Posted by Wayne on July 22, 2002 at 16:00:23:
In Reply to: Re: Any recourse against boaters who ignore diver down flags? posted by Captain Tim on July 22, 2002 at 13:37:34:
Sometimes it is a small area and we want to dive, too. The truth is that sometimes I have anchored "near" other boats with divers in the water. I have tried to leave a comfortable distance, but my comfy might be another boater's panic zone. In particular it is worse if they do not know that I am aware of their divers and that I am carefully trying to avoid killing anyone.
My normal mode is to drop speed to a crawl (minimum speed to manuever). I watch their diver's bubbles and stay away from their divers -- especially when dropping a hook! The simple truth is that the other boat cannot know that I am paying attention. I usually put up my flag as I approach in an effort to give them some comfort that I might not be carelessly running through their divers, but again, they really do not know what I am doing or that I am looking. What bothers me is when another boat driver goes fast near a boat with divers.
Wayne