Get Your Dive Flag ON!

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iluvtheocean

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Location
Hollywood, FL
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the article is dated 4/13/14 --- i have no idea why they are talking about 2012 in the article though... unless someone on the website made a big mistake and redid an old article which i'm now thinking they did:D

FWC promotes dive flag awareness Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) law enforcement officers will be conducting a special operation called “Wave the Flag” on Saturday and Sunday, May 19 and 20. The goal of this effort is to raise “divers-down” flag awareness for both divers and boaters.

FWC officers will use laser radar units to measure the distance between boaters and divers. They will then pursue violators. Last year, the operation, which was in Broward County, resulted in 12 citations and 30 written warnings.
This year’s Wave the Flag operation will extend into Palm Beach, Broward, Dade and Monroe counties. Local coastal police departments, sheriff’s offices and officers with the U.S. Coast Guard will join the FWC in this two-day operation.
“The FWC wants to make sure that 2012 is a safe year for both divers and snorkelers,” said Lt. David Bingham. “We want to remind divers that they must properly display a dive flag, and boaters must steer clear of divers.”
While on the water, divers and boaters need to remember the following rules regarding dive flags:
Divers-down flags displayed on vessels must be at least 20 inches by 24 inches, and a stiffener is required to keep the flag unfurled. Dive flags carried on floats must be at least 12 inches by 12 inches. Also, divers-down flags on vessels must be displayed above the vessel’s highest point so that the flag’s visibility is not obstructed in any direction.

Divers must make reasonable efforts to stay within 300 feet of a divers-down flag on open waters and within 100 feet of a flag within rivers, inlets or navigation channels.
Vessel operators must make a reasonable effort to maintain a distance of at least 300 feet from divers-down flags on open waters and at least 100 feet from flags on rivers, inlets or navigation channels. Vessels approaching divers-down flags closer than 300 feet in open water and 100 feet in rivers, inlets and navigation channels must slow to idle speed.
When divers are out of the water, a dive flag must not be displayed.
The media are invited to cover operation Wave the Flag and join a ride-along with FWC officers involved in the event. Contact Carli Segelson to set up a ride-along.
For more information on boating regulations, visit MyFWC.com/Boating and click on “Boating Regulations.”
 
like you said perhaps a reprint of 2012... “Wave the Flag” on Saturday and Sunday, May 19 and 20. The goal of this effort is to raise “divers-down” flag awareness for both divers and boaters.
 
Genuine question here: How enforced are these rules on the reefs off key largo? We've always used a dive flag on the boat, but never a towable. I don't know how far we've gotten, but there are always dozens of boats with the flags all around and when entering the area we assume that there are divers on any part of the reef and watch for bubbles. It's possible we've gone beyond 300ft, but I've never busted out the towable.
 
Those 12"x12" flags are worthless unless you are on a canal.

Shore divers don't realize that the boat driver is looking through a windshield with salt spray, glare off the water, swells and just plain closing speed. If a boat is going 40-50 mph, it's almost on top of the flag before they see it. The 12"x12" flag will keep you legal but you really want the bigger flag for visibility. A larger flag on a 6 ft shaft will make you a lot more visible, which is the purpose of the flag, not meeting minimum requirements.

[video=youtube;JxvHI34zOAk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxvHI34zOAk[/video]
 
except diving in a canal isn't the smartest thing to do around here... besides low viz and poison in the water from runoff, let's not forget the cuddly gator whose always up for a snack.

i'm not saying larger flags wouldn't/aren't better...

smart boaters will know that at least a few places are very popular among divers such as lbts. be aware of where you are

---------- Post added April 29th, 2014 at 10:49 AM ----------

Genuine question here: How enforced are these rules on the reefs off key largo? We've always used a dive flag on the boat, but never a towable. I don't know how far we've gotten, but there are always dozens of boats with the flags all around and when entering the area we assume that there are divers on any part of the reef and watch for bubbles. It's possible we've gone beyond 300ft, but I've never busted out the towable.

don't really need a towable if diving from a boat..... it does say a "reasonable effort"
 
except diving in a canal isn't the smartest thing to do around here... besides low viz and poison in the water from runoff, let's not forget the cuddly gator whose always up for a snack.

i'm not saying larger flags wouldn't/aren't better...

smart boaters will know that at least a few places are very popular among divers such as lbts. be aware of where you are

---------- Post added April 29th, 2014 at 10:49 AM ----------



don't really need a towable if diving from a boat..... it does say a "reasonable effort"

Smart Boater is the keyword, I would say that the majority of the boaters out there don't have any idea that LBTS is a favorite dive site, there are a lot of them that don't even know when they are at LBTS. They just follow the change in color line down the coast at 40-50mph. The change in color is the reef sand boundary
 
and a lot of them tend to be intoxicated as well... at least with LBTS unless you're going out to the 3rd reef -- boats are "supposed" to stay 300 ft away from the pier
 
I have a boat flag that I use instead of the 12x12. I have seen prop wash on a beach dive..
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/
https://xf2.scubaboard.com/community/forums/cave-diving.45/

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