Be VERY cautious if you dive in Broward County Florida.

[fdarden]

Today we were live boating divers over the Hillsboro Ledge reef, doing a drift dive. We had our divers in the water with flags, and our dive flags deployed on our boat. I was captaining the boat. Suddenly, a boat starts racing directly towards our divers flag, so naturally I did what any dive boat captain should do. I laid on my horn, and placed my boat directly in their path. They pulled up to our boat, rubbed against it, and started accusing us of raiding their lobster traps. I explained to them between multiple F words, that they could have killed someone over lobster, but the other captain, "Jerry" was too busy telling me how he grew up on the water and certainly was more experienced than I was and that if I thought someone was in danger due to his actions, then I was an idiot. (Bear in mind Jerry and I were just meeting, he does not know who I am) I pointed out to Jerry that he may very well think I am an idiot, but I have a radio, and he is breaking the law. I got on 16, and started hailing the Coast Guard. "Jerry" then got on 16, and started interfering with the emergency communications, and walking on top of my transmission on 16 (emergency channel). Anyway captain Froot Loop now goes and checks his traps, and I suppose they were full because he came back (Once again illegally approaching our flags) apologizing profusely for yelling at me (not for approaching my divers), and telling me that he over reacted. Usually I will accept someones apology when they realize their wrong. Today I simply could not. You do not put peoples lives in jeopardy over lobster. Please be aware, that if you dive in South Florida, you need to listen for boats, and have your senses at full alert. If it does not sound right, do not surface. Many of the boaters here simply could care less that you are diving. I was on a charter dive a week ago, and surfaced to find a fishing boat literally on top of the dive charters boat, fishing over about 20 divers. He was asked repeatedly to leave and refused. My friends nephew Perry was hit a few months ago by a reckless boater ignoring his dive flag. They have been able to re-attach his arm, and he is regaining movement, but its a slow and expensive process. These all have happened within 3 miles of the Hillsboro inlet. I have Jerry's boat numbers, and will work diligently to report his actions to the Coast Guard, and the local authorities. Please be careful diving our ocean here. We do not need more incidents.

 

[jar546]

Sounds like a load of fun today. Jerry has a bit too much testosterone on board

 

[iluvtheocean]

isn't interfering with emergency communications like that a punishable offense as well? it's not the first story i've heard like this though.

 

[deeper thoughts]

Thnx for sharing

 

[DandyDon]

Really a good read for any diving location as there idiots everywhere, but some areas are worse than others.

isn't interfering with emergency communications like that a punishable offense as well? it's not the first story i've heard like this though.

If you can prove the emergency and the interference both, but worth mentioning with the rest of the complaint. There is always a risk of getting sued tho and having to defend yourself in court unfortunately.

 

[Johnoly]

Doesn't matter if it's a small boat or a freighter blowing it's horn for you to move, block with your boat to protect your diver's area below. I had a tanker trying to get to it's designated anchor area last week off Hillsboro and wanted to go through my divers and blowing his horn hard at me. He backed down when I wouldn't move.

Don't budge and keep your cell phone video ready to record. Coast Guard may not do anything if they don't personally witness it, but any video on youtube will go viral and create more heat than any operator can stand. Protect your diver's no matter what happens. Good on you for keeping them safe !!

 

[dumpsterDiver]

USCG will do nothing about a report of a violation of the dive flag....

However, if the capt. really did attempt to deliberately and repeatedly step on your transmissions on Ch 16, MAYBE they will give him a call, since I presume that they have a record of the communications. I bet you will have to file a Freedom of Information request to get a copy of the audio track from that incident. If you can get that, and it clearly shows what you've indicated, then I would think you might be able to put a little leverage on the Coast Guard to maybe do something about the improper use of the radio.

 

[fdarden]

The great thing about radio transmissions is that there are many, many "witnesses" to those events. Later that day, I was assisting a captain from one of the commercial charters with getting his personal boat in the water, and he mentioned that he heard the transmissions on the radio, and wondered what was going on. I doubt that I have enough evidence to pursue this guy. Besides I doubt the outcome will equal the effort. Like I have told several others, and captain "Jerry" - He is going to end up hurting or killing someone with all that experience of his - And my boat is on the ocean at least 3 days a week weather permitting. So I am certain I will run into him again. I have his trap buoy #'s, his FL #'s a picture of his boat, several witnesses and I used findmespot to mark the GPS location of the incident. I will provide that to any authority that will listen to me. I think BSO is a good possibility. If I have another incident with this guy, or witness another incident I will be a little better prepared to deal with it. I did not expect to be accosted/assaulted/terrorized on the water. If this happens again, I will not hesitate to do EXACTLY what I did this last time, with some minor improvements. I did not post looking for a solution or a way to exact revenge or give Jerry what's coming to him. Karma will take care of that part- I posted this to raise awareness of the problem down here. I dont want people to get lulled into a sense of security when they are diving in Broward County, or for that matter anywhere else - If nothing else, please take away my advice from this post. And I KNOW every agency tells you not to surface if you hear a boat. Its been proven several times now that for whatever reason sometimes divers ignore that advice. I also think people view their dive flag as some sort of "invisible shield" from the boats out there. I figured they would provide much more protection than they actually do. When I see a dive flag, I make a VERY exaggerated move in the opposite direction, to signal everyone in that area that I see the flag(s), and will be avoiding the area. Many other boaters do this too, as I have observed. Its a courtesy thing. I would say about 10% dont. When a boat dive bombs your active dive boat it will send your heart racing. Have a well thought out plan BEFORE it happens to you. Emotions will race, violent behavior is likely. My take away is that I over-use the F word when angry. Im going to work on that. Be safe and aware and happy diving. Yesterday was prime fodder for the "Dive Boat TV" series.

 

[openmindOW]

It's the Tragedy of the Commons.

 

[agilis]

Boats overhead scare the hell out of me. Even those accursed two digit IQ jetski cowboys. I've had them actually start circling my dive flags to, as one peel nose idiot tourist told me, "see what was going on." He and his fleshy vapid new bride were staying at Sandals in Jamaica, and couldn't understand why I was angry. I've had similar experience with jetskis in the Keys. Some weekend powerboat 'captains' will operate their boats in a way that can swamp a small boat. To expect them to understand and respect a dive flag is like believing in the Easter bunny.