Lopez116
Contributor
Had a chance to go out on a boat to Catalina yesterday. Conditions were great and I had a great time, but I was a little troubled by the fact that numerous boats were completely ignoring the fact that divers were in the water. On 2 of the 3 dives, we would anchor at a well known dive site, fly the divers in the water flag, and after we were in and diving, hear (and see) a boat overhead. This sometimes happened in shallow water as well.
When the dive was over and we surfaced, we observed our captain chewing out the boater for their complete indifference to divers being in the water. These were private boats that may not have know what a dive flag was, but once the situation became apparent, IMO they should've moved.
What's more troubling is that on one of the occasions, we were anchored at a site near an area that is not an MPA. We were first there and no other boats were in the area. About halfway through our dive, a boat arrived, anchored, and began fishing - casting their lines right over where the best diving was and where we were. I know, it was not an MPA and they had a right to fish there, but they were anchored maybe 25-30 yards from our dive boat. They were so close that you could easily talk to them without raising your voice.
When we surfaced and boarded, Harbor Patrol was there and speaking to our captain. Our captain explained the situation and complained, but Harbor Patrol's reaction was "everyone just needs to get a long."
Not that it's entirely relevant to the story, but the boat that was fishing was a private boat with a guy and 2 or 3 women on it. It was apparent by the way they were fishing, they were not experienced and just messing around.
In this time of entitlement, I am not surprised that neither boat have a second thought to anyone but themselves, but given the fact that this conduct posed a life-safety issue, shouldn't Harbor Patrol error on the side of moving the fishing boat out of the area???
I appreciate a captain that will stand up for and protect his divers, but if Harbor Patrol isn't going to back him, what's to stop these people from continuing to act the same way again?
When the dive was over and we surfaced, we observed our captain chewing out the boater for their complete indifference to divers being in the water. These were private boats that may not have know what a dive flag was, but once the situation became apparent, IMO they should've moved.
What's more troubling is that on one of the occasions, we were anchored at a site near an area that is not an MPA. We were first there and no other boats were in the area. About halfway through our dive, a boat arrived, anchored, and began fishing - casting their lines right over where the best diving was and where we were. I know, it was not an MPA and they had a right to fish there, but they were anchored maybe 25-30 yards from our dive boat. They were so close that you could easily talk to them without raising your voice.
When we surfaced and boarded, Harbor Patrol was there and speaking to our captain. Our captain explained the situation and complained, but Harbor Patrol's reaction was "everyone just needs to get a long."
Not that it's entirely relevant to the story, but the boat that was fishing was a private boat with a guy and 2 or 3 women on it. It was apparent by the way they were fishing, they were not experienced and just messing around.
In this time of entitlement, I am not surprised that neither boat have a second thought to anyone but themselves, but given the fact that this conduct posed a life-safety issue, shouldn't Harbor Patrol error on the side of moving the fishing boat out of the area???
I appreciate a captain that will stand up for and protect his divers, but if Harbor Patrol isn't going to back him, what's to stop these people from continuing to act the same way again?