The action plan is simple. We need to push for more boater education, more signs, and AGGRESSIVE enforcement of the existing dive flag laws. Slap some people in JAIL and cause some public outrage, get some coverage on this or one of us is NEXT!
WHEN WILL IT END???
Out of those suggestions I think only the part of getting some coverage may work, and even that has the potential to turn for the worse.
Manatees are cute and most of the people defending them have never actually encounter their strength underwater, so in their mind they are totally defenseless. You can never compare a bunch of divers that who knows, they may even been damaging the reefs, or spearing pretty jewfish, or taking too many lobsters, or whatever argument you want to spin in order to make divers look bad.
Since we are not wildlife it isn't reasonable to have FWC protect us, we have the potential to be bombers so forget Homeland Defense. USCG will help you... right after you get hurt, not before.
PD's BSO and other Sheriff's departments ? hmmmm yeah kinda, ok I'll give you that, however you don't see many of them outside the inlets. Can you see the reports? [Sheriff deputies caught sunning themselves outside the Hillsboro Inlet, they claim to be guarding dive flags.]
Look at the demographics we are dealing with, most of these boaters have a lot of financial influence, I don't have an attorney in my contacts list, but the doctor who run over Mr Murphy had one good to go in a matter of moments.
You want to make an issue that reaches the media for real? You need to hit the reckless boaters where it hurts. A fine here and there will do nothing, they risk BUI's the instant their boats hit the water, the "
operating a vessel within X yards of a dive flag" ticket is just a delay on their weekend.
You will have their attention when they spill their drink with your wake, because you literally shove them out of their path as they were barreling into a flag. If they are so distracted they don't drastically change course as you block their way then you brace yourself for impact and hope for the best.
Several of those events WILL get the public's attention, then it will come to who has better communication skills (read better attorneys) . It may turned out into a:
---filthy rich reckless boater was stopped while attempting to run over a poor defenseless diver... or
---The poor recreational boater was viciously rammed by some gang divers while peacefully cruising the coast with his family which includes a quadriplegic sister in law right after attending Sunday's mass.
It is high time for leadership on agencies.... would be nice. Every agency in Florida is up to their eyeballs with budget problems, they can only put out fires for now, and a couple of divers getting run over a year doesn't even qualify as a tiny flame.
I don't think this will ever end but WE can slow it way down by taking care of ourselves, and by not being victims waiting to be saved by others.
... you know, following the same lines as planing your dive, as opposed to wait for the DM to tell you what, how, where and for how long to dive.
WetDawg I quoted your post but my ideas are not personally directed to you, I share your outrage and I hope the diver recovers soon and whatever happened doesn't screw the rest of his life. I just don't think is practical to wait until some faceless agency figures out a solution, for sure I think is silly for one to think "I have a flag = I'm safe"
