Divers Warning Flag - Ont. boaters

[DI_Guy]

Hello fellow Ontario divers...

My dive buddy and I did a Saturday dive in one of our fine Ontario lakes and took extra precautions because of some local boat traffic.

The boat traffic was minimal until we entered and inflated our "dive float with a diver's warning flag". It even said "warning - divers below" .

Apparently the flag and float was attracting curious boaters wanting to see what it was that was "floating" out there.

Maybe next time, we'll use a JAVEX bottle and folks will avoid it because its a potential rock or shoal below. (lol).

We found out that the act of floating a JAVEX bottle would be illegal when there are no real rocks below. ( oh well ).

I found out many boaters do not know what the "divers warning flag" really means.

Safe diving everyone ....

 

[cobaltbabe]

Boaters sometimes think that dive flags are just an obsticle, and that is why we come up very very slowly when in an area with boats.

Hope you and your daughter had a super dive and that the waters were not too cold for the two of you.

 

[DI_Guy]

Boaters sometimes think that dive flags are just an obsticle, and that is why we come up very very slowly when in an area with boats.

Hope you and your daughter had a super dive and that the waters were not too cold for the two of you.

Nope... I've lost my daughter to the warm salty waters of the Cayman Islands (lol). She did not like the colder waters of our lovely province. (lol) It was only 57 degrees F at 86 feet depth. ( I don't find that cold at all )

Such a shame ;-)

BTW.. she has become a very good diver, I'm very proud of her.

 

[cobaltbabe]

57 at 86, my goodness that be bathing suit diving, no wet suit or dry suit needed. LOL

I guess we Canadian girls are just way to use to the cold water.

 

[Warren_L]

At some sites we've had jet skiers use the dive floats as turning buoys. Although there are rules and regulations, not everyone is going to follow them or necessarily know them and certainly not everyone is going to exercise good judgement and etiquette. It's a shame, really.

 

[nalfein]

sounds like some boaters have a date with the 'baton of enlightenment'... (read...bat or other acceptably persuasive blunt object)

 

[mddolson]

I'd prefer a floating mine.

The diver's flag in Ontario just gets lip service by our own MOT.
Here's the section from the small boater course (www.freecourse.ca)
From the manual : "Keep in mind that it is easy for divers to stray from the area marked by a diving buoy. Always exercise extreme care (i.e. slow down) in water frequented by divers .
If you see either of the above flags, keep well clear of the vessel or buoy marking the
diving site, maintain a proper lookout, and proceed at slow speed."

There is however no minimum distance, nor penalty specified for violation, other than the all encompassing "Failure to Keep a Safe lookout!" clause."

In New York state it's LAW, you must fly a flag, and boaters must stay 100 feet away from a flag. This law is enforced. I personally witnessed a boater being arrested and being escorted back to the coast guard station at Alexandria Bay NY (1000 Islands), for water skiing withinin about 30 ft of a dvie flag, at Bolte Castle.

Our law enforcement agencies are just spread too thin, to enforce the safety regulations.
They are way too busy checking jacka$$es who don't know enough to have life jackets for everyone or thinks it's ok to drink and drive a boat.

I'm sorry for the rant, but in my 30+ years of diving in Ontario I've seen very little change.

We've got a ways to go before boaters get educated!.
The small boater profficency course is required by law, but only for boats under 4 meters are required to have it sice 2002, (At least it's a start) it will be 2009 before all boaters require it. So for now keep your head down because the bozo with the 16 foot water ski boat won't be required to know about the diver's flag for another 5 years.

Mike D

 

[DI_Guy]

Thanks for your reply Mike .... you hit the nail right on the head ...

 

[Ontario Diver]

I'd prefer a floating mine.

The diver's flag in Ontario just gets lip service by our own MOT.
Here's the section from the small boater course (www.freecourse.ca)
From the manual : "Keep in mind that it is easy for divers to stray from the area marked by a diving buoy. Always exercise extreme care (i.e. slow down) in water frequented by divers .
If you see either of the above flags, keep well clear of the vessel or buoy marking the
diving site, maintain a proper lookout, and proceed at slow speed."

There is however no minimum distance, nor penalty specified for violation, other than the all encompassing "Failure to Keep a Safe lookout!" clause."

In New York state it's LAW, you must fly a flag, and boaters must stay 100 feet away from a flag. This law is enforced. I personally witnessed a boater being arrested and being escorted back to the coast guard station at Alexandria Bay NY (1000 Islands), for water skiing withinin about 30 ft of a dvie flag, at Bolte Castle.

Our law enforcement agencies are just spread too thin, to enforce the safety regulations.
They are way too busy checking jacka$$es who don't know enough to have life jackets for everyone or thinks it's ok to drink and drive a boat.

I'm sorry for the rant, but in my 30+ years of diving in Ontario I've seen very little change.

We've got a ways to go before boaters get educated!.
The small boater profficency course is required by law, but only for boats under 4 meters are required to have it sice 2002, (At least it's a start) it will be 2009 before all boaters require it. So for now keep your head down because the bozo with the 16 foot water ski boat won't be required to know about the diver's flag for another 5 years.

Mike D

Hey Mike;

One problem is that even though the MOT safety book points out the red and white flag, it seems that Canadian Law still does not recognize it.

The federal law that guides it is the Canada Shipping Act and under it the Collision Regulations (http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/S-9/C.R.C.-c.1416/44186.html)

Rule 27 covers diving operations. It speaks to the Alpha flag but does not mention the "Diving down" flag.

Does anyone know what law in Ontario covers diving flags? I can't find it....

 

[Mr Adams]

Imagine that, even after taking there safe boating course and getting there card they still don't know what a divers flag reprisents. I know they teach that part in the course as I teach the program from time to time, and make sure it well coverd. I've had many a yelling match with boaters on docks who seemed to think it was OK to take cut and take our flag home for there wall. This problem never seems to improve as there is no law behind it. If you want to read up on the history of the "US" red and white divers flag I have placed a link below.

http://www.fatboyscuba.com/diveflaghistory.html

Mr Adams