Big Island: dive flag needed while shore diving?

[Black_3000psi]

I have been involved in several of these conversations and my personal opinion will not change on this subject, its kind of like a motorcycle helmet, 365 days a year you wear it, but feel like you did not need to because nothing happen, you just have to make up your own mind state law says use the float and flag. how often do you run red lights just cause there are no cars coming? to be honest it s not so much a matter of law, it s more a matter of a small safety precaution.personally I hate towing the damn things, but I do, not cause of the law but because I have been out there with out one, many times.

 

[haumana ronin]

This sorta related story http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/accidents-incidents/391304-snorkel-boat-kills-maui-diver.html in a sorta related place is current news Boat Captain Enters Not Guilty Plea in Death of Lana'i Diver | Maui Now in the legal system, and the issue of dive flags seem to be a key debate in the newspapers. Enforcement might be up.

:zen:

 

[DebbyDiver]

Thanks Black, and "I hear ya" but here where I live now, because we just don't see boats while we shore dive, the flag is really more of an entanglement hazard. It took me a while to wrap my head around that, after 30+ years of diving with a flag. The more likely scenario here is that a flag would cause you to be hit by a random boat whose pilot was wondering what the flag was. And if you did get hit, there's no marine patrol boat to come help you out.

Thanks haumana, that sure is a tragedy. I see it happened in Maui. I also see that the diver victim had a flag attached to his body. So, do you still think enforcement might be up on Big Island, or just Maui?

The purpose for this thread btw isn't for me to try to "get away with" not using a flag, I'm trying to learn Big Island local custom. I moved my two well-used flag floats down here from S. Florida and they are gathering dust in the garage. I'm wondering if it's worth moving them again, so, still asking...what is the boat traffic off dive spots on B.I. and is it enforced?

 

[DivemasterDennis]

I dive Maui and Kona alot. In my experience a dive flag is a good idea, and I observe the regulations regarding them to be strictly enforced, unlike some of those who have posted. My vote- have a flag.
DivemasterDennis

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

...The purpose for this thread btw isn't for me to try to "get away with" not using a flag, I'm trying to learn Big Island local custom. I moved my two well-used flag floats down here from S. Florida and they are gathering dust in the garage. I'm wondering if it's worth moving them again, so, still asking...what is the boat traffic off dive spots on B.I. and is it enforced?

Hi Debbie,

At the Hilo dive spots, boat traffic is nearly ZERO. I'm struggling to remember if a boat has EVER passed close to divers at Leleiwi while I was diving there.... and we are talking since 1976. The deep drop-off (where fishing boats troll) is further offshore in Hilo than in Kona. You'll see boats trolling, but they are 1/2 mile offshore, and you are 100 - 200 yards offshore. Exceedingly rare for a boat to drive over or near the "shallow" reef at Leleiwi.

Enforcement.... well, I know a few of the local DLNR officers (Hilo is a small town)... and I've never seen them lurking at the local Hilo dive spots. Does not mean they never do, but it is rare in my experience. But dive flags are required, so you need to decide how to procede. As I mentioned before, I rarely use my dive flag, but do sometimes.

Boat traffic at other dive sites: Some of the Kona & Kohala dive spots do get boat traffic. Especially near the harbor entrance... but I don't dive those spots.

"Two Step" also gets boat traffic.

I'm not really PRO or CON dive flags. With the low level of "understanding" of their significance among the average recreational boater, I'm undecided as to whether they increase safety, or increase risk (curious boaters driving over to "investigate" the funny floaty thing).

Best wishes.

 

[DebbyDiver]

Thanks Leadturn, great post. Thank you very much.

Personally, I was 100% pro dive flag until I moved where I live now...zero enforcement, zero boats to hit you, lots of locals to see where you're diving with your flag so they can go back and pillage later. So, I became situationally pro dive flag.

 

[Shaka Doug]

Be smart. Be Safe. Take your flag and TOW IT!! Never got me into any trouble and saved me a bunch of times....

 

[Hoomi]

I'm chuckling, Debby. I Googled the Hawai'i Dive Flag laws just this past week, after perusing the dive flags online to see what was available and how much. A couple I looked at would not have met the requirements of the law, since the flag portion itself looked to be smaller than the 12" x 12" minimum. I ended up buying an inflatable dive flag float from our LDS this weekend, on sale for $15. I had considered putting together an easily portable one myself, but by the time I bought an inner tube, and the necessary stuff to secure the flag I already have to it, I would have spent more than that. This one, when deflated, weighs very little, and takes up almost no room in the luggage (unlike the other one we have), so we'll have it when we get to Hawai'i in a couple of weeks. Our plan is to rent a couple of tanks and weights, do a shore dive the morning after we arrive, so that we can check our weighting and such before the boat dives. I figure, I'd rather have the flag, than to risk happening to be out there the one day that they decide to be sticklers for enforcement. The dive flag is cheaper than any potential fines, and the money is better spent on diving than on legal fees.

 

[DebbyDiver]

Nice...I so look forward to your trip report!

 

[Jack'sDivingLocker]

So, do people need a dive flag diving off Big Island? Is it enforced? How about boat traffic?

Mahalo!

Aloha Debby! To answer your questions...if by "need" you mean is it required by law, then yes. If by "need" you mean for safety...personally I would say yes. The amount of boat traffic on a shore dive varies depending on the site. There is a nice little reef on the north side of Kailua Pier. There is boat traffic very near the site and you never know if someone will drive their boat right over the reef area. Also, that is the only place I have personally witnessed someone getting an actual ticket for coming out of the water without a flag. And the ticket was extremely expensive (hundreds of dollars). There is a nice site to the south of Honokohau Marina...again, certainly a place where the need for a dive flag is obvious. Many other places have less traffic...Mile Marker 4 has minimal (but not zero) traffic. I'm not super familiar with diving at Mahukona but someone else on here might be. At Puako you are far enough offshore that most would recommend a flag.
Have fun and stay safe!
Angela