Retaliation against dumb boaters & fisherman

On another thread, there was a real funny story about how a dive flag was stolen from a float and a beer can hung in its place while in use. See this thread http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/basic-scuba-discussions/409461-i-hate-dive-flags.html

Anyway, I am sure that there are some true stories out there of how divers retaliated against boaters and fishermen. I don't have one so please fire away.

Retaliation is really not the correct word. I have reported boats that approached too close to our dive float when I have seen them. The same with fishermen fishing in the "scuba only" zone at the local reservoir where we train. I prefer to first talk to the offender, advise them of the offense and ask them to correct. If they have a pleasant and positive attitude, apologize, and correct the error, I leave it there. If they respond in an aggressive, profane, or other inappropriate way, I report them. I don't know if they get cited or not, but I feel I've done my part. I do have a diver friend who has reportedly cut a couple of lures off fishing line when encountered in the scuba area at the local reservoir, but I was not there to confirm.
DivemasterDennis

DivemasterDennis:

Retaliation is really not the correct word. I have reported boats that approached too close to our dive float when I have seen them. The same with fishermen fishing in the "scuba only" zone at the local reservoir where we train. I prefer to first talk to the offender, advise them of the offense and ask them to correct. If they have a pleasant and positive attitude, apologize, and correct the error, I leave it there. If they respond in an aggressive, profane, or other inappropriate way, I report them. I don't know if they get cited or not, but I feel I've done my part. I do have a diver friend who has reportedly cut a couple of lures off fishing line when encountered in the scuba area at the local reservoir, but I was not there to confirm.
DivemasterDennis

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I agree with your position. I am sure, however, that things may occasionally escalate and result in some funny stories.

At a dive site I frequented several years ago, there was always a fisherman and his son in the dive area while divers with flags were in the water. We always had to watch for their lines and avoid the area they were in (right in the middle of the dive site). After a couple of months of this, I surfaced about 40 foot away and introduced myself and explained the predicament and the dangers for the divers. He was nice enough, but said he and his son have been fishing here for years, and there had never been a problem before. The following weekend, they were there again. So I dove, carefully located one of their lines, and put a Stouffers Fish Dinner (complete with box) on the hook and tugged the line. Other divers were aware of what I was doing, so they were on shore watching for a reaction. I am told the fisherman initially looked confused, then started laughing. When I surfaced about 50 feet away, he was just shaking his head with a grin and looking at all the divers watching. What I did witness was him saying, "Ok, you guys win. Point taken. Enjoy the water." He then moved on.

Not a story of retaliation, but a buddy and I went into a local site and did a long dive. In the hour we were under, we saw a total of 1 fish. As we got out of our gear, we saw one of 3 fisherman catch what appeared to be the only fish we saw. We let the rest know there was no point in sticking around.

Stu66, the above is Priceless!

My dive buddies and I were diving in a secluded cove on an area lake. We heard jet skis overhead, but were a little confused and concerned when they suddenly went silent. We were on our way up our line to our flag, so we kept a wary eye out, a nearly useless act considering the vis near the surface was only a few feet. As we broke the surface, I was surprised to see two kids on a jet ski next to our float. The passenger actually had hold of the flag, apparently inspecting it. He yelled, "Hey mister! What is this?"

I replied, "Oh, about a $250 fine for having a motor vehicle even close to it. Now smile for the camera! It's evidence!" and I took his picture with my UW gear.

They made themselves scarce very quickly and, no, I didn't turn them in, but their faces were "priceless", too.

Langley Tire Reef - JanKocian's Photos

Todd Graves here on Whidbey Island does slope management, at the first langley scubafest he had his landing craft just off the pier for all the divers in the treasure hunt to distract boaters, a sailboat in a race thought it was a marker and look how close this big sailboat came to try to circle and todd is in cabin trying to hail them.

I was at alki fishing reef 13 years ago on my new gavin scooter, there was a bouy there And my dive flag 20' away, I thought it was a bunch of whales it was another sailboat race going between my flag and float, When sailboat heading right for me I gave the WTF and moved away and we exchanged words. Then a Boston whaler came up and preceded to tell me they have been using that bouy for years, I said,what about the dive flag, F your Flag.

Boaters have not and will never worry about the flag and diver until they hit a diver, Go figure!!!!!!!!

I suspect if Wildlife gets enough complaints about the same bunch of jerks fishing or boating close to a dive area that they might do something about it, though I doubt it. They seem to be more interested in DUI's than anything else. An easy arrest and more money to be made I suspect. A 12 gauge bang stick on the hull might wake some of them up.

I know of an instructor who cut the anchor rope of a local fishing boat that smashed through a coral reef in Borneo. The boat concerned just had a large lump of metal (bit of an engine block I think). They used the anchor to de-accelerate... which meant the big lump of metal was dragged at speed across the reef - scattering the scuba class, hitting a turtle and destroying a 1m swathe of reef for 50m.

I tend to agree with VooDooGas Man. In my experience, most boaters neither know nor care about the diver down flag. I've had a few close calls, and saw a couple of very nasty accidents. As far as retaliation goes, in my younger hot-head days I sometimes went (no pun intended) a little overboard. I was part of a group of divers who had surfaced and were climbing back into the small dive boat. I was diving with an independent Jamaican dive operator I've known for a long time. I was the furthest from the boat, always the last to board because I helped keep an eye on the others. I was no more than 30 feet from our little boat when a powerboat came racing toward us, veering off at the last second and nearly hitting me. The Jamaicans, who were looking for customers, laughed. Then I saw them making a circle, possibly coming back. I had a couple of 1 pound bullet weights in my BC pocket. I removed one, and as these cretins came roaring by I let it fly. Made a hellish noise when it hit. The Jamaicans worked for one of the superclubs. The blistering stream of invective that was shouted back and forth could have glazed a yacht's brightwork. It was all in thick patois, but I understand patois. The dive operator and I were obviously enraged, and the two boat guys sped off. A few hours later the manager of the super club stopped by the dive shack and demanded to know who was going to pay for the damage. I was white hot with anger. I told him I had thrown the weight, I told him why, and I made it very clear that my intention was to cut the boat operator's head off with the cutlass I had in my hand if he the bad luck to encounter me on land. I meant it. The manager eventually left, and that was the end of the incident. He claimed that the bullet weight had put a hole in the boat's deck. I told him I was aiming for the men, was disappointed that I missed, and that I wanted my effen weight back. I could tell he thought I was crazy. Jamaicans know how to laugh, and my friend and I were rolling on the floor. "Yuh see deir yei dem?!! Yu see 'ow 'im look pon yu?!!" Near the top of my favorite Scuba experiences list.