AP journalist dives into Gulf, can see only oil

This forum is for all other types of chatter, including non-SCUBA stuff.
User avatar
babs13
Dive-aholic
Posts: 201
Joined: Mon Aug 25, 2008 12:43 am

AP journalist dives into Gulf, can see only oil

Post by babs13 »

Step 1: I have a diving problem.
User avatar
Dashrynn
I've Got Gills
Posts: 1873
Joined: Fri Aug 14, 2009 9:24 am

Re: AP journalist dives into Gulf, can see only oil

Post by Dashrynn »

Some people are determined...and well...yeah
User avatar
selkie
Submariner
Posts: 563
Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2008 12:30 pm

Re: AP journalist dives into Gulf, can see only oil

Post by selkie »

"Dropping beneath the surface with an oxygen tank some 40 miles out into the Gulf of Mexico, the only thing I see is oil". Hmmm, I see a potential fire hazard here. I know I blame the writer but it was probably a clueless editor. :stir:
"A man must have some wit to know he is a fool"

Maritime Archaeological Society (MAS)
http://maritimearchaeological.org/

Northwest Diving History Association (NWDHA)
http://www.divinghistory.org/
User avatar
ktb
I've Got Gills
Posts: 1541
Joined: Wed Dec 17, 2008 11:23 am

Re: AP journalist dives into Gulf, can see only oil

Post by ktb »

Sick and wrong.

SIDENOTE:
Um . . . so how does one dive for 10 years and become an instructor with only 50 dives under their belt?
Kelly
User avatar
spatman
I've Got Gills
Posts: 10881
Joined: Wed May 30, 2007 7:06 am

Re: AP journalist dives into Gulf, can see only oil

Post by spatman »

ktb wrote:Sick and wrong.

SIDENOTE:
Um . . . so how does one dive for 10 years and become an instructor with only 50 dives under their belt?

where does it say he's an instructor?
Image
User avatar
dwashbur
I've Got Gills
Posts: 2849
Joined: Sun Jan 20, 2008 9:33 pm

Re: AP journalist dives into Gulf, can see only oil

Post by dwashbur »

I can't help wondering what he expected to see........
Dave

"Clearly, you weren't listening to what I'm about to say."
--
Check out my Internet show:
http://www.irvingszoo.com
User avatar
selkie
Submariner
Posts: 563
Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2008 12:30 pm

Re: AP journalist dives into Gulf, can see only oil

Post by selkie »

spatman wrote:
ktb wrote:Sick and wrong.

SIDENOTE:
Um . . . so how does one dive for 10 years and become an instructor with only 50 dives under their belt?

where does it say he's an instructor?
It just says he is a PADI diver with 50 dives in ten years. So maybe he does think it is an oxygen tank.
"A man must have some wit to know he is a fool"

Maritime Archaeological Society (MAS)
http://maritimearchaeological.org/

Northwest Diving History Association (NWDHA)
http://www.divinghistory.org/
User avatar
pensacoladiver
I've Got Gills
Posts: 1350
Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2008 5:00 pm

Re: AP journalist dives into Gulf, can see only oil

Post by pensacoladiver »

That is a true masterpiece of journalism. Sarcasm off.
User avatar
lizard0924
Submariner
Posts: 533
Joined: Sun Mar 08, 2009 11:30 am

Re: AP journalist dives into Gulf, can see only oil

Post by lizard0924 »

If he was scared because of low viz ("It was quiet, and to be honest scary, with extremely low visibility."), I hope he doesn't head up to Puget Sound to dive anytime soon. :)
Liz

www.lizsundquist.com

Holy cow! I'm the Godzilla of the underworld, apparently. ~ JenBowes
I'm going to tie my spool off on your manifold and ride you like a manatee! ~ Scottsax
Lundy will forever be known as The Guy Touching Richard's Thong. ~ Spatman
User avatar
ktb
I've Got Gills
Posts: 1541
Joined: Wed Dec 17, 2008 11:23 am

Re: AP journalist dives into Gulf, can see only oil

Post by ktb »

spatman wrote:
ktb wrote:Sick and wrong.

SIDENOTE:
Um . . . so how does one dive for 10 years and become an instructor with only 50 dives under their belt?

where does it say he's an instructor?
Form the bio at the bottom:
Associated Press journalist Rich Matthews is certified with the Professional Association of Diving Instructors. He has been recreationally diving for about 10 years and has about 50 dives under his belt to depths of 120 feet.

I don't get it.
Kelly
User avatar
spatman
I've Got Gills
Posts: 10881
Joined: Wed May 30, 2007 7:06 am

Re: AP journalist dives into Gulf, can see only oil

Post by spatman »

ktb wrote:Associated Press journalist Rich Matthews is certified with the Professional Association of Diving Instructors. He has been recreationally diving for about 10 years and has about 50 dives under his belt to depths of 120 feet.

