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Grant · 01-15-2007, 10:34 AM

At the risk of sounding like a broken record (I've told this one before), I have to share my favorite example of boaters ignoring dive flags.

We were out for a Sunday morning two-tank trip with Dive Winnipesaukee, and made a stop at the Lady of the Lake. As usual, the Divemaster went first, and tethered two dive flags to the wreck -- one on the bow, another on the stern. The boat -- a bright red, 30-ft. vessel with dive flag, signage, etc., was anchored within 12-15 feet of one of the flags. This way, divers can enter the water, swim at surface right next to the hull of the boat, then descend the anchor line and follow a reel line from the anchor line to wreck. Nice and safe -- and NECESSARY in that area.

Well, after a dive, as we're awaiting the rest of the divers to surface, some clown ignores not one, but two, dive flags and drives right between the flag and the dive boat -- with a deck full of gear-laden divers. He might've been 5-7 feet from the flag and about the same from the boat. I literally could've (and should've) spit from the deck and hit the operator. Completely oblivious!
All we could do was shake our heads and be glad that no one was surfacing at that moment.

01-15-2007, 10:34 AM	#13
Grant Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Pennsyltuckey, Tuftonboro, Moultonborough Posts: 1,510 Thanks: 387 Thanked 234 Times in 128 Posts	At the risk of sounding like a broken record (I've told this one before), I have to share my favorite example of boaters ignoring dive flags. We were out for a Sunday morning two-tank trip with Dive Winnipesaukee, and made a stop at the Lady of the Lake. As usual, the Divemaster went first, and tethered two dive flags to the wreck -- one on the bow, another on the stern. The boat -- a bright red, 30-ft. vessel with dive flag, signage, etc., was anchored within 12-15 feet of one of the flags. This way, divers can enter the water, swim at surface right next to the hull of the boat, then descend the anchor line and follow a reel line from the anchor line to wreck. Nice and safe -- and NECESSARY in that area. Well, after a dive, as we're awaiting the rest of the divers to surface, some clown ignores not one, but two, dive flags and drives right between the flag and the dive boat -- with a deck full of gear-laden divers. He might've been 5-7 feet from the flag and about the same from the boat. I literally could've (and should've) spit from the deck and hit the operator. Completely oblivious! All we could do was shake our heads and be glad that no one was surfacing at that moment. __________________ "When I die, please don't let my wife sell my dive gear for what I told her I paid for it."