Just Curious about a safety Issue

[Cacia]

leaving specific politics out, I have a question for the diverse brilliant minds on Scubaboard:

If doing a "shore dive" in an area with a light surf zone about 100 yards from shore, would you consider it reckless or unsafe for two experienced divers with bungee regs to get towed by a water safety-crew jet ski on the tow "sled"? The divers had a safety sausage and the lifeguard cruised overhead until the dive was completed.

Please give opinion and if you think it is unsafe, give your reasoning.
Thanks,
catherine

 

[chrispete]

If the arrangements were made in advance and it was all planned out, why not?

 

[Dave Zimmerly]

Wouldn't it be a boat dive then?

Dave (aka "Squirt")

 

[HowardE]

For clarity... were you being towed while underwater? Or just on the surface out to a dive site?

As long as you are withing your comfort level, I don't see reckless behavior, unless you were being towed up and down by the jet skis, then that's just asking for trouble.

 

[The Chairman]

What color was the safety sausage?

Although I am not a "diverse brilliant mind", I play one on ScubaBoard!

Actually, unless there was a REAL dive flag involved somewhere, I would not have made the dive. It's the law here in Florida and for good reason. Now, the flag could be on one of the Jet Skis, but you should always display a flag in an area that has the POSSIBILITY of boat traffic.

 

[Diver Dennis]

Where they whipping you around at top speed? I doubt it. I don't understand how that would differ from a scooter except being a safety crew it would be safer. I would use them all the time if they were available. If it was not safe, I'm sure the crew would not have taken you out. You're not involved in Extreme Diving are you?

 

[H2Andy]

well... in this case, the jetsky was the "vessel," and you conducted your
diving from that "vessel" .... so far so good

how is that different from getting in a kayak and paddling out to the dive site,
and leaving a dive flag on the kayak?

in this case, so long as the towing is done safely, i don't see an issue

 

[HowardE]

Actually, unless there was a REAL dive flag involved somewhere, I would not have made the dive. It's the law here in Florida and for good reason. Now, the flag could be on one of the Jet Skis, but you should always display a flag in an area that has the POSSIBILITY of boat traffic.

That is also a good point.

 

[HowardE]

well... in this case, the jetsky was the "vessel," and you conducted your
diving from that "vessel" .... so far so good

how is that different from getting in a kayak and paddling out to the dive site,
and leaving a dive flag on the kayak?

in this case, so long as the towing is done safely, i don't see an issue

Shouldn't the vessel be flying a flag then?

 

[H2Andy]

yeah, it's a good idea, i think... not sure if Hawaii has such a requirement

[edit] yup, there's such a requirement:

http://www.dive-flag.com/Hawaii.html