7/11 Salem Sound - 2 boats run right over the dive flags

[paulthenurse]

Wow, that's a scary story. "I'll just pull him up to the surface so I can talk to him." WTH???????

 

[mmerriman]

reminds me of the time (maybe 30 years ago) I was diving in Duxbury. Felt a tug on the line - went up and was staring at a lobsterman pointing a gun at me accusing me of stealing his catch.

 

[decapoddiver]

I had a similar experience. Felt tug and surfaced to find irate lobsterman accusing us of raiding traps since "There ain't any in my traps!". We showed him our empty bags and explained that there were no lobsters anywhere below. He then pretty much demanded that I cut a trap line he had wrapped around the prop shaft. In an effort to promote good interrelations, I told him to turn off the engine and I would be happy to do it.
Spent about 10 minutes cutting/tugging it off and felt/heard the engine start. Hurriedly got out from under the boat and asked why he turned it on. "You're takin' too long. Hurry the **** up!"

We took picture of his stern and surface swam back to shore. Reported him to the EPO who told me there wasn't much that could be done and advised me to not dive near traps. It was a hell of a day.

 

[AfterDark]

Regulation on drive boat seems non exist. You can buy a twin V8 engine boat for $15K and go off onto water. No license, no watermanship education needed. I have seen too many instants that power boats do not yield to sail boat. I believe they don't even know sail boat has the right of way. In this case, I am not even sure if they know that the dive flag means. Too much money, too young, know too little

Hits the nail right on the head. Same for cars and motorcycles.

---------- Post added July 16th, 2015 at 12:53 PM ----------

I had a similar experience. Felt tug and surfaced to find irate lobsterman accusing us of raiding traps since "There ain't any in my traps!". We showed him our empty bags and explained that there were no lobsters anywhere below. He then pretty much demanded that I cut a trap line he had wrapped around the prop shaft. In an effort to promote good interrelations, I told him to turn off the engine and I would be happy to do it.
Spent about 10 minutes cutting/tugging it off and felt/heard the engine start. Hurriedly got out from under the boat and asked why he turned it on. "You're takin' too long. Hurry the **** up!"

We took picture of his stern and surface swam back to shore. Reported him to the EPO who told me there wasn't much that could be done and advised me to not dive near traps. It was a hell of a day.

Back in the bad old days lobstermen stuck razor blades in the winds of the rope so if anyone tried to haul the line in by hand they'd get a nasty cut(s). One pot I saw had a blasting cap on the door set to go off if someone opened it. Lobstermen in fast skiffs have tried to run me down more times than I can count because I surfaced to close to their pots. Lobstermen are for the most part crazy ass- bastards that think every diver is out to steal from them.

 

[Mr.X]

I had a similar experience. Felt tug and surfaced to find irate lobsterman accusing us of raiding traps since "There ain't any in my traps!". We showed him our empty bags and explained that there were no lobsters anywhere below. He then pretty much demanded that I cut a trap line he had wrapped around the prop shaft. In an effort to promote good interrelations, I told him to turn off the engine and I would be happy to do it.
Spent about 10 minutes cutting/tugging it off and felt/heard the engine start. Hurriedly got out from under the boat and asked why he turned it on. "You're takin' too long. Hurry the **** up!"

We took picture of his stern and surface swam back to shore. Reported him to the EPO who told me there wasn't much that could be done and advised me to not dive near traps. It was a hell of a day.

Sometimes I wonder what kind of people lobster-fishers are? What experience could make them so devoid of human emotion to place someone's life in jeopardy? Even putting the engine in neutral is way dangerous if the blade starts to move. If I ever saw the guy on dry land I would deck the him for the pure fact he purposely put my life in jeopardy while asking for a favor.