West Palm Diver "run over" by boat?

[CBulla]

cdiver2 - the reasoning I recieved from the Marine Patrol officer who was driving around was to check for current lobster permits or some such. I told her that all the divers in the water out there were doing a REEF ID count and had nothing to do with lobster (even had books, notes, and a bucket full of quarters to keep the divers cars safe from ticketing) other than noting their presence should one be seen. When I got irritated and pointed out that the reef was 14' deep, divers had gear on with a profile of up to 18" wider than they normally are (roughly 18-24" tall if horizontal depending on a persons shape), and probably diving a profile of 2-3' off the bottom , the boat was 18" - 24" in the water thus making the actual difference between that officers boat props and the divers to be 8 to 10 feet.

Those of us who have seen that sight know how butt cheek pucker event... aka pucker factor. I've had a few pucker 7 or 8's, 2 pucker 10's....

I'm still interested in starting the non-profit organization (FWSC - Florida Watersports Safety Council) if anyone wants to help me with getting the biz end together and writing grants..

 

[DennisS]

For what reason? There had better be a good one. If they did it to me for no good reason they would have one Very P off diver on there hands

They drive up to the flag so they can get the divers to surface. They want to know if the divers are lobstering or spearfishing, so they ask them.

 

[cdiver2]

They drive up to the flag so they can get the divers to surface. They want to know if the divers are lobstering or spearfishing, so they ask them.

Correct me if I am wrong on this. The police need reason to stop some one, (probable cause) drivers license, stolen goods, drugs but these guys don't need a reason to jeopardies a diver its enough that he is a diver.

 

[Hapytruck01]

i remember seeing that boat Makin time some where before

 

[DennisS]

Correct me if I am wrong on this. The police need reason to stop some one, (probable cause) drivers license, stolen goods, drugs but these guys don't need a reason to jeopardies a diver its enough that he is a diver.

That's right, and to top it off there are reef conservation groups that think we need more of them for enforcement. Enforcement of what, I'm not sure. One group was proposing dive licenses to fund more enforcement.

 

[cdiver2]

That's right, and to top it off there are reef conservation groups that think we need more of them for enforcement. Enforcement of what, I'm not sure. One group was proposing dive licenses to fund more enforcement.

WP needs a petition from divers about heavy handed tactics and to point out that even the police need probable cause

 

[DEEPSEAWOLF]

Let's get it rolling! I'm tired of hearing about this garbage! I had a pucker factor event when we hit Venice, and that was enough to wake ME up! I'll start carrying a powerhead on dives like that from now on! Hmmm,... where's the gas tank on a 23 footer? Abouuuut........THERE! WHAM!

 

[liberato]

Was he saved by his "exploding oxygen tank" or was he really saved by his trusty "snorkel"?

 

[H2Andy]

well, if i had to bet between an exploding oxygen tank and a snorkel, i'd take the
exploding oxygen tank anyday

it's not that the reporter gets it wrong every single time; it's the assuredness with
which they do it that gets to me

 

[GulfCoastdiver]

No matter how careful you are coming up, you just can't be totally safe. It is not ALL in our own power as divers. I dived West Palm beach about 10 days ago. The viz was maybe 30-50 ft at best. You do a safety stop at 15, look around as far as the viz will permit, then come up slowly as necessary. The time it takes for a boat to get from beyond your 30 ft viz range to being right on top of you is miniscule. 30 ft is just not a huge enough time/reaction barrier for a diver against a speed boat with an ignorant driver behind the wheel.

Let me start by saying Im a boater, a fisher, and a diver, I never took a boater safety class but, I know what a dive flag is and I stay clear of them, that said, I do wish there was a law that stated before you can boat you must take the safety class, people out there a f@#*ing stuped......
Both my wife and I dive and we went to the keys 3 weeks ago, on one dive I was ascending and stoped at 10' and thought I heard a boat but I could not see it, talk about a panic attack...... I was scared...... when I did surface mins latter there was no boat but, it made me think... (I surfaced 25yards for the boat we dove off).