Dive Boat Sinks in Pompano Beach

[scubadada]

It's now been over a year since I dove in PBC, but last time I was there the operators required every buddy pair to have a normal flag. The only time I've used SMB's was in other countries. I don't think an SMB meets the legal requirement for towing a flag or being within a certain distance of the boat in Florida.

I recall the captain would just follow the flags.

Usually boats will have loaner flags if someone doesn't have one. Probably common for tourists to not bring their own.

Some boats put a guide in the water with the flag. If you ascend with the guide, you are good. If you ascend on your own, you shoot your SMB. These boats have a dive time limit so that everyone is on the surface at a predictable time. This would be Jupiter Dive Center, Narcosis, Walker's, and Pura Vida for me.

Boats without guides and a flag in the water require all divers or groups to have a flag. These would be Loggerhead and Starfish for me

 

[johndiver999]

To the best of my understanding, those operators are most definitely NOT following the law. Divers popping up all over the place scattered over distances of a quarter mile or more, with no flag in proximity is an everyday occurance and is SOP for some operators out of Palm Beach Inlet.

I am somewhat surprised that there is no law enforcement issues, but apparently the LEO's have decided to not enforce the dive flag laws for these commercial operators. Their actions (or inactivity) clearly demonstrate law enforcement's tacit acceptance of an smb as equivalent (or an acceptable substitution) for a dive flag.

The frequency of this activity is blatant and would be extremely easy to document and prosecute, if that were a priority.

 

[kelemvor]

Might be something worth reporting the next time you see it. It's definitely not all the operators, and in a heavy traffic area like PBC a diver could easily get run over without a flag.

Like I said, they've required flags every single time I've dived PBC. I went 5 or 6 times a year for a weekend at at time prior to covid. My favorite boat seems to have gone out of business during covid and been replaced with some other company. However, I've gone with a variety of boats in that area as boats are often full and I like to book on short notice.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Might be something worth reporting the next time you see it. It's definitely not all the operators, and in a heavy traffic area like PBC a diver could easily get run over without a flag.

Like I said, they've required flags every single time I've dived PBC. I went 5 or 6 times a year for a weekend at at time prior to covid. My favorite boat seems to have gone out of business during covid and been replaced with some other company. However, I've gone with a variety of boats in that area as boats are often full and I like to book on short notice.

Only every single boat larger than a 6 pack in Palm Beach & Jupiter.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

To the best of my understanding, those operators are most definitely NOT following the law. Divers popping up all over the place scattered over distances of a quarter mile or more, with no flag in proximity is an everyday occurance and is SOP for some operators out of Palm Beach Inlet.

I am somewhat surprised that there is no law enforcement issues, but apparently the LEO's have decided to not enforce the dive flag laws for these commercial operators. Their actions (or inactivity) clearly demonstrate law enforcement's tacit acceptance of an smb as equivalent (or an acceptable substitution) for a dive flag.

The frequency of this activity is blatant and would be extremely easy to document and prosecute, if that were a priority.

Might be something worth reporting the next time you see it. It's definitely not all the operators, and in a heavy traffic area like PBC a diver could easily get run over without a flag.

Like I said, they've required flags every single time I've dived PBC. I went 5 or 6 times a year for a weekend at at time prior to covid. My favorite boat seems to have gone out of business during covid and been replaced with some other company. However, I've gone with a variety of boats in that area as boats are often full and I like to book on short notice.

I dive in Palm Beach & Jupiter one weekend a month. I have no issues with the procedures I see used there every weekend. Whether or not they comply with the letter of the law is between them & the LEOs. I’ll leave law enforcement to the professionals. I’ve never been put at risk, not remotely.

 

[boulderjohn]

The last few posts assume that every dive is a drift dive. Every drift in the Pompano beach area has buddy teams with flags.

But in this case it was a wreck dive. Are you suggesting that divers swimming through wrecks should carry dive flags?

 

[Divin'Papaw]

The last few posts assume that every dive is a drift dive. Every drift in the Pompano beach area has buddy teams with flags.

But in this case it was a wreck dive. Are you suggesting that divers swimming through wrecks should carry dive flags?

On the larger wrecks like the Lady Luck, if you were to interpret the law like some on this thread, yes, you'd have to tow a flag. You could get to the far end, have an issue and have to ascend. Without a flag you'd be in violation of the law. Silly? Absolutely. But the law is the law right?

What about the hot drops on deep technical wrecks? That too should require a flag if that's how the law is to be interpreted. That would be both silly and dangerous.

My guess is that the LEOs provide some leeway for the law to be applied sensibly.

 

[scubadada]

The last few posts assume that every dive is a drift dive. Every drift in the Pompano beach area has buddy teams with flags.

But in this case it was a wreck dive. Are you suggesting that divers swimming through wrecks should carry dive flags?

In Jupiter on the Wreck Trek and in West Palm on Governor's River Walk, yes, the guide has a flag. In Boynton, on the Castor, Capt Tony, or Bud Bar. there is no flag, just a tied in buoy or a hot drop. Of course the boat has a diver down flag.

 

[Pressurehead]

That is assuming some boats [ drivers, not Skippers] know what a dive flag is ,
I have surfaced beside my dive flag and found a boat beside it fishing, close enough for me to thump it.

 

[uncfnp]

This is how every operator does it in Palm Beach county for just about every dive. It’s the safest and most efficient way to get people in the water. SMBs are mandatory.

Just a little clarification for those not familiar with WPB or drift dives.

WPB/Jupiter dive ops use “live drops” or “live boat drop” drift dives. Sometimes they do “hot drops” as described above. The difference is that on live drops immediate descent is not necessary because the general reef is the target and there is no urgency to descend to hit a particular target. All WPB drops will be live boat drops.

But sometimes there is a specific target, such as a wreck, so there is more urgency to descend and hit the target. This is when the captain might do a hot drop, especially if there is a significant current.

So basically a hot drop is a type of live boat drop. All WPB drops will be “live” but not all of them “hot.”