The Scuba Mermaid

⚠️ Warning! Graphic images! 👉🏽⁣
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☠️ It’s no surprise that dead animals have begun to wash up on the shores of the island nation Sri Lanka, after the cargo ship X-Press Pearl caught fire and sank off the coast of Colombo in June. ⁣
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☣️ The tanker was carrying 278 tonnes of bunker fuel oil, 50 tonnes of gas oil and 25 tonnes nitric acid - a “toxic chemical soup”, one environmental group called it. ⁣
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🐋 After sinking a few weeks ago, 176 turtles, 20 dolphins and 4 whales have been found washed ashore, along with hundreds of other marine animals, but likely millions have died already, with millions more to come. Most smaller dead bodies will sink to the sea bed or be carried out in ocean currents. ⁣
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🐬 Sri Lanka’s waters were known for their resident blue whales, many species of dolphins, and rich biodiversity. Now it is a toxic graveyard. ⁣
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➤ Please do share this news with your friends, colleagues and followers. There are victims here, and they aren’t just the animals that have lost their lives, they are each and every one of us. This is our home! When are we going to wake up and start protecting it? ⁣
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🌏 🌊 Biodiversity and a healthy planet are really the only 2 things that we simply cannot exist without. If this is the end of the human race I certainly am not going down without a fight. Are you with me? ⁣
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💬 Does ego stop us from accepting help or admitting we need help?... ⁣
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I feel like in these situations there are a several commonly identifiable types of diver behaviours:⁣
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1. A refusal to admit they require help in some form or another. ⁣
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2. A negative association (in our social norms) associated with asking for or needing help. ⁣
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3. A reluctance to offer help or, adversely, a commanding nature to dominate others (demanding authority). ⁣
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🤿 When we talk about ego it’s interesting to approach the topic from the power and social dynamic perspective, especially since the sport takes place mostly underwater - where social behaviour is entirely unique and not yet studied. ⁣
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🗣 In my experience, biological instinct (if that is what it is) is not as easily ignored underwater than it is on the surface, and although it makes sense that the pre-dive period is the easiest time to study and assess behaviour, it cannot be conclusive. ⁣
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🧠 So we may have to delve into the specifics of case studies, continue to have these discussions and try to stay open-minded as we explore the psychology and behaviour of others and ourselves. ⁣
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On that note, I’m still very interested in your thoughts on this: ⁣
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💬 Can over-confidence diminish trust between divers? ⁣
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💬 Is buddy-compatibility important, and can it be measured?⁣
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💬 How can we manage and reduce risk taking “ego” into account? ⁣
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