Whale Tale

MaryS said:

Whale Tale: Man Survives Giant Animal's Smack
ABC News: Whale Tale: Man Survives Giant Animal's Smack
I hope this works, I've never pasted a link here before.

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Yes the link works.
And good for them.
They deserved more than a smack.
Any and all divers know that it is forbidden to swim with the mating whales.
Let this be a lesson to them.
I hope they throw their arses in jail too.

Whales don't do well in jail.........apparently

Rocky said:

Yes the link works.
And good for them.
They deserved more than a smack.
Any and all divers know that it is forbidden to swim with the mating whales.
Let this be a lesson to them.
I hope they throw their arses in jail too.

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Apparently this happened North of Puerto Plata on the Silver Bank and swimming with whales (although not that close) is permitted in that one location.



Soft in-water encounters are the only type of in-water activity permitted without special permission.

A soft in-water encounter is non-aggressive floating at the surface, in mask, fins and snorkel. All passengers from a tender undertaking a soft in-water encounter must remain in a group and always obey the instructions of the tender crew.

Soft-in-water encounters are permitted in the Sanctuary after participants have been given an orientation on procedures and after practicing a soft in-water encounter simulation.

Soft in-water encounters are not permitted close to any type of breaching activity, fin slapping, lob tailing, or in the presence of "rowdy" or competitive groups. If persons are already in the water when such circumstances arise, they must be directed to leave the water immediately.

Scuba or rebreather diving is not permitted anywhere in the Sanctuary without special permission.

Free-diving close to a whale or touching or attempting to touch a whale is not permitted."

From Regulations

Gregg

FireGuy said:

Apparently this happened North of Puerto Plata on the Silver Bank and swimming with whales (although not that close) is permitted in that one location.

"Guidelines for In-Water Activities​

Soft in-water encounters are the only type of in-water activity permitted without special permission.

A soft in-water encounter is non-aggressive floating at the surface, in mask, fins and snorkel. All passengers from a tender undertaking a soft in-water encounter must remain in a group and always obey the instructions of the tender crew.

Soft-in-water encounters are permitted in the Sanctuary after participants have been given an orientation on procedures and after practicing a soft in-water encounter simulation.

Soft in-water encounters are not permitted close to any type of breaching activity, fin slapping, lob tailing, or in the presence of "rowdy" or competitive groups. If persons are already in the water when such circumstances arise, they must be directed to leave the water immediately.

Scuba or rebreather diving is not permitted anywhere in the Sanctuary without special permission.

Free-diving close to a whale or touching or attempting to touch a whale is not permitted."

From Regulations

Gregg

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Thanks for that info, Gregg.
This is my take on the matter.
Even if it's legal in that spot, any decent diver knows you're not supposed to disturb the whales at mating time, and certainly are not supposed to touch them.
This story about the current pushing them towards the whales is BS.
Although they tell that story, they also mention swimming towards the whales in the editorial, as well as in the video clip, and you can clearly see in the clip that the snorkelers were free floating around the whales and making no attempt to backtrack, as they would have, if the current were truly moving them against their wills.
Obviously the part about the current pushing them close to the whales is pure fabrication, so as to justify them being that close.
If nothing else, the less experienced injured divers/snorkelers who were touring with Thornton (a master diver), assuming he was in charge, should sue his butt off.
The whales are precious intelligent mammals who should be observed from a distance, specially at mating time.
We as humans have already caused them enough damage.
Fools who disturb them and cause them anxiety, deserve what they get.

I just saw an interview on CTV (a Canadain national television network) with the woman from Utah who was mildly injured in the incident (her husband is the one with the broken leg). Two things were of interest to me in what she said:

1) While the regulations specifically state that you are NOT to touch the whales - "Free-diving close to a whale or touching or attempting to touch a whale is not permitted" the lady emphatically stated that the snorkelers were repeatedly told by the tour operators that it was OK to approach and touch the whales - quelle surprise!!

2) The Dominican medical treatment provided to the gentleman with the broken leg was done in such a manner that instead of being almost immediately mobile in a limited sense (as would be expected in North America) he will be forced to remain in bed for 3 - 6 months before beginning to be mobile. Reference was made to his operation where he was given an epidural instead of a general and was therefore awake during the operation. He saw the hand saws and drills (no medical power tools) which were used on him and could only grit his teeth as he heard the sounds from the operation site. Reference was also made to the frequent power outages in the hospital or clinic (location was not identified).

All in all not a pretty picture painted of the DR.

Gregg

FireGuy said:

1) While the regulations specifically state that you are NOT to touch the whales - "Free-diving close to a whale or touching or attempting to touch a whale is not permitted" the lady emphatically stated that the snorkelers were repeatedly told by the tour operators that it was OK to approach and touch the whales - quelle surprise!!
Gregg

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Good catch, Gregg.
Bit by bit, the real truth will come out.

A current carries both the whale and the swimmer in the same direction at the same speed. Yes, it's pure BS by tour operators that don't know enough about the sea to have brought tourists out in it.

