proposed new legislation in Israel

Adam Helberg wrote:
> "Elad Lending" <lending@yahel.co.il> wrote in message
> news:afaa0811.0407191106.21d86088@posting.google.c om...
>
>>"Adam Helberg" <sendspamhere@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>
> news:<iZGKc.6902$mL5.753@newsread1.news.pas.earthl ink.net>...
>
>>>"Elad Lending" <lending@yahel.co.il> wrote in message
>>>news:afaa0811.0407162027.e1510fe@posting.google .com...
>>>
>>>>I wish to register my voice in protest against the new proposed
>>>>legislation that would require divers in Israel to dive only in the
>>>>framework of guided dives.
>>>>
>>>>While I can appreciate the reasons behind the proposal, namely to
>>>>safeguard life and to help preserve the coral reefs in Eilat, and
>>>>while I do not question the purity of the motives of the initiator of
>>>>the proposal, cannot agree to the basic limitations that such
>>>>legislation would place on divers' freedom. Please consider the
>>>>following:
>>>>
>>>>1. Diving is inherently dangerous, yes, but its practioners are
>>>>consenting adults, and ultimately they are responsible for their
>>>>actions.
>>>>2. Israel has recently required that a newbie diver complete no less
>>>>than 20 guided dives before he/she is authorized to dive without a
>>>>guide. Surely that is enough.
>>>>3. Waterproof diving maps to the attractions, complete with azimuth,
>>>>distances and depth should be made available. I should mention that
>>>>Jumping Joe Photography has made a good start in that direction, but
>>>>the lead should be taken by the authorities.
>>>>4. Diving clubs should be held to a stricter standard of rental
>>>>equipment; the closest I ever came to a diving accident came about
>>>>through poor equipment rented from a club during a guided dive.
>>>>5. The proposed legislation would greatly increase the cost of an
>>>>already expensive sport.
>>>>6. If, as the initiator claims, Israeli divers are inherently more
>>>>irresponsible than there international colleagues, (a claim often
>>>>echoed in the realm of driving), then perhaps changes are indicated in
>>>>the training courses. Surely no one would advocate having a driving
>>>>instructor present every time one wants to drive down to Eilat to go
>>>>diving...!
>>>>
>>>>Elad Lending, worried diver
>>>
>>>I dove in Eilat a couple of months ago and was surprised by how strict their laws
>>>are. They require dive insurance, a dive within 6 months logged preferably with
>
> an
>
>>>official stamp, and have depth limit 20m open water and 30m advanced. Actually we
>>>found lots of rules dealing with other forms of recreation and especially dealing
>>>with safety. For example the swimming pools tend to close down very early at 5-7
>
> pm
>
>>>because there is no lifeguard after this time. Ironic they are so safety
>
> conscious
>
>>>with all the danger of terrorism and war.
>>>
>>>I tend to agree that these regulations have gone too far compared to rest of the
>>>world and would tend to drive scuba tourism away. I like the idea of being able
>
> to
>
>>>dive without a guide. In trying to understand their thinking I wonder if it has
>
> to do
>
>>>with the small size of the reef area available to the country and the strong
>
> desire
>
>>>to protect what they have. I must say we found the reefs at the Coral Reserve
>
> Park in
>
>>>Eilat to be in good condition. Other times I thought all the regulation has to do
>>>with the socialist history of the founders of the country and their propensity to
>>>bureaucracy?
>>>
>>>Adam
>>
>>Adam, I believe that neither the socialist leanings of the founders
>>nor their propensity for bureaucracy have anything to do with this
>>initiative to propose new legislation requiring that all dives be
>>guided dives. (So far it's just a proposal.) The small size of the
>>reef, the large number of divers, the decline in the overall health of
>>the reef in recent years due to a number of factors (including
>>diver-caused damage), a sincere desire to do things right (even if we
>>don't always succeed), a sincere desire to preserve life, and a
>>willingness to follow Egypt's lead, which actually has adopted similar
>>legislation, is at work.
>>
>>By the way, there's no irony here. We Israelis cherish life.
>>Terrorism, if it has any effect at all, only makes us cherish it more.
>>
>>Elad, worried Israeli diver
>
>
> The other peculiar thing we noticed is that most divers in Eilat were young
> fit-looking men. It's as if diving is considered too dangerous except for the
> athletic young, which I believe was the same case here in the US years ago. We are
> used to seeing more women diving, more older people and more pot-bellied older men,
> than in Israel.
>
> One more question. Shaving the head seems to be very popular with young men in
> Israel. What's with that?
>
> Adam
>
>
>
Cleanliness, cooler, hygiene, they like the look?

