Diver in boat channel

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cdoc

Registered
Messages
18
Reaction score
2
Location
New York State
# of dives
100 - 199
This will sound like something I am sure nobody here would contemplate, but I had to share it.
I live in the Finger Lakes region of New York State and was boating today in Skaneateles.
It is a beautiful lake, although a rather featureless dive site.
The day was gorgeous, so we decided to take the boat for a spin.
After cruising, floating and just enjoying some time on the water, we headed in to the marina.
As we approached in a well traveled area along a mass mooring of boats, one of the marina employees starting waving his hands overhead and pointing for me to bear left.
I throttled back from my already slow speed and wondered what he was waving about.
Then, I spied bubbles about 30 feet in front of me in about 8 feet of water, perhaps 4 feet below the surface.
The clarity is excellent and I could see a bright green tank under the water as a lone diver swam out into the lake.
No partner, no dive float, no flag or marker of any kind except bubbles.
I yelled to shore to ascertain how many divers were down and was told only one.
I steered clear, feeling lucky that my outdrive and his head did not become aquainted.
Turns out he was on a day off from a new job after weeks of no off days and wanted to get some time in the water, so he donned his dry-suit and walked down the boat ramp........:idk:
 
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Damn! Does this lake have rules about diving? Sounds like he needs an interview with a warden.
 
Were you at Sevey's?
 
This may be hard to hear, but some places I dive, it is safer not to have a flag due to the stupidity of some boaters/seadooers. Solo diving can be discussed elsewhere. This particular place I am talking about, I have on multiple occasions seen seadoos using dive floats as obstacle courses. When I dive there, I treat it as an overhead environment and NEVER use a float.
 
Skaneateles is actually a beautiful lake to *dive* in also. Graeme, I haven't seen dive flags being used as an obstacle course, but I have seen boats come within fewer than 100' of a flag.
 
Skaneateles is actually a beautiful lake to *dive* in also. Graeme, I haven't seen dive flags being used as an obstacle course, but I have seen boats come within fewer than 100' of a flag.

It seems some of the boaters around here have no common sense. There was an OW student killed a couple of years ago at the above mentioned location by a boat coming too close to the dive flag. I fly a dive flag when it is required by law. Otherwise, i stay away from the surface until I am near shore, when shore diving.
 
LOL. :D

Sorry, I know its not a laughing matter... I just can't get that image of a diver walking backwards down a boat ramp with tank and fins on. Can you imagine what all the boaters were saying??

A diver in a shallow channel without a dive flag is just plain irresponsible. Even if you're planning to stay submerged the entire time, other consciensious boats who see this diver will have to make quick manuevers to avoid him/her, which could pose other safety risks.
 

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