Anchor Almost Dropped on Head - What Would You Do?

[kwinter]

It is, in fact, as different an Australia as Colorado is a different "United States" as New Jersey.

No need to get testy, Ray. Or high & mighty. Read my post #8 in this thread. Want to guess which boat I was diving from that allowed another boat to drop a grapnel while I was still down?

 

[RJP]

No need to get testy, Ray. Or high & mighty. Read my post #8 in this thread. Want to guess which boat I was diving from that allowed another boat to drop a grapnel while I was still down?

Not being "testy" or "high & mighty." Simply pointing out that in Australia - just as in the US - laws vary from one state to another.

I'm supposing you're going to tell us that the boat in question is the one I crew on. If so, I'm guessing it was a more than a few years ago (running out of Barnegat Light?) and not the current "administration" as I can't see the Captain Jim allowing that. Certainly, no crew member on our boat can make the decision to "allow" another boat to throw a hook in. That decision would come from the captain... and I can't see our captain allowing that with divers in the water. Typically we would send their mate down our line with their line.

 

[NAM001]

I would agree if it was not for that area being a known high populated dive area. Every boater ahould expect a diver under them. Unpopulated areas is another story. When you take your boat into a cove that is populated by divers you shuold (like driving on a school yard) that someone is there/below.

I missed the part in the OP where a diver was hit by a boat.

I do think it's unreasonable for a diver to expect that a likely non-diver boater would consider that there could be a diver under their boat when there's no flag, no dive boat, no posted notice, etc that divers are in the water... based solely on the assumption that the boater can see their bubbles.

 

[doctormike]

I would agree if it was not for that area being a known high populated dive area. Every boater ahould expect a diver under them.

So are you saying that anchoring should be forbidden in the area? That may be a reasonable suggestion, but it would have to be actually designated as such and enforced as law. Otherwise, we are just saying "we like to dive in this area, so you should always assume that there is a diver below and not anchor here".

 

[RJP]

I would agree if it was not for that area being a known high populated dive area. Every boater ahould expect a diver under them. Unpopulated areas is another story. When you take your boat into a cove that is populated by divers you shuold (like driving on a school yard) that someone is there/below.

I think the better analogy is that if you are going to play in the street (diving where there are boaters) you should wear bright colored clothing (tow a dive flag), expect/look out for cars, and not be too terribly surprised if you have a close call every once in a while.

 

[Foxfish]

Will be interested to hear your course of action Michael. I like the idea of hooking the anchor under a big rock. I've always found that as a diver in the water, when negotiating territorial rights with a boatie you have a distinct psychological disadvantage - unless you are carrying a loaded speargun or have parked yourself over a large lump of shallow reef.

 

[clownfishsydney]

I think we will have to disagree about the need to tow a buoy or flag. It is just not going to happen here, or anywhere else in Sydney. In addition, yes, laws within Australia relating to this are controlled by state governments. One of the later posts also appears to quote an Australian government law which would only apply in Australian territories or outside state waters.

I hooked the anchor back on the chain and then took it under a large overhang and wrapped the chain around a large horizontal rock.

We later observed the boat attempting to free its anchor and then break the rope. Numerous people saw what happened and all agreed with what I did.

 

[messenone]

You're.

Hahahaha good one!!

 

[Peter69_56]

I think we will have to disagree about the need to tow a buoy or flag. It is just not going to happen here, or anywhere else in Sydney. In addition, yes, laws within Australia relating to this are controlled by state governments. One of the later posts also appears to quote an Australian government law which would only apply in Australian territories or outside state waters.

I hooked the anchor back on the chain and then took it under a large overhang and wrapped the chain around a large horizontal rock.

We later observed the boat attempting to free its anchor and then break the rope. Numerous people saw what happened and all agreed with what I did.

Yes I am in Victoria and the Government regulations are very loose here. In fact the way they work now is to suggest what you might do in loose terms (all up to you of course), and only argue the rights and wrongs of what you have done if someone is hurt or killed. Much easier of course for a lazy government department to let it be self regulation so business can do anything they want, and if they get away with it all is well. On the other hand if someone is hurt or killed they go for the jugular. Then they drag out obscure " guidance regulations" and hang people.

 

[kwinter]

I think we will have to disagree about the need to tow a buoy or flag.

Not disagreeing about the NEED, just about the WISDOM. You might not be required by law to wear reflective clothing while jogging at night on unlit roads, but you are moronic if you don't, and you get what you deserve. If a car doesn't see you and gets a little too close, are you justified in picking up a rock and throwing it at the car to smash the windshield? Just answer yes or no so we will all know your mindset.


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