you considered using a mine instead of a buoy?

Cretins.

Saw another jetski hooligan today, a young chap with a woman on the backseat, all over Jardines, one of Playa's most popular reefs for scuba divers.

An operative from the rental place came over on another jetski to remind the couple they had been asked to keep to a certain area; they were actually arguing they had paid good money, therefore they could go wherever they wanted...

Sad.

[Tommygurl]

I hate jetskis. Even when we are boating the arse's come straight up to the boat & over the wake...you never know what they are going to do.

[Opatije]

Jetskis - one of the worst inventions of the modern world.