USVI-On-Line

We were at Maho today and some guy got in the water with snorkel gear and a spear gun. Isn't that illegal? He came out with nothing but I was really disturbed by it and so was Crash.

Yet another interesting question!

We were on waterlemon beach talking w/ a local who told us that he spear fishes in those waters, but I didn't presume he meant w/ a GUN. HE told us that he needs to be very careful w/ his catch as the barracuda will try to get the fish he just speared and sometimes end up w/ the fisherman's finger instead of the fish!

I can't wait for more info on this???

Like Crash said, "What worries me is if there's blood in the water wouldn't that attract predators?"
It just bothered me because this guy was definitely not a local....I know you can't feed the fish..

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Thanks for that... Like Crash said, " What am I going to do? Walk up to a guy holding a spear gun armed with my SPF 15?"....

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Yeah Bevm, that's disturbing, I'd want to say something too, but what do ya say with out being jerky?

Dave

Last Friday we were at Hawksnest and there was a Childcare group right next to us with about 15 kids. They were off school for Carnival. The older kids (approx. 10-13 yrs old) were foolng around when a stingray came close to the shoreline. I grabbed my snorkel gear and ran into check him out. The kids began grabbing handfuls of sand and chuncks of washed up coral and throwing it at the stingray. I was not only unhappy that they were tormenting the stingray but a little nervous since I was right next to him. What if he darted quickly and I was in his way? What if they hit me with the coral pieces? The teachers did nothing to stop them. I was shocked at the whole seniaro

XOXO
Bug

When I lived on island, I noticed sometimes that the children that lived there did not have the same respect for the sea that most tourists do......
some children and even some adults not all though

Shocking that in this day and age, some are still so ignorant of the obvious. Common sense ain't so common.

It's actually quite a bit more complicated than that. The idea of animals as pets and companions is actually something that has not traditionally been part of the culture here. In some cultures, animals are considered food sources out of necessity. Some of the animals that continentals consider man's best friend were here seen as the enforcers of tyrannical rulers. This is not a matter of common sense, ignorance or political correctness. It was a matter of survival. It can take many years to change cultural perceptions and it is something that animal lovers here are working to overcome every day. It is not an easy task.
I know this from many discussions with Doris Jadan who was a schoolteacher here for many years. She was a fountain of knowledge and understanding and I miss her dearly.
-Ruth