FireGuy said:

2) The Dominican medical treatment provided to the gentleman with the broken leg was done in such a manner that instead of being almost immediately mobile in a limited sense (as would be expected in North America) he will be forced to remain in bed for 3 - 6 months before beginning to be mobile. Reference was made to his operation where he was given an epidural instead of a general and was therefore awake during the operation. He saw the hand saws and drills (no medical power tools) which were used on him and could only grit his teeth as he heard the sounds from the operation site. Reference was also made to the frequent power outages in the hospital or clinic (location was not identified).

All in all not a pretty picture painted of the DR.

Gregg

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I saw the interview on ABC's Good Morning America this morning and was running in to work to post it on here and noticed someone beat me to it.

I personally have never really received any medical care in DR and as far as medical care in Clinics is concerned, I have only heard the best unlike what I've heard about public hospitals.

However, I was extremely bothered by the way they made DR sound so primitive in the medical service they provide.

Would anyone know what medical center attended to the gentleman in the news report? I wonder if it was a hospital or clinic.

If it was a hospital, then is it true that these are the types of treatment people face every day when visiting a public hospital in DR?

Another thing I now recall from the interview is that the lady said the mother and her calf were "sleeping".

What kind of a person with a death wish approaches a huge, sleeping, wild animal, with a calf, and gets between the two. Apparently the calf awoke with a start, which woke the mother and then instinct kicked in.

It is very fortunate for the geniuses from Utah that we aren't reading a couple of obituaries. They had a very uncomfortable 9.5 hour boat ride back to Puerto Plata before they saw any real medical people. Up to that time a makeshift splint for the broken leg was the extent of the medical assistance. Well prepared crew...

Gregg

MaryS said:

Maybe some of the posters from the POP area could comment on this one?

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In this thread, http://www.dr1.com/forums/legal/60486-urgent-please-respond-if-you-can-help.html, they refer to being under the care of Dr. Rendado. He is with Centro Medical Bournigal.

Having been a patient in Bournigal recently, I have a few questions as to the claims of this diver.

He claims there was no electric at times. In the 10 days I was a patient, the generator backup always came on within 15 seconds of a loss of power.

He claims the Operating Rooms were open air with louver windows. The Operating Room I was in was air conditioned as were the patient rooms. The open air areas are the hallways.

He criticizes having been given an epidural rather than general anesthesia. I wonder which the anesthesiologist felt was the safest.

He says the surgeon used a hacksaw and a sledge hammer. Orthopedic instrumentation does resemble carpentry tools. Lucky he didn't get hit in the head as they might of used a hand drill to open his skull.

He says he had a 9 hour boat ride from the injury site to land. He must have been on a real slow boat.

What is the matter with these people?

Also in the editorial it says that it permitted in the Dominican Republic to swim and dive with the whales, this is incorrect surely?
These people make me cross. They are behaving irresponsibly and giving the DR a bad name through their own foolishness.
You have to bed out of your mind to swim near those big whales, of course they will protect their young.

Frankie said:

Also in the editorial it says that it permitted in the Dominican Republic to swim and dive with the whales, this is incorrect surely?
These people make me cross. They are behaving irresponsibly and giving the DR a bad name through their own foolishness.
You have to bed out of your mind to swim near those big whales, of course they will protect their young.

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Frankie,

Read my link above...

In Samana it is forbidden to swim with the whales but on the Silver Bank in the sea north of Nagua is IS PERMITTED.

Gregg

And another thing!

Have just read the post that says that the hospital was Bournigal. I have visited Bournigal for a few times for treatment plus have one friend who has been admitted there and another that had a baby there recently. I have always found the treatment and staff efficient and excellent and so have my friends. If these people cannot see through the lack of American, over the top luxury in their hospitals that cost a fortune and no one can afford to go to they will see that the place is not lovely to look at but is clean and caring. Still cross. Maybe these people should not leave America if they are so brainless and narrowmindedgre: .

FireGuy said:

Frankie,

Read my link above...

In Samana it is forbidden to swim with the whales but on the Silver Bank in the sea north of Nagua is IS PERMITTED.

Gregg

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Sorry Gregg. Had my stroppy head on and didn't read your post properly!!

If memory serves me, I believe this is the dive operator involved Turks and Caicos Aggressor II - world class scuba diving.

I would like to know if they were mentioned in any of the news reports. At least ABC seems to put the blame on the D.R. as to "promoting" this type of irresponsible act and putting "profits before safety" when this is clearly the responsibility of the licensed operator, which by the way is not even based out of the D.R.

Tuan said:

A current carries both the whale and the swimmer in the same direction at the same speed. Yes, it's pure BS by tour operators that don't know enough about the sea to have brought tourists out in it.

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Good point.

It is evident that they (the diving fools) are trying to divert attention away from the real issue at hand, that they should NOT have been that close to the whales and that they acted irresponsibly.
May the fleas of a thousand camels infest their crotches.

Narcosis said:

If memory serves me, I believe this is the dive operator involved Turks and Caicos Aggressor II - world class scuba diving.

I would like to know if they were mentioned in any of the news reports. At least ABC seems to put the blame on the D.R. as to "promoting" this type of irresponsible act and putting "profits before safety" when this is clearly the responsibility of the licensed operator, which by the way is not even based out of the D.R.

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I have heard about these guys before and some issues they had, but I believe it's a different group than the ones being discussed here.