Useless Dive Flag in Rainbow River, Florida!

[Zieg]

So this all brings up questions from me. I've encountered this problem way too many times. What about "lowering the anchor versus "dropping" the anchor.

I've been on a site when someone approaches at a safe speed, looking out for divers, asks if they may join us on this spot. I inform them that we have divers in the water, please lower your anchor so not to hit divers. No problems.

I've also had a situation where we approached the commercial dive boat, asked if we may join them, and lowered the anchor to the wreck. We did this looking for bubbles or any sign of divers so we would not possibly injure anyone. When we got to the wreck we found that the divers who were down there had snaked the anchor down into the core of the wreck. I considered that very rude. I also considered it stupid since they did it before we made the dive and it was just a bit of inconvenience for us.

I've also been on dives where out of nowhere comes an anchor full tilt coming straight at us, as if the boat purposely dropped their anchor on our bubbles.

I've also cautiously approached sites with other boats with divers who started screaming that they have the flag up, we can't come closer. I asked if they had divers in the water, not seeing any bubbles, and again got screamed at because they had their flag up.

 

[fisheyeview]

Isn't this type of thing why someone invented the SpearGun? So we can return fire!!!!

Spearguns are a no no in fresh water in Florida. Unfortunate in case like this. A sharp pointy stick on the other hand.......

 

[MB]

...I've also been on dives where out of nowhere comes an anchor full tilt coming straight at us, as if the boat purposely dropped their anchor on our bubbles.

I've also cautiously approached sites with other boats with divers who started screaming that they have the flag up, we can't come closer. I asked if they had divers in the water, not seeing any bubbles, and again got screamed at because they had their flag up.

Sounds like they need Sonar Therapy"!

 

[james croft]

I could write a chapter about run-ins with boaters, fishermen deliberately trying to snag divers, putting chum on divers, being shot at by morons while diving, being struck by boats and having anchors dropped on you, etc. And I could write a whole book about jet skiers operated by the most ignorant people I have ever seen. It makes diving a bit of an adventure at times.

 

[mike138480]

i dove the rainbow river in jan., and had no problems with other boats at all. i do think that there should be dive flag awareness signs at every boat ramp.

 

[pjones]

i dove the rainbow river in jan., and had no problems with other boats at all. i do think that there should be dive flag awareness signs at every boat ramp.

Thats a fantastic idea! How do we make this happen though? Anybody know who to wright a letter to? Surly with enough friendly requests and making aware of the close encounters it could be possible.

 

[Gilldiver]

So this all brings up questions from me. I've encountered this problem way too many times. What about "lowering the anchor versus "dropping" the anchor.

I've been on a site when someone approaches at a safe speed, looking out for divers, asks if they may join us on this spot. I inform them that we have divers in the water, please lower your anchor so not to hit divers. No problems.

I've also had a situation where we approached the commercial dive boat, asked if we may join them, and lowered the anchor to the wreck. We did this looking for bubbles or any sign of divers so we would not possibly injure anyone. When we got to the wreck we found that the divers who were down there had snaked the anchor down into the core of the wreck. I considered that very rude. I also considered it stupid since they did it before we made the dive and it was just a bit of inconvenience for us.

I've also been on dives where out of nowhere comes an anchor full tilt coming straight at us, as if the boat purposely dropped their anchor on our bubbles.

I've also cautiously approached sites with other boats with divers who started screaming that they have the flag up, we can't come closer. I asked if they had divers in the water, not seeing any bubbles, and again got screamed at because they had their flag up.

Since rebreathers, lack of bubbles is no longer a safe indicator that there are no divers down under you.

 

[Zieg]

Since rebreathers, lack of bubbles is no longer a safe indicator that there are no divers down under you.

True, which is why I would lower the anchor as opposed to dropping the anchor. But if you have divers in the water, simply say so.

 

[mike138480]

Thats a fantastic idea! How do we make this happen though? Anybody know who to wright a letter to? Surly with enough friendly requests and making aware of the close encounters it could be possible.

now you got me thinking, state or local DNR, Coast Guard maybe ? i really dont know.

 

[dalyup]

I feel the same as many others do on this board. It sometimes seems that we complain about this issue to ourselves while asking the question, how do we make others aware? When law enforcement at times seems ambivalent to our plight.
Actually I'm kind of fed up with the dive flag issue, it seems, most of the time we're preaching to the chior! We know the answer but nobody else will listen.