Serious Problem at Big Bay Point

[Graeme Tolton]

First time ever at Big Bay Point, Yesterday. We arrived at 8am, with plans for 2, possibly 3 dives. It was a beautiful, warm, sunny day. Myself and my 2 buddies got in the water before anyone else showed up. After 45 minutes, we got out from our first dive. During our SI, other divers started to show up. There were all sorts. There were open water students, there were tech students, and just divers out for a day of diving. At this point, there were now about 4 or 5 different dive flags or buoys in the water. Now, along come 3 Jet skis... they think it is a great idea to use the assortment of buoys as an obstacle course!!

This was just the worst of what was happening. All day long, there were boats in an around the dive site.

Something needs to be done to raise awareness of what a dive flag means!

 

[ScubaSteve]

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[Jim Lapenta]

This is what shotguns are for. Or a well launched beer bottle into the bottom of the idiots jetski. Is anyone on shore capable of throwing a rock far enough to hit them? Or perhaps the old string a line across the path of them and give the old heave ho? All to me are acceptable methods of dealing with these morons. ANd where are your water cops when this stuff is going on? Got a cell phone? Call 911 or whatever you use up there and report someone being attacked with a weapon(jetski).

 

[Thalassamania]

I'm real fond of my potato cannon.

 

[ScubaSteve]

This is what shotguns are for. Or a well launched beer bottle into the bottom of the idiots jetski. Is anyone on shore capable of throwing a rock far enough to hit them? Or perhaps the old string a line across the path of them and give the old heave ho? All to me are acceptable methods of dealing with these morons. ANd where are your water cops when this stuff is going on? Got a cell phone? Call 911 or whatever you use up there and report someone being attacked with a weapon(jetski).

The problem is that there is no law that clearly states they are acting inappropriately. It specifies "acting in a safe manner". So, there is no guarantee that the police would arrive and I have also read that the OPP were unable to maintain a consistent presence on the waters for financial reasons. I am not sure how much truth there is to that OR what the impact is (so many lakes so few police boats), so calling 911 might get a cruiser out rather than a boat (to little effect for those a distance out on the water). This is a summary of what applies in Ontario. So, I think we might just have to try to expedite Thal into mass production on the potato cannon.

 

[divingbuddy]

This is why I really do try to stay underwater until back closer to shore (by the shallows beside the dock).

I have popped an SMB for training purposes, only to see jet-skiers doing donuts around it.

How many more fatalities do we need here? Perhaps a buoy to act as a warning beacon to boaters and pleasure craft users...I don't really know....

Just my two cents...Cheers!

 

[ScubaSteve]

I agree. Unfortunately I have zero experience with this site, but this problem exists in most other sites. Cedar Hill in Wiarton was bad for a period but there seem to be fewer boats out in the past 2 or so years which has helped. I understand the logic of not wanting to legislate too much.....but an enforceable and measurable law for distance from dive flag for both boater and diver....I personally can get behind that I think. Add it to the Boaters exam (even though not everything requires a marine lisence) and/or Rental form.....then regionally add it to diver training. Not logistically simple but I would hope it would be more effective than what is in place now.

 

[Graeme Tolton]

The problem with the potato cannon is that if you actually hit someone with it, it can cause serious injury. At this point they phone the police, you get arrested and charged for assault with a firearm, attempted murder, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, possession of a prohibited weapon, etc, etc, etc. Even simply throwing a rock could land you in the same position! I am not saying that they wouldn't deserve to be hit, they are recklessly endangering the lives of the divers!

Does anyone have any legal ideas for a solution?

 

[Thalassamania]

I was kidding, you need to find someone local with enforcement authority that gives a damn, a local PSD unit might be a good place to start the conversation.

 

[bleeb]

How about twine? A few 10' lengths with one end free and the other end attached to your dive flag buoy, SMB or bag. Long enough to assist as a tag line. Short enough to not be too much of an entanglement hazard. Floats (or tie a wine cork or some wood to the end). Biodegradable. Attach it with a few threads or something that will break off relatively easily and it'll get sucked up by any prop or into any jetski that gets too close.

Didn't someone already suggest sending bottles and cans to the surface with some air? :mooner:

And then there was someone else's suggestion for using bleach bottles as markers on the theory that it either scares the boats away, or they'll start ignoring bleach bottles and they'll ignore one tied to a rock some day in the future.