Dive flag awareness?

[Phantom Menace]

Here in New Zealand the blue and white Alpha flag features in marine legislation. the red and white flag does not feature - although it is discussed as a "predominantly US" recognized flag. The use of the red and white US flag is discouraged.

In NZ the Alpha flag means there are likely to be dive operations going on and all boats must slow to 5 knots within 200m of the flag. (and there are minimum size regulations etc.)

It also also now being flown from spearfishing floats - although these ones are a lot smaller than the regulation size for boats!!

 

[blanik]

i'm mainly a sailor, i just discovered diving last year, so naturally i had to eventually dive from my sailboat, the shock and despair i had when i noticed how bad the other boats where, i mean when we anchor somewhere for lunch or to swim we never hoist the anchor ball in the daytime because it's obvious you're just anchored and people don't go near you, common courtesy... but last friday i went for a couple of dives (actually looking for an elusive wreck in Treadwell Bay, Lake Champlain) i took the time to hoist the anchor ball, the alpha flag AND the diver down flag! guess what, i never had that many boats literally buzzing us at less than 50 feet! at one point i had to horn a sailboat that was coming straight at me, no one seemed to be at the controls...

here's my setup: (hope the pic shows)