It seem to always make them feel better if you tell them you are going to
eat it. (not the shell, the booger inside)

----- Original Message -----
From: "Simon Wilson" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, January 01, 2008 3:37 PM
Subject: Re: [CONCH-L] stop shell collecting


> G'day Vicky & List,
>
> I've had the same issue a few times.
> I got berated once for collecting a nice fresh dead cowrie (in Vanuatu).
> Maybe he was just jealous he hadn't found it!?
> What really amused me though was one time when I was treated like a
> 'freak'/ 'leaper' for collecting a live Cypraea 'zoila' venusta on a dive
> yet other divers on the same dive & boat had collected a couple of crays
> each!
> I really can't see the difference. In fact I'm sure I did less damage to
> the environment on that dive than cray bashing!?
>
> Also another dive when the divemaster (and dive buddy) was shocked I
> collected a crabbed shell specimen (uncommon shell in good condition) on a
> scallop dive. That same dive master had close to their quota of scallops
> while I had less scallops and a couple of fresh dead shells incl. the
> crabbed specimen. Weird!
>
> I usually now either collect by stealth or just don't bother trying to
> collect on Charter dives.
> I usually also try and check out their policy beforhand if i can!
> We are usually only talking 1 - 3 (5 shells at most) on a charter dive. I
> find it really difficult usually to collect shells on a Charter dive!
> One dive master in Vietnam did explain he wasn't keen on live shell
> collecting (when I asked him) but had no problem with dead shells (in fact
> he collected dead shells himself). That was fine. On the dives we did
> together I only collected dead/ fresh dead shells.
>
> That's why now I usually try and Shore dive as much as I can.
> Truth be known I have probably collected better & more interesting shells
> by Shore diving (particularly at Night) than from Charter boat dives. Boat
> dives from a private boat are different but I haven't been fortunate to be
> able to do that many of those!
>
> Simon
> Melbourne, Australia
>
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> have had several divemasters get touchy about shell collecting. But not
> one of them
> cautioned tourist divers why they should take care diving around coral.
> More damage was
> done there than any shell collecting I did.
>
> Vicky Wall, Mayodan, NC
>
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