I don't get it.
see bolded text above.
Image
User avatar
coachrenz
Aquanaut
Posts: 649
Joined: Sat Nov 18, 2006 9:58 pm

Re: AP journalist dives into Gulf, can see only oil

Post by coachrenz »

I haven't done a ton of blue water diving, but, I would imagine that just dropping into an ocean 40 miles from the coast and in the middle of nowhere, that you are unlikely to see much, oil spill or not.

Has anyone done dives like this before, without the oil of course, and seen lots of life? I would think that the pelagic stuff might swim by once in a while, but, that you would be unlikely to see much. I certainly wouldn't expect to see huge schools of fish.

Wouldn't the pelagics have left when the oil started coming up?

Don't misinterpret this as defending what is happening down there, I just wasn't that surprised that he didn't see a bunch of stuff.
Tim
SSI Dive Control Specialist Instructor
REEF PNW AAT Level 5 Surveyor
REEF Hawaii Level 3 Surveyor
REEF Instructor - PNW Fish, PNW Advanced Fish, PNW Inverts, TWA, HAW, TEP, Cal Inverts and Algae
TimRenz.com creating comfortable, confident, and enthusiastic divers.
User avatar
Bric Martin
Aquanaut
Posts: 673
Joined: Sun Oct 26, 2008 11:36 pm

Re: AP journalist dives into Gulf, can see only oil

Post by Bric Martin »

If the other divers wouldn't dive it without a Hazmat suit on, don't you think he should at least put a hood on?
Last edited by Bric Martin on Fri Jun 11, 2010 12:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Bric Martin

Save the Oceans, Save Ourselves!
RIP LCF
https://goo.gl/photos/tSdZZHXf4xejLBSz5
https://goo.gl/photos/fTCN7LuFvxWYF11e8
User avatar
ktb
I've Got Gills
Posts: 1541
Joined: Wed Dec 17, 2008 11:23 am

Re: AP journalist dives into Gulf, can see only oil

Post by ktb »

spatman wrote:
ktb wrote:Associated Press journalist Rich Matthews is certified with the Professional Association of Diving Instructors. He has been recreationally diving for about 10 years and has about 50 dives under his belt to depths of 120 feet.

I don't get it.
see bolded text above.
#-o

Ok, so the funny thing is, I've heard so many of the WRONG things PADI stood for that I guess I never learned the real thing. I kid you not.
Kelly
Peter Guy
Compulsive Diver
Posts: 377
Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2007 8:28 am

Re: AP journalist dives into Gulf, can see only oil

Post by Peter Guy »

There was just so much wrong with that dive, not to mention the story. The AP should be ashamed of it.

And, just for kicks, what WAS the news value anyway? Gee, there is a lot of oil in the water now? Who'd've thunk it? Or, hey, all this oil sticks? Again - who knew?

This just shows the worst of "modern journalism" as far as I'm concerned.
User avatar
ArcticDiver
I've Got Gills
Posts: 1476
Joined: Thu May 03, 2007 7:15 pm

Re: AP journalist dives into Gulf, can see only oil

Post by ArcticDiver »

In my planning process for a dive trip in July I've been looking at everything I can find on Keys diving. This "story" fits right in with the rest. A combination of self-serving yap, hysteria, CYA lard and noise. By the time a guy is done reading it is hard to discover what is actually going on; other than without a doubt there is a disaster.
The only box you have to think outside of is the one you build around yourself.
User avatar
coachrenz
Aquanaut
Posts: 649
Joined: Sat Nov 18, 2006 9:58 pm

Re: AP journalist dives into Gulf, can see only oil

Post by coachrenz »

ArcticDiver wrote:In my planning process for a dive trip in July I've been looking at everything I can find on Keys diving. This "story" fits right in with the rest. A combination of self-serving yap, hysteria, CYA lard and noise. By the time a guy is done reading it is hard to discover what is actually going on; other than without a doubt there is a disaster.
I had a dive operator refuse to give me a quote on a trip for summer of 2011 this far out because of the concern about not knowing what is going to happen in the Keys. They said that maybe after September, that they would be able to know a bit more about the situation.
Tim
SSI Dive Control Specialist Instructor
REEF PNW AAT Level 5 Surveyor
REEF Hawaii Level 3 Surveyor
REEF Instructor - PNW Fish, PNW Advanced Fish, PNW Inverts, TWA, HAW, TEP, Cal Inverts and Algae
TimRenz.com creating comfortable, confident, and enthusiastic divers.
User avatar
citycatred
Submariner
Posts: 530
Joined: Wed Mar 17, 2010 11:08 pm

Re: AP journalist dives into Gulf, can see only oil

Post by citycatred »

ktb wrote:
spatman wrote:
ktb wrote:Associated Press journalist Rich Matthews is certified with the Professional Association of Diving Instructors. He has been recreationally diving for about 10 years and has about 50 dives under his belt to depths of 120 feet.

