# Be careful out there!



## polar21 (Nov 5, 2007)

Did a 3 tank trip yesterday and had a couple of "near misses". First instance was on the Penhal and had a boat go over us as we were doing a free ascent. I should have sent up a safety sausage but the boat was going way faster than idle. Second near miss involved another boat "losing" two female divers. We found the two divers about 500yds away and they were drifting in the current. 

Just a reminder for all to be safe including a safety sausage and safety line out the back of the boat if the current is strong.


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## lastcast (Oct 12, 2007)

I hope you don't me adding. Watch out for kayaks in the pass in the early morning and late evening. Those dirty green ones aren't very noticeable.


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## HaoleByTheSea (Oct 24, 2012)

Was your near miss within the dive flag limitations? If so, that makes me nervous...


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## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

That is why we always dove 2 up and 2 down. We would always stay above the bubbles to keep the boats off the divers.


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## Telum Pisces (Sep 27, 2007)

And please don't dive with the boat empty. One of my golden rules these days! Just adding to the "be safe" message.


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## polar21 (Nov 5, 2007)

HaoleByTheSea said:


> Was your near miss within the dive flag limitations? If so, that makes me nervous...


I would estimate that we surfaced about 100yds from the boat (at least the swim felt that long!). It did make me nervous but I should have sent up my safety sausage. Still, the other boat (newer Mckee Craft) was going way faster than just an idle and we had a dive flag up in the boat that was clearly visible). 

We always have a bubble watcher in the boat as well. Like sealrk said I think I might just start doing the "follow the bubbles" thing vs anchoring...


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## lastcast (Oct 12, 2007)

Like sealrk said I think I might just start doing the "follow the bubbles" thing vs anchoring...

What is this?


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## FenderBender (Oct 2, 2007)

lastcast said:


> Like sealrk said I think I might just start doing the "follow the bubbles" thing vs anchoring...
> 
> What is this?



You just drop a bouy, divers go to bottom and someone drives the boat watching the divers bubbles below as they dive and ascend. Only works well in calmer seas with little current as current can move the bubbles quite a bit off the wreck. Preferable to anchoring if you have a competent crew. You don't even need a bouy if someone driving can hold up over the wreck.


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## lastcast (Oct 12, 2007)

Thanks.


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

FenderBender said:


> You just drop a bouy, divers go to bottom and someone drives the boat watching the divers bubbles below as they dive and ascend. Only works well in calmer seas with little current as current can move the bubbles quite a bit off the wreck. Preferable to anchoring if you have a competent crew. You don't even need a bouy if someone driving can hold up over the wreck.


How did my name get in here lobsterman posted the bubbles. The above quote is more proper than holding above the bubbles with a turning propeller. The diver could ascend into the propeller. just stay in the vicinity of the wreck away from the bubbles. I rarely ever see bubbles come straight up.:thumbup:


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## DMcBride (Oct 23, 2013)

Here is a video compilation of a couple trips with Polar21, including the above post. The GoPro was angled too high so I missed some good footage of a sea turtle and a harassing bull. 

Disclaimer: The trigger was released, the cobia was grilled. 

https://vimeo.com/127435452


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## Bluediemond (Apr 28, 2009)

Dove Portifino Saturday and had no less than 4 flags up. Boat pulled up right between the flags and stared fishing! I was between dives or I would have probably wrapped my flag around his prop!


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## HaoleByTheSea (Oct 24, 2012)

Bluediemond said:


> Dove Portifino Saturday and had no less than 4 flags up. Boat pulled up right between the flags and stared fishing! I was between dives or I would have probably wrapped my flag around his prop!



This is why we are hesitant to dive around here... maybe this should get more people fined!


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## 192 (Oct 1, 2007)

Fine for what? If he approached at idle speed then he was within the regs although not the best idea with a cluster of dive boats. BD, did you talk to him or just wait to convey your evil flag wrapping plans for the Internet?

At the end of the day it goes back to mutual respect on the water.


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## HaoleByTheSea (Oct 24, 2012)

Yeah, whatever. If you don't get it, then you just don't get it. If there is a dive flag up then divers down - I don't want ANY boat approaching me, especially dropping hooks where I might be diving. Evil flag wrapping? The guy was just venting, geez...



grouper22 said:


> Fine for what? If he approached at idle speed then he was within the regs although not the best idea with a cluster of dive boats. BD, did you talk to him or just wait to convey your evil flag wrapping plans for the Internet?
> 
> At the end of the day it goes back to mutual respect on the water.


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## 192 (Oct 1, 2007)

Oh I get it. But thanks....Like I said, mutual respect on the water.


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## HaoleByTheSea (Oct 24, 2012)

I could not agree more Grouper!


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## naclh2oDave (Apr 8, 2008)

Bluediemond said:


> Dove Portifino Saturday and had no less than 4 flags up. Boat pulled up right between the flags and stared fishing! I was between dives or I would have probably wrapped my flag around his prop!



Mutual respect or no, if the boat came in at idle he was within his rights. Even fishing. May have been a dick move, but legal.


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## HaoleByTheSea (Oct 24, 2012)

Wow, you can troll right up to a dive flag? I thought at the very least you could not drag hooks over where people were diving!


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## HaoleByTheSea (Oct 24, 2012)

naclh2oDave said:


> Mutual respect or no, if the boat came in at idle he was within his rights. Even fishing. May have been a dick move, but legal.


BTW, love the nacl/h20 reference in your name


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

Public spots are just that get use to those spots being crowded. The best thing to do is learn the spots layout. And dive or fish them together. I went to the freighter last friday two boats already fishing it. I anchored talked friendly with the fishermen. Made a dive down and up the anchor line. Told the fishermen what was down there waved and left. There were 6 boats running around when I left. Sometimes the boaters get mad at me diving. I just say show me your title for this spot and I will leave. If I run 15 miles to dive a public spot i'm gonna dive it. And yes I most of the time dive alone. Been a loner diving for 61 years. Now I gonna load the boat and go again.


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## naclh2oDave (Apr 8, 2008)

HaoleByTheSea said:


> Wow, you can troll right up to a dive flag? I thought at the very least you could not drag hooks over where people were diving!


Yes, you can fish over divers and divers can dive under fishermen. The only legal references are how a boat is operated around dive flags.....


For Boaters in Florida
The following is from Chapter 27 of the 2003 Florida Statutes:

(6) Any vessel other than a law enforcement or rescue vessel that approaches within 100 feet of a divers-down flag on a river, inlet, or navigation channel, or within 300 feet of a divers-down flag on waters other than a river, inlet, or navigation channel, must proceed no faster than is necessary to maintain headway and steerageway.


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## HaoleByTheSea (Oct 24, 2012)

Holy hell... This begs the question - has anyone ever been snagged? Can you see the hooks coming? It *is* kind of murky out there...


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## Snagged Line (Sep 30, 2007)

HaoleByTheSea said:


> Holy hell... This begs the question - has anyone ever been snagged? Can you see the hooks coming? It *is* kind of murky out there...



My dive buddy's wife was snagged and being Horsed to the surface once... It took three of us to hold her down until the fishing line could be cut.....


Sent through Tapatalk, even though they ruined it with "upgrades"...


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## HaoleByTheSea (Oct 24, 2012)

As much as I love to dive, and have dove in my life, I'm just reading this and saying "hmmmmmm....". Uh, yeah, no. Diving might have to wait til I get to a less fishy/sharky place (like the Caribbean).


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