Joe English <jenglish@accessusn.net> wrote in message news:<IrqdnWZ5QqV1xGPdRVn-sQ@accessus.net>...
> Adam Helberg wrote:
> > "Elad Lending" <lending@yahel.co.il> wrote in message
> > news:afaa0811.0407191106.21d86088@posting.google.c om...
> >
> >>"Adam Helberg" <sendspamhere@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> >
> > news:<iZGKc.6902$mL5.753@newsread1.news.pas.earthl ink.net>...
> >
> >>>"Elad Lending" <lending@yahel.co.il> wrote in message
> >>>news:afaa0811.0407162027.e1510fe@posting.google .com...
> >>>
> >>>>I wish to register my voice in protest against the new proposed
> >>>>legislation that would require divers in Israel to dive only in the
> >>>>framework of guided dives.
> >>>>
> >>>>While I can appreciate the reasons behind the proposal, namely to
> >>>>safeguard life and to help preserve the coral reefs in Eilat, and
> >>>>while I do not question the purity of the motives of the initiator of
> >>>>the proposal, cannot agree to the basic limitations that such
> >>>>legislation would place on divers' freedom. Please consider the
> >>>>following:
> >>>>
> >>>>1. Diving is inherently dangerous, yes, but its practioners are
> >>>>consenting adults, and ultimately they are responsible for their
> >>>>actions.
> >>>>2. Israel has recently required that a newbie diver complete no less
> >>>>than 20 guided dives before he/she is authorized to dive without a
> >>>>guide. Surely that is enough.
> >>>>3. Waterproof diving maps to the attractions, complete with azimuth,
> >>>>distances and depth should be made available. I should mention that
> >>>>Jumping Joe Photography has made a good start in that direction, but
> >>>>the lead should be taken by the authorities.
> >>>>4. Diving clubs should be held to a stricter standard of rental
> >>>>equipment; the closest I ever came to a diving accident came about
> >>>>through poor equipment rented from a club during a guided dive.
> >>>>5. The proposed legislation would greatly increase the cost of an
> >>>>already expensive sport.
> >>>>6. If, as the initiator claims, Israeli divers are inherently more
> >>>>irresponsible than there international colleagues, (a claim often
> >>>>echoed in the realm of driving), then perhaps changes are indicated in
> >>>>the training courses. Surely no one would advocate having a driving
> >>>>instructor present every time one wants to drive down to Eilat to go
> >>>>diving...!
> >>>>
> >>>>Elad Lending, worried diver
> >>>
> >>>I dove in Eilat a couple of months ago and was surprised by how strict their laws
> >>>are. They require dive insurance, a dive within 6 months logged preferably with
> >
> > an
> >
> >>>official stamp, and have depth limit 20m open water and 30m advanced. Actually we
> >>>found lots of rules dealing with other forms of recreation and especially dealing
> >>>with safety. For example the swimming pools tend to close down very early at 5-7
> >
> > pm
> >
> >>>because there is no lifeguard after this time. Ironic they are so safety
> >
> > conscious
> >
> >>>with all the danger of terrorism and war.
> >>>
> >>>I tend to agree that these regulations have gone too far compared to rest of the
> >>>world and would tend to drive scuba tourism away. I like the idea of being able
> >
> > to
> >
> >>>dive without a guide. In trying to understand their thinking I wonder if it has
> >
> > to do
> >
> >>>with the small size of the reef area available to the country and the strong
> >
> > desire
> >
> >>>to protect what they have. I must say we found the reefs at the Coral Reserve
> >
> > Park in
> >
> >>>Eilat to be in good condition. Other times I thought all the regulation has to do
> >>>with the socialist history of the founders of the country and their propensity to
> >>>bureaucracy?
> >>>
> >>>Adam
> >>
> >>Adam, I believe that neither the socialist leanings of the founders
> >>nor their propensity for bureaucracy have anything to do with this
> >>initiative to propose new legislation requiring that all dives be
> >>guided dives. (So far it's just a proposal.) The small size of the
> >>reef, the large number of divers, the decline in the overall health of
> >>the reef in recent years due to a number of factors (including
> >>diver-caused damage), a sincere desire to do things right (even if we
> >>don't always succeed), a sincere desire to preserve life, and a
> >>willingness to follow Egypt's lead, which actually has adopted similar
> >>legislation, is at work.
> >>
> >>By the way, there's no irony here. We Israelis cherish life.
> >>Terrorism, if it has any effect at all, only makes us cherish it more.
> >>
> >>Elad, worried Israeli diver
> >
> >
> > The other peculiar thing we noticed is that most divers in Eilat were young
> > fit-looking men. It's as if diving is considered too dangerous except for the
> > athletic young, which I believe was the same case here in the US years ago. We are
> > used to seeing more women diving, more older people and more pot-bellied older men,
> > than in Israel.
> >
> > One more question. Shaving the head seems to be very popular with young men in
> > Israel. What's with that?
> >
> > Adam
> >
> >
> >
> Cleanliness, cooler, hygiene, they like the look?

The reef in Eilat is close to shore, so boat dives (which are almost
by definition, guided) are not "necessary"; unguided shore-based dives
are very easy to plan and execute. The beachfront is short (11 km of
Israeli beachfront from Aqaba to Taba), the diver traffic is large and
increasing, the reefs are damaged and deteriorating, and the dive
accident rate is on the rise (from the 1990's), so what should be
done? I submit that whatever happens here will eventually happen
somewhere else where there's just too much going on in too small a
volume of water (the gulf of Eilat/Aqaba is almost like a lake from
the point of view of topography and water exchang with the Red Sea and
the Indian Ocean.)

Is requiring that all dives be guided the proper response? Or are
there better ways to safeguard the marine environment and human life?

Elad

"Elad Lending" <lending@yahel.co.il> wrote in message
news:afaa0811.0407260858.9028d07@posting.google.co m...
> The reef in Eilat is close to shore, so boat dives (which are almost
> by definition, guided) are not "necessary"; unguided shore-based dives
> are very easy to plan and execute. The beachfront is short (11 km of
> Israeli beachfront from Aqaba to Taba), the diver traffic is large and
> increasing, the reefs are damaged and deteriorating, and the dive
> accident rate is on the rise (from the 1990's), so what should be
> done? I submit that whatever happens here will eventually happen
> somewhere else where there's just too much going on in too small a
> volume of water (the gulf of Eilat/Aqaba is almost like a lake from
> the point of view of topography and water exchang with the Red Sea and
> the Indian Ocean.)
>
> Is requiring that all dives be guided the proper response? Or are
> there better ways to safeguard the marine environment and human life?
>
> Elad

Other places such as Cozumel have a dive fee per dive to maintain and monitor the
reef. This can be accompanied by education printed material or oral.

Adam