I don't get it.
see bolded text above.
#-o

Ok, so the funny thing is, I've heard so many of the WRONG things PADI stood for that I guess I never learned the real thing. I kid you not.
I always thought it was Instruction instead of Instructors....

Fun thing is with there phone number PADI Americas
30151 Tomas
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688-2125
USA
Ph: 800 729 7234 (US and Canada)

It spells out PAY PADI
When in doubt, make a fool of yourself. There is a microscopically thin line between being brilliantly creative and acting like the most gigantic idiot on earth. So what the hell, leap.
Cynthia Heimel
User avatar
kat
Extreme Diving Machine
Posts: 416
Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2009 9:19 am

Re: AP journalist dives into Gulf, can see only oil

Post by kat »

oh man! wonder if they planned it that way...
"As long as you get everything tucked into your pants, you are good to go." -wasp7000
User avatar
eliseaboo
I've Got Gills
Posts: 1002
Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2009 5:50 am

Re: AP journalist dives into Gulf, can see only oil

Post by eliseaboo »

It's actually SAY PADI. It just happens to work both ways.
User avatar
lizard0924
Submariner
Posts: 533
Joined: Sun Mar 08, 2009 11:30 am

Re: AP journalist dives into Gulf, can see only oil

Post by lizard0924 »

eliseaboo wrote:It's actually SAY PADI. It just happens to work both ways.
Yeah, but PAY PADI is so much more appropriate, don't you think? :)
Liz

www.lizsundquist.com

Holy cow! I'm the Godzilla of the underworld, apparently. ~ JenBowes
I'm going to tie my spool off on your manifold and ride you like a manatee! ~ Scottsax
Lundy will forever be known as The Guy Touching Richard's Thong. ~ Spatman
User avatar
scottsax
I've Got Gills
Posts: 2102
Joined: Thu Aug 10, 2006 12:14 am

Re: AP journalist dives into Gulf, can see only oil

Post by scottsax »

Wait a minute....


We missed the most important thing (or, I did, anyway.)




Barbara started this thread!

BABS! How are ya'? Is there diving out there in our nation's capitol? When are you coming back to dive? (You gotta take a vacation some time!
:supz: :occasion5:
I'm going to look like a moose on rollerskates. -airsix
... my Mom caught me fenestrating once. -lavachickie
And I get so tired of fainting and peeing all over myself when the hammer falls on an empty chamber! -Nailer

Want to know where I'm performing? Check out my Facebook fan page!
User avatar
spatman
I've Got Gills
Posts: 10881
Joined: Wed May 30, 2007 7:06 am

Re: AP journalist dives into Gulf, can see only oil

Post by spatman »

here's the video associated with that article:

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/ ... l=20240840
Image
User avatar
Jaksonbrown
Amphibian
Posts: 849
Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2008 12:58 pm

Re: AP journalist dives into Gulf, can see only oil

Post by Jaksonbrown »

ktb wrote:
spatman wrote:
ktb wrote:Associated Press journalist Rich Matthews is certified with the Professional Association of Diving Instructors. He has been recreationally diving for about 10 years and has about 50 dives under his belt to depths of 120 feet.

I don't get it.
see bolded text above.
#-o

Ok, so the funny thing is, I've heard so many of the WRONG things PADI stood for that I guess I never learned the real thing. I kid you not.

So what does the fact that this moron, who happened to be certified by PADI, have anything whatsoever to do with the PADI organization ??

Pigeon holeing PADI for this idiots actions is like blaming Boeing for 911.
User avatar
spatman
I've Got Gills
Posts: 10881
Joined: Wed May 30, 2007 7:06 am

Re: AP journalist dives into Gulf, can see only oil

Post by spatman »

Jaksonbrown wrote:
ktb wrote:
spatman wrote:
ktb wrote:Associated Press journalist Rich Matthews is certified with the Professional Association of Diving Instructors. He has been recreationally diving for about 10 years and has about 50 dives under his belt to depths of 120 feet.

I don't get it.
see bolded text above.
#-o

Ok, so the funny thing is, I've heard so many of the WRONG things PADI stood for that I guess I never learned the real thing. I kid you not.

So what does the fact that this moron, who happened to be certified by PADI, have anything whatsoever to do with the PADI organization ??

Pigeon holeing PADI for this idiots actions is like blaming Boeing for 911.

huh? where do you get that from?
Image
Post Reply