Lake Martin - Stolen Dive Flag

[Tom Smedley]

The old joke about the dive flag being a pylon for jet skiers took on a different meaning yesterday. A friend and I were diving in Lake Martin. We were on the old bridge at Kowaliga and were way out from the shore at about 20 feet. A boat stopped directly above us and sat there for a minute or so. When the engine started again the line on the reel started playing out wildly. We cut the line just before empty spool.

I’m sure that the folks on the boat thought it was funny that they had stolen a ten dollar prize; however, they had left us in the middle of the lake with no marker. They had also grabbed a line and started pulling not knowing if a person was attached to the end. If the line had been attached to the diver there would have been a rapid ascent and possible air embolism. The boater’s actions was a violation of the dive flag ordinance and could have easily turned to reckless endangerment and even manslaughter.

Later in the dive a boat that sounded similar came over us and seemed to be following our bubbles. I figured it was the Marine Police ready to write me a ticket for diving without a flag. We continued on our course and our dive lasted almost two hours so I guess they got bored and went away.

I thought I had seen every form of low-life but this one takes the cake.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Ouch, sorry to hear about that Tom - thats pretty low. I honestly think that there are too many boaters who don't know what the flag means - probably had no idea how low his actions were...

 

[RikRaeder]

Did you report the incident?

 

[JKSteger]

I really wish legislation would be passed that required anyone who operates a "motorized watercraft" MUST have a licence. And to obtain the license you have to at least pass a written test.

I'm tired of reading reports like this and seeing the local news report on lake fatalities due to incompetent operators of boats and jetski's.

It's time for reform in reguards to boating laws.

Jeremy

 

[Port Tack]

Sorry to hear about your incident. There are stupid people everywhere. Alabama does require a boating license and a test is required. Of course, those over a certain age were grandfathered in when the law passed and did not have to take the course and test.A notation is made on the drivers license and you must have it with you when boating. Of course, even when some folks know the law they just do not care.

Mike

 

[mike_s]

hmmm... a good lesson to learn from this. don't attach/clip the dive flag line reel to your BC.


Also, I'm amazzed at the number of boaters that are complete idiots, license or no license.

 

[JKSteger]

Yea you all are correct. Stupid people are stupid people not matter what! I've even seen boater speed into coves that are clearly marked NO BOATS. People don't care. I watch the TV show COPS all the time and every show is just stupid people on top of stupid people.

One thing I usually do if I have to lug around a dive flag is I just anchor the thing somewhere that is going to be central to my dive and then comence my dive around it. Most of my dives are shore dives so we usually don't surface in open water. We try to do a shore exit after swimming underwater to the exit point. Although in an emergency this would not be the case.

Boaters and jetskier's really scare me. I think that is why I like diving at the lake in the colder months. And $25.00 at the quarry is not so bad to avoid crazy people on the jetski's.

Jeremy

 

[RV]

I really wish legislation would be passed that required anyone who operates a "motorized watercraft" MUST have a licence. And to obtain the license you have to at least pass a written test.

I'm tired of reading reports like this and seeing the local news report on lake fatalities due to incompetent operators of boats and jetski's.

It's time for reform in reguards to boating laws.

Jeremy

Lake Martin is in Alabama and the state does require a vessel licence. Though you can take the test online and have the book in one browser and the test in another.. It would be hard to fail...

 

[hatman0_13]

sorry to here about the incident, tom. glad that you goto the line cut before things got ugly. sometimes it seems like posting the flag is like putting up a sign that says " hey stupid come over here ".

 

[Bob3]

Quite a while back I quit using a dive flag after some ***** pulled me up from the bottom of the bay. He got quite an education & probably learned a few new words.
Prior to that I'd had my float sliced up after being run over. :icon10:
I still dislike using a flag or float in high traffic areas.
Check & see how your dive flag laws are written; ours said "divers may surface no further than 30' from their flag". They didn't say we couldn't take the flag along down with us...
http://www.carterbag.com/personalfloat.html