Missing diver off Scituate

[Boston Diver Services]

I was unaware that flying a diverdown flag on a vessel conducting drift diving was illegal. Where did you get this information? Here are the Ma Regs:

Chapter 90B: Section 13A. Scuba divers; display of diver’s flag required


Section 13A. Every scuba diver or group of scuba divers while swimming on or under the surface of the waters of the commonwealth shall display for each diver or group of divers as a warning device to boat operators, a diver’s flag, so called, constructed of rigidly supported material at least twelve inches by fifteen inches in area of red background with a white diagonal stripe. Such diver’s flag shall be displayed on a boat or surface float and shall extend a minimum distance of three feet from the surface of the water. Divers shall remain in an area within one hundred feet of such displayed diver’s flag while at or near the surface of the water. A boat operator within sight of a diver’s flag shall proceed with caution and within a radius of one hundred feet of such flag shall proceed at a speed not to exceed three miles per hour.


And the Feds. have somthing to say:

(e) Whenever the size of a vessel engaged in diving operations makes it impracticable to exhibit all lights and shapes prescribed in paragraph (d) of this Rule, the following shall be exhibited:

Three all-round lights in a vertical line where they can best be seen. The highest and lowest of these lights shall be red and the middle light shall be white;
a rigid replica of the International Code flag "A" not less than 1 meter in height. Measures shall be taken to ensure its all-round visibility.

Is there some law or regulation I am missing? When we run drift dives there are two Diverdown flags and one Alpha Flag flying on the boat and every diver has a float flag as well. Now I find out I am breaking the LAW!!!

 

[LobstaMan]

Is there some law or regulation I am missing? When we run drift dives there are two Diverdown flags and one Alpha Flag flying on the boat and every diver has a float flag as well. Now I find out I am breaking the LAW!!!

Pat, you're just a modern day pirate running around violating all the rules of the 7 seas! Aaargh! I'm coming over there to throw you in the brig! And don't think hiding in NH is gonna help.

Jimmie O

 

[ScubaNorth]

In practical application, I've learned a tremendous amount on message boards. YMMV.

Yeah but how many hours of rambling speculation did you have to wade through? Life is just too short.

 

[ScubaNorth]

I was unaware that flying a diverdown flag on a vessel conducting drift diving was illegal. Where did you get this information? Here are the Ma Regs:

Chapter 90B: Section 13A. Scuba divers; display of diver’s flag required


Section 13A. Every scuba diver or group of scuba divers while swimming on or under the surface of the waters of the commonwealth shall display for each diver or group of divers as a warning device to boat operators, a diver’s flag, so called, constructed of rigidly supported material at least twelve inches by fifteen inches in area of red background with a white diagonal stripe. Such diver’s flag shall be displayed on a boat or surface float and shall extend a minimum distance of three feet from the surface of the water. Divers shall remain in an area within one hundred feet of such displayed diver’s flag while at or near the surface of the water. A boat operator within sight of a diver’s flag shall proceed with caution and within a radius of one hundred feet of such flag shall proceed at a speed not to exceed three miles per hour.


And the Feds. have somthing to say:

(e) Whenever the size of a vessel engaged in diving operations makes it impracticable to exhibit all lights and shapes prescribed in paragraph (d) of this Rule, the following shall be exhibited:

Three all-round lights in a vertical line where they can best be seen. The highest and lowest of these lights shall be red and the middle light shall be white;
a rigid replica of the International Code flag "A" not less than 1 meter in height. Measures shall be taken to ensure its all-round visibility.

Is there some law or regulation I am missing? When we run drift dives there are two Diverdown flags and one Alpha Flag flying on the boat and every diver has a float flag as well. Now I find out I am breaking the LAW!!!

Dang Hoodlum!

 

[MASS-Diver]

My Mom told me that you can drown in a tea-cup. *wink* In all seriousness, I'm not sure how much "easier" a 20' dive is than a 40' or a 60' dive. In cold, dark water with currents and all the darn fishing gear in the water, you need to be a least somewhat squared away at any depth IMHO. I dove this area off a small boat last week, it didn't seem like a walk in the park to me (low viz/green water, current) but maybe I'm just paranoid.

Anyways, the reason why I am bumping a thread which makes me look like a HUGE jerk, is that these shark rumor persist! I know it sounds like BS - but "everyone" around the harbor(s) is talking about it. Today I was told point blank that when the rescue team when looking for the kid, a very large shark was seen in the area. Anyone know anybody on the team that could disprove this one? Sounds very far fetched to me, but all the fisherman are acting like it's a given that a shark picked this guy off.

 

[ScubaSarus]

Well something exactly like that happened in Florida when a guy in a group was collecting tropical fish to sell to the pet shops. They believe it was a Bull shark and found his shreded gear etc later.

The thought crossed my mind as he did have a catch bag. But whats hard to believe if a shark swiftly and quietly took him away near a boat full of people with no trace at all and in shallow water. As the divers in FL went about their own ways and seperated on the reef.

 

[MSilvia]

Yeah but how many hours of rambling speculation did you have to wade through? Life is just too short.

Not as many as you might imagine, but I'm pretty good at filtering useful information out of piles of data. Once I figured out who the knowledgable and experienced folks were, and which forums, topics, and regional opinions were relevant to my diving, it was relatively easy to seperate out the chaff.

I only read the nonsense when it suits me... I don't bother panning sewage for gold.

 

[MASS-Diver]

They found the guy's body yesterday, actually pretty close to where he was reported lost.....very sad.....but at least some closure for family.

 

[Ken abucs]

Missing diver's body found - Discovery made off Fourth Cliff; medical
examiner conducts autopsy

By JENNIFER MANN
The Patriot Ledger

SCITUATE - Authorities have identified the body recovered off the shore of
Scituate as that of a Marshfield scuba diver who vanished two weeks ago.

Tim Ericson, 30, disappeared Sept. 1 while diving with his brother and two
friends off Scituate's Fourth Cliff. He was presumed to have died after a
two-day Coast Guard search.

At 7:13 a.m. Friday, a homeowner on the cliff called Scituate police after
spotting an object in the water.

A Scituate fire department boat recovered Ericson's body about 150 yards off
Fourth Cliff's Humarock beach.

''It appears to be somebody who was scuba diving,'' Scituate police Lt.
Michael Stewart said.

Ericson's identity was confirmed after an autopsy by the state medical
examiner's office.

The missing man's mother was told of the discovery Friday.

''We all have some closure,'' said Maive Ericson, of Marshfield.

Ericson said her son will be buried in a family plot alongside his brother,
Mark, who died in 1992.

She said there will be a funeral service for family only. The family has
already held a memorial service.

Ericson was last seen when he dove off a 28-foot boat with a flag attached
to him by rope so his spotters could keep him in sight.

His friends and brother began to worry when air bubbles stopped coming to
the surface about 15 minutes into the dive. When they pulled on the line, it
came up without Ericson.

Copyright 2007 The Patriot Ledger
Transmitted Saturday, September 22, 2007

 

[Rick L]

His brother dennis told me he had all his gear on except his mask and weight belt!
I hope this helps the family cope with this sad loss :-(
Rick L