Dive Flag Requirements - South Maui

[adjuster-jd]

Hello,
Any advice on what sites I will absolutely need a dive flag in the South Maui - Kihei-Wailea-Makena area?
While I think a flag is a good idea, it's hard to carry a flag and camera at the same time. I don't want to get a ticket for not using one.
I did see a group up at Mala not using a flag which rather surprised me.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[fooks]

The last couple of times I was in Maui and we dove Ulua beach I was told that we had to have a flag and that the beach patrol had been checking for them recently. Not sure if my leg was being pulled but every diver we saw go into the water had a flag with them. We just tied it off to a big rock we found in the sand.

 

[kidspot]

many public beach parks they are checking randomly for flags. Some spots are under frequent surveillance such as Mala, Makena Landing/5 Graves, Ulua, Ahihi cove & Bay, Honolua Bay and several others.

State law requres a dive flag on every dive (including free diving).

Aloha, Tim

 

[adjuster-jd]

Speaking of Ahihi Bay - is it still permissible to dive there? The Maui Dive Shop magazine says something about Ahihi being closed?

 

[KrisB]

Speaking of Ahihi Bay - is it still permissible to dive there? The Maui Dive Shop magazine says something about Ahihi being closed?

Ahihi is still open for recreational use. Maui Dive Shop would not like to advertise it, since they can't take you there commercially.

You can't set foot on land in the area of the lava flow (starts just after Ahihi Cove, ends just before you get to the end of the road), so no "Fish Bowl" or "Aquarium" access by land -- only by kayak from sea.

If you are at Ahihi, make SURE you have a flag. It's policed by state DLNR, who are the same ones that like to write flag tickets. Same goes for Mala -- the ramp is state property.

If you feel inclined to dive Kam 1/2/3, the lifeguards will give you flak if you don't have a flag AND tow it with you. Most other beaches you can ANCHOR it (please don't tie it off to the rock unless you ABSOLUTELY have to -- 2#'s will keep it in place just fine).

 

[sibermike7]

(please don't tie it off to the rock unless you ABSOLUTELY have to)

Why not?

 

[KrisB]

Why not?

How much care do you take to make sure there isn't something living in or on the rock in the area you're tying off to?

Ultimately, it's reasonably certain that any exposed rock in the South Maui waters has something living or growing in or on the rock. Disturbing that is inappropriate when you can avoid it.

And when it comes to tying off a flag to leave it there... you can avoid it by taking a 2# lead weight into the water with you to anchor the flag with, in the sand.

 

[sibermike7]

How much care do you take to make sure there isn't something living in or on the rock in the area you're tying off to?

Ultimately, it's reasonably certain that any exposed rock in the South Maui waters has something living or growing in or on the rock. Disturbing that is inappropriate when you can avoid it.

And when it comes to tying off a flag to leave it there... you can avoid it by taking a 2# lead weight into the water with you to anchor the flag with, in the sand.

Yep!

 

[Shaka Doug]

Please forgive me for butting in but I see it this way...

You will need it at ALL SITES.

1st. You know we have a dive flag law here.

2nd. You're going diving (plus you're a dive professional) which should indicate that you must take the flag although any certified diver should be aware of the many benefits of the flag.

3rd. Professional standards and procedures dictate that you should take the flag. Read the RSTC Standard Safe Diving Practices Statement of Understanding under items 9 and 10.

4th. Dive Insurance and quality assurance within our industry expect you to follow the laws to be in compliance with their requirements.

5th. Divers want to be safe and feel safe, not careless or reckless with their dive practices.

This really is a No Brainer. I find it quite surprising for someone to ask here on a public forum if it's going to be OK to break or disregard the dive flag law. I take offense to that as a resident of Maui and as a dive professional who's industry is presently under scrutiny from the local government too. It's easy to follow the rules. Don't give them another reason to make things even worse for us.

And PLEASE do not leave your flag in 6 feet of water when you head out to the reef! Tow it with you. I am so sick and tired of seeing 3 or more dive flags at Ulua Beach (or Makena Landing or elsewhere) either tied off or with the little weights keeping them in the snorkel area. The dive takes place in 20 to 45 feet of water or more. That's right where the boats cruise on the way back to Kihei Boat Ramp. This is an accident waiting to happen. I have only seen a boat approach the shallow entry at Ulua Beach a couple of times in the last twelve years but I see them go over the second reef nearly every time I am there (a couple times a week on average). They cruise through there every single day, especially around peak diving time....10 to noon. The SCUBA Shack boat blasts through there at full speed!! (Never seen that boat go slow....) Go see for yourself if you don't believe me. If someone gets hit out there it will not be pretty. It can happen. I've seen people lose weight belts by accident and pop up. I've had divers who've wanted to surface mid dive to fix a problem. I've had divers panic and go up without warning. I've seen other groups of divers bobbing around because they ran low on air and had to surface swim back in rough water. I've seen the turtles with cracked shells. There IS boat traffic and if you want to protect yourself tow the flag. If you can't tow and take pictures (I do all the time....) have one of the other divers in the group tow it.

I have seen two people die from diver / boat collisions. One guy was hit in the head by the prop from a Boston Whaler in 1995 on St. Thomas. My boss (Peter J.) was first responder and he held his brains in with a tee shirt while he died on the sand waiting for the ambulance. It was absolutely horrible. I can show you the picture from the front page of the St Thomas Daily News. I still have it in my scrap book. My friend Mike L. saw a diver get hit by a boat at Sapphire Beach St. Thomas and he was working the beach. He swam out for the rescue but it was too late. That guys skull was cracked open and leaking brains and blood fast. He died almost immediately. Mike will never forget that day.

I will always have my flag. If I still manage to get hit by a boat someday at least I will know I tried to prevent it. I suggest you find a way to tow yours too. Leaving it in the shallows sends a false signal and is also illegal unless you are staying in the shallows. You don't need to be a brain surgeon to figure this out (but it might help to be one if you can't!!)

Maybe I take my personal (and my clients) safety a little too seriously but if you want to fault me for that go ahead. The fact remains, I care and if you can't find a way to tow the flag or if you just don't want to, please come dive with me. I will gladly do that for you.

One question before I close...

What do you think will happen to a heavily dove dive site like Ulua Beach which is owned by the very powerful and wealthy Wailea Community Association (not the county of Maui) if someone gets run over by a boat and dies while disregarding or mis-using the dive flag? I have a couple of answers in my head and I wouldn't want to see it come to that.

Safe diving....it's easy when you do it right!

 

[KrisB]

Leaving it in the shallows sends a false signal and is also illegal unless you are staying in the shallows.

Doug, while I don't *agree* (as in, I don't see the benefit in towing always) with everything you said, I only take issue with this because it's blatantly wrong.

It is specifically written in the Hawaii Dive Flag Law that there is no limit to underwater distance. While it may send a "false signal" -- it's still signalling that there are divers in the water, and where they intend to surface.

The only requirement is that you SURFACE within 100' of the flag, except in case of emergency.

Also, Doug, a question. From what you know of the Scuba Shack boat and her operators... do you really expect it to slow down or avoid a dive flag if it's in the way of where they want to go?