Dive flag use on Maui

[adjuster-jd]

I'm curious as to how most folks use their flag - do you tow the flag with you the whole dive or just tie it off somewhere and come back and get it at the end of the dive?

I'm specifically referring to places such as Mala and Ulua Beach. How about Airport? Does anyone bother with a flag at Black Rock?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[kidspot]

Depends on what I'm doing - for a scooter dive I will carry the flag out, deflate it and put it in my pocket - do the dive, then inflate and send to surface and walk out with it ... btw - my flag is attached to an smb making this simple.

For most dive sites I tie the flag off at my drop down point, and then retrieve at the end of the dive - this is true for Mala, Ulua and Airport when I dive there.

Aloha, Tim

 

[AZjohn]

Depends on what I'm doing - for a scooter dive I will carry the flag out, deflate it and put it in my pocket - do the dive, then inflate and send to surface and walk out with it ... btw - my flag is attached to an smb making this simple.

For most dive sites I tie the flag off at my drop down point, and then retrieve at the end of the dive - this is true for Mala, Ulua and Airport when I dive there.

Aloha, Tim

I just wrote Tim the other day just about this. I personally do not want to get a ticket by the scuba cops (or whatever they are called) while diving on a vacation. Tim has a photo on his web site of his flag attached to his SMB. I think this is a great idea and plan on doing this to my SMB before heading there next month. Have no idea if I need special thread or anything, and likely will take me hours with several pin pricks in my fingers before completing the job (lol). But I like the idea of rolling the flag up with the SMB and sticking it inside my BC pocket when done.
Thanks,
John

 

[kidspot]

if anyone is interested here are pics of the flag Aloha Shore Divers

Aloha, Tim

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I have seen up to a 1/2 dozen dive flags parked 300' off the beaches you mention, typically with a 4lb weight attached as an anchor while the divers continue around the reef. I am not suggesting this, just that I see it happen and found it convienent. Personally I like Tim's idea, saves chasing down the flag if it drifts and since you should have an SMB, its no extra gear.

 

[KrisB]

The laws are being enforced -- I've heard of warnings and tickets at Airport, Mala, Ulua and Makena Landing.

Basic summary:

minimum size: 12" x 12" -- I believe a stiffener is also required so that the flag is viewable even with low/no wind.

every dive group must have a flag.

flag must be displayed while divers are underwater, but must not be left in the water when divers are not in the water (the latter half of this is often ignored during SI's)

barring an emergency, divers must surface within 100' of a flag (50' in navigable streams).

There is *no* limit to underwater distance.

I know that Shaka Doug has repeatedly commented that he tows his flag always, due to experiences where boats are cutting across the areas that they probably shouldn't be... I applaud that safety sense, though I rarely tow the flag, unless my divers haven't proven a reasonable ability to stay near the reef.

For how easy it is to do, I wouldn't skimp on it, even at Black Rock. Some day, a DLNR officer will get it in his head that he needs to enforce the law there... and he's not bound to the no-boat zone that everybody else is.