Not legally.
http://myfwc.com/boating/boating-regulations#flag
http://myfwc.com/boating/boating-regulations#flag
The continuing sagas of the Blue Heron Bridge
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If I follow Jims plan would there ever be a time where I'm not within 300' of someone?
Would really like to not have to drag around a flag if I can help it. Do it all the time helping with classes.
Would really like to not have to drag around a flag if I can help it. Do it all the time helping with classes.
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I'm wondering if by that definition, the BHB area is open water or not..... We stay OUT of the navigation channel, and area the law specifies as having the 100 ft rule, along with rivers and inlets.... We are not in the inlet, by the pumphouise or jetties...we are far into the intracoastal, and we are NOT in a boating area. An arguement might be made that we are in an area of anchorage, though that is only the case because the local government has not figured out how to get rid of the freeloaders that live just off the BHB on junk boats.
In any event, the flag does not make me safer when I am out there, and it annoys me to tow one for no reason other than a misplaced ordinance.
Scott L
Contributor
Would mearly swimming outside of navigational channels subject one to the dive flag laws? Just food for thought.
DennisS
Contributor
When you are exiting without a flag make sure you have someone with a flag close by you can point to. I was asked by the marine patrol, where's your flag, when I was walking across the beach one time. I pointed to my float/flag sitting at edge of the water and it was OK.
TheOnlyRae
Contributor
Aggie Diver! Sorry to have missed you - I would have loved to show you around. Class of '99 here myself....WHOOP! FL transplant, moved here from Houston last year. I hope you enjoyed BHB - it's one of my favorite dives!
Good points. To me, I just think of the ocean as open water. Everything else as not.
Lakes are considered open water right? We are in Lake Worth, outside the channel and the inlet, so yeah. Probably is 300 ft. I'll ask Ocean Rescue and Marine Patrol (oops..FWC)
I was in Florida Free Divers today looking at the Dive R blades. Pretty sweet. In any event I swung by the Bridge. By the west span, I would say there was no trouble to be within 100 ft. of a flag let alone 300. This late in the day, no problems with parking.
I'm sorry too! Turned out to be a pretty good dive, after a lot of early drama. Blew an o-ring in my computer, so had to get a rental. Blew out the tank o-ring (torn in half) when I tried to gear up. Had to hunt down a new one (luckily found a stray diver with a spare).
Missed most of the cooler stuff I was hoping to see (garden eels, sea horses, eels), but did find an octopus to play with, and saw something really crazy - fire worm predation on a fish (not a scorpionfish but looks a little like one - blue fish that sits on the bottom most of the time).
I'm talking a whole gang of fire worms ganging up on him. Took photos and video, but left my card reader at home so will have to wait to Dallas to download/upload.
I came down to Florida for the shuttle and the folks I met up with are back home already, so I'm flying solo right now. I'd be up for another dive tomorrow (Sunday) if you're up to it.
Otherwise, will probably head down to FLL and spend the day at the beach and taking it easy before flying home Monday.
TheOnlyRae
Contributor
I had a bit of a rough gear day myself. Had to return my brand new computer (nicknamed "my precious") due to an issue with the display. Sigh. Back to my old faithful for a few weeks. I'm unsure what my plans for tomorrow are. I know Gold Coast meetup has a BHB dive planned for tomorrow (around 4p) and of course beach dives are always a possibility around here. Let me see how I feel (I'm about to go to a birthday party, I may be sleep deprived and dehydrated tomorrow).
Where are you staying? WPB?
Where are you staying? WPB?
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