Dive Flag Law Again!!

[Dash_Riprock]

I was out at Lane's Cove Yesterday (Friday 8/24). I was diving alone and there were three others on the rocks. As we were sitting there chatting the Gloucester Harbor Master Showed up.

He said that he was going around the dive sites this weekend to inform divers about the "ordinance" requiring one dive flag per diver. He said that shortly, he will be posting signs to that effect at all the popular dive sites. He also told us that "at that point he will be enforcing the law and that any diver found to be diving with-out a flag would be fined $100.00".

I asked him how it would work with groups like O/W classes, boat charters and other large organized groups. He acknowledged the dangers of such. He told me that he would grant waivers on a case by case basis. He said the policy will be to call his office a day or two before a dive with the dive site, date, and names of the divers in the group, and he would waive the rule for that dive or set of dives.

I might add that he was not acting like a jerk or anything like that.

Again, this is not second hand information - It came strait from the Gloucester Harbor Master.

Al

 

[frogman_5]

One of my friends from the area told me the law was designed to make it a hassle for divers going after lobster, not for any good safety reason!

 

[ScubaSarus]

Just a note.

In Maine there are no dive fllag laws I believe (but correct me on this). But by the same token, you can not take lobsters by diving. Maybe they should make that law instead for the areas in question instead.

http://www.dive-flag.com/law.html

Im not big on lobster so its easy for me to propose this and its unfair on law abiding lobster divers.

 

[adshepard]

Just a note.

In Maine there are no dive fllag laws I believe (but correct me on this). But by the same token, you can not take lobsters by diving. Maybe they should make that law instead for the areas in question instead.

http://www.dive-flag.com/law.html

Im not big on lobster so its easy for me to propose this and its unfair on law abiding lobster divers.

Indeed there is no dive flag law in Maine and you can't take lobster while diving either. This (especially the no take law) may explain the rather good relationship divers in Maine have with the lobstermen. There are few if any hassles and in fact we tend to help each other out. Just last week as I prepared for a shore dive a lobstermen pulled close to shore and called out that he needed assistance with a tangled trap line and asked if I could help. The trap was close to shore so I told him if I could find the tangle I'd free it. Took me all of two minutes to free the line from timbers. I asked if he could point me in the direction of any good dive areas and he had a few suggestions where he knew of wrecks and such. One hand washes the other.

Alan

 

[ScubaSarus]

Wow. Nice story Alan. Its good to have an ally out their in the ocean. Oh beautiful pics by the way. off to Acadia today, ocean looks rough. Ive alway drempt of diving up in the Eastport Bay of Fundy area. Looking for that pefect rocky spot to dive in NovaScotia 50 miles from the nearest human.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I wonder if it would be simple to just mount several flags on 1 pole. It might look silly, but it would be 1 flag per diver. My guess is the law is written to have 1 flag within x feet of the diver at least 3 feet above the water. Probably does not get into details on floats or flag poles. That would certainly reduce line tangles.

 

[Rick2]

Thanks for sharing this with us Al, may just save us a few hassles and dollars. Did you happen to get the phone # to call for the evaluation and hopefull waiver?
I can only guess these actions are a direct response from pressure applied on the Harbour Master from powers above not because he's bored or a jerk.
Aside from the pain in the posterior of all this ongoing hassle, the safety concerns particularly for new divers trying to stay in visual contact with thier buddies, (picture the bunch of balloons held by a vendor at the circus all tangled together) are very real. Stay Wet, Rick

 

[Rick2]

Hey Grumpy,
Good idea and very valid reasoning. I'm heading out to the garage directly where I know I have some fiberglass dowel, drill and key rings. Should be a pretty easy fabrication, hopefully it won't be too top heavy but we shall see!!!!!

 

[spectrum]

Correct on both counts. In Maine lobster is taken only by trap. There is no state flag requirement. Some local ponds and beaches do request them. In most of these cases there is enough boat activity to make it prudent anyway.

Sounds like I had better finish by web page about the 12+ nice dives between Kittery & Cape Elizabeth. They all include parking without peril as well.

While you do hear stories of lobster men being paranoid of divers I have never had an encounter.

That really stinks to have that sort restriction on your local diving. Little by little shore access is being restricted. A number of our sites have parking restricted to locals by permit in peak months. But when storms give the coastal hamlets a beating they have their hands out for the FEMA money that I put in the till. The amount of shore line that NH has managed to set aside as accessible is heartening, too bad the diving there wasn't notable.

Pete

 

[spectrum]

Hey Grumpy,
Good idea and very valid reasoning. I'm heading out to the garage directly where I know I have some fiberglass dowel, drill and key rings. Should be a pretty easy fabrication, hopefully it won't be too top heavy but we shall see!!!!!

Be careful about skirting the spirit of the law.