Fight with Dumb Boater in Lauderdale

[Jonnyreb]

I posted this in my weekend adventure summary but I am sure more people would like to read about it and comment.

While doing a shore dive off Commercial in Lauderdale on the 2nd reef, just North of the pier with 4 divers...

Some jackhole cruised his boat right up to our flag thinking... "oh look, free flag!". I came up and yelled at him as he was reaching for it. He was somehow suprised there was a diver down.. He said.."I was wondering what a dive flag was doing out here, blah blah... Whats under there?" I told him to "GET THE F*** AWAY FROM THE FLAG AND GET YOUR F***ING ANCHOR OFF OF THE CORAL YOU *&^*&@ %&^$@& ^$&%@ *&*& HOLE!"
Then we gave him the finger the whole time we descended... On the ride home we all were disappointed in ourselves for not cutting his anchor. Hopefully there is not a next time.. but I guarantee I will do more than yell if there is. At least we could have got the FL numbers and reported him (if that would do any good..)

Moral of the story is "Just cause you have a flag, don't assume you are safe." Maybe there should be a Florida "Save the Divers" license plate. ut:

 

[MSP Rescue Diver]

Oh, was that your flag?

Oops. Sorry.

Marc

 

[FredT]

A short "statement" from Ma Duce will eliminate the turning prop hazard.

A longer statement adds a new wreck to the reef.

FT

 

[zeN||]

Now do you understand the beauty of carrying a powerhead? <* <* <* yum-yum!) zeN||

 

[Jonnyreb]

CBULLA has been in contact with the Mayor and a bunch of others raising cane and has got some attention. Nice work.

CBulla wrote on 08-18-2003 08:20 PM:
thought I'd share back that I've already heard back from the Mayor who is taking this up with the city manager for Lauderdale by the Sea and from the VP of the communications division (who happens to live near there) who is taking this up with the EPA who appearently makes sure that the appropriate authorities are looking into things.. I think the dropping anchors on divers on a reef bit got her attention.

I was initially joking about the License plate, but that would be an AWESOME way to help fund a diver/boater safety awareness / coral reef awareness program. What diver would not want a cool looking dive flag license plate, especially if the proceeds went to a divers safety awareness program.. They have a license plate for every other group/cause/team in Florida...

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

I was initially joking about the License plate, but that would be an AWESOME way to help fund a diver/boater safety awareness / coral reef awareness program. What diver would not want a cool looking dive flag license plate, especially if the proceeds went to a divers safety awareness program.. They have a license plate for every other group/cause/team in Florida...

A few years ago in school I designed a "Save the reef" license plate for a project, and always wondered why there wasn't one yet. Never pursued getting it approved. You need a bunch of signatures, fill out paperwork.... Maybe get a good organization involved....
OTOH, Ft. Lauderdale is very proud of its reefs, and hosts Ocean Fest every year. Contacting the mayor is a good thing.

C Bulla- Way to go! I'm marching with you-all the way to Tallahasee, if need be! Anybody else?

 

[DennisS]

Be careful getting the local govt involved, their solution may be to keep the shore divers close to shore. The one thing I like about diving Broward is the lack of regulations.

The Boating Industry is probably already complaining about those crazy divers in their sea lanes. First they had to slow down for the manatees, now a bunch of divers with floats in their ocean. The money will fly from the lobbyists to the pols. They will ban scuba divers from the beach for "safety reasons" Let them use charter boats, it's good for the local economy and safer.

Buoys about 100 yards offshore would mark the limit for shore divers. There are already some beaches that don't allow scuba divers let's not give them a reason to close more beaches to diving.

If you think that's preposterous check the City of Virginia Beach. They gave a guy a ticket for swimming along the coast outside the buoys. He was a navy seal. The city said too bad he wasn't on duty, fine him.

A friend of mine was getting ready to go diving off either Haulover or Halandale and the lifeguard told him to leave.

I guarantee if you get local politicains involved you will ruin beach diving in Broward.

 

[Jonnyreb]

Good point. I see a private non profit organization being involved instead of the government. The license plate program is not government supported. But I dont know how the proceeds work or the costs. The signatures would not be a problem. There are enough laws in place already, and that is not what is lacking. What is lacking is awareness and education. If a boater drops anchor next to a dive flag because he does not know what it means, or the fact that he is on top of a fragile coral reef, it is a problem that affects us all. Making more regulations is not the answer. How about a buoy system with signs "CORAL REEF.. DO NOT ANCHOR - WATCH FOR DIVERS"... They have signs every 10 feet in my river for manatees. Are manatees more important than divers or the reefs? (although they do taste better..) ut:

 

[FredT]

Back in the early 70s the dive shops got together and funded a series of information posters at every A1A bridge and jetty from Government cut to at least Stewart. These were little posters about 24'x16' with 1' tall lettering explaining what a dive flag is and why to stay 300' away from one. For those not familiar with that coastline it was virtually impossible to pass into the ocean without passing within 75' of one of these "little" signs.

In the 3 years I lived there I was run over by 2 boats, and had my dive flag picked up twice. I was also run over by the USCG in an ocean going cutter that went between our anchor pendant flag and the one on the anchored boat!

Until such time as the idiot boater is, or can be, held responsible for his actions NOTHING will change. Divers are targets. Flying a dive flag on a beach or boat dive simply makes you a better target.

If the "officers" can't or won't write tickets for the courts to properly ignore, I wish the state would at least let me shoot back! I gather little comfort knowing the the worst that will happen to baoter that neglegently runs over me is that he will have to get his prop straightened once my hair is removed from it.

Fla dive flag laws are simply a revenue generator for the state from diver's fines. When the presence of .30 to .50" diameter holes in gelcoat or outboards is seen as the same level of proof the boat was too close to the diver's flag as the presence of spearguns on the boat in Pennecamp is for illegal "fishing" (even if there are no fish in the boat) I'll feel comfortable flying a dive flag. Until then I'll recognise I'm simply a cash cow to be harassesd by the politician and cover my own A$$.

FT

 

[The Chairman]

Tell us how you really feel! :tease: