Coral Reef       Hello, Z.   Hi, Z.   Hello, X, Y.    You haven't been diving for quite a while. Got injured?   No, I quit for the time being.   Why is that ? Burned out ? You used to take part in every event.   It isn't worthwhile anymore. Too much has changed.    Like what?   Just take the waters; they are completely run-down; everything is filthy.   Well, it isn't that bad.   Yes, it is, and it is getting worse. The coral reef is decaying into a septic tank. What is the point going there? Back when I started, the water was mostly clean and there were colorful and remarkable fish and plants.   Nowadays the fish and plants are still colored?!   Right, because of all that chemical waste. The originally colored ones are getting less and less. Under today's conditions, only mimicry sharks and hopping jellyfish are prospering; and those reproduce by inbred.   Mimicry sharks?   Yes, that are sardines disguised as fighting fish.   Sounds like a feat by itself.   Some species can only be encountered in remote areas, such as the black combat mackerel and the yoga perch.   Well, I am quite new with all this, but I have fun.   You don't know the difference to how it ought to be.   Maybe you could show it to us.   That's hardly possible in this environment.   You see! Everything is changing. I don't want to practise some kind of eco-fundamentalism but to displace water.    And our club is polluted, too.   We've got a considerable number of members, and some weeks ago many passed their diving license test.   Sure, in the paddle pond. Those are no real examinations. Today's requirements qualify people for using bath tubs. If they happen to get into real deep water they are finished.   But where should one draw the line? What does deep mean? One meter, ten meters, hundred meters?   Emergency situations are also not practised anymore.   So what should be done? Throwing people into a flooded quarry with their arms cuffed and an envil tied around their neck?   There are also many reasonable scenarios.   Then it would once again be completely arbitrary, and many members would leave our club.   That wouldn't be a great loss   The club president is now an officially recognised frogman with diamond studded rubidium snorkel pin award.   Because of his merits for tourism. He is luring short term visitors by the score. This sponger-octopus sells any latrine as a nature preserve.   Whatever, but people seem to like it.   The city slickers can be sold anything. They are inexperienced, and when snorkeling a bit, they feel like Jacques Cousteau.   But the reef authority states that everything is pristine. And they are the experts. They do have to know it best.     The responsible water authority does not only tolerate this but rewards those participating. Without their active involvement all this crap would not be possible in the first place. For personal benefit they would probably drain the Atlantic.   That would be much safer. Ships could not sink anymore.   And then release it for waste disposal.      The oceans have never been completely clean. Nobody should try to play some moral judge.   By the way, what happened to the guy who suggested to substitute the oxygen tanks by airships with long hoses?   He is now one of the instructors.   All this hasn't much in common with diving anymore. It's like hiking on a flooded garbage dump.   But doing nothing at all?   Whatever, I believe that a real diver can practise anywhere. There is always something to watch.    I didn't start diving to walk the equipment in some murky fluid but to experience nature.   And what are you doing now?   Actually, I resumed mountain climbing and watching birds. I've been doing this frequently in the past, and even today it remains quite untouched and natural.   Where does it take place? I am sure many people would like to go there and have fun. How much does it cost? Do they award rank emblems??        © 2009 SWV