Palm Beach diver loses arm as group hit by boat - Florida

[DandyDon]

Root Trail.

It seems that's where he was, and he was snorkeling. You'd think that Florida reporters would know the difference between a diver and a snorkeler, but fail.

Snorkeler run over by boat and loses arm off Palm Beach

 

[Mike1967]

Snorkelers dive don't they?
And no article said scuba divers.

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

@Soloist yeah I read the article, my point was don't always assume that the driver of the boat is in the wrong.

When a boat hits divers, the boat is always in the wrong!

 

[Johnoly]

When a boat hits divers, the boat is always in the wrong!

In this case, I agree with you. But "the boat is always wrong" is not 100% true.

An example would be a diver swimming in the middle of a designated shipping/boating inlet channel (Which has happened before). Really each accident need to be looked at individually..

 

[Joneill]

Snorkelers dive don't they?
And no article said scuba divers.

In my experience, the vast majority of snorkelers don’t ever dive - they just paddle around peering down from the surface. Regardless, tragic accident all around from the limited details so far!

 

[Joneill]

When a boat hits divers, the boat is always in the wrong!

Not if divers are not towing a flag and surface right near a moving boat...

 

[The Chairman]

Many snorkelers don't realize that they also need a dive flag. If you are in navigable waters with a mask that covers your nose, you need to fly a flag. However, you can swim with goggles and still be within the law. In any event, swimmers always have the right of way as they have the least power.

 

[PBcatfish]

Many snorkelers don't realize that they also need a dive flag. If you are in navigable waters with a mask that covers your nose, you need to fly a flag. However, you can swim with goggles and still be within the law. In any event, swimmers always have the right of way as they have the least power.

Can you please provide a link to the rules on this. I'd like to learn more about the details on how the swimmer's rules actually work. I do not recall any reference to swimmers on the USCG captain's test. I recall RAM vessels, Vessels restrained by draft, Mine Sweepers, etc., but I do not recall a reference to swimmers.

Common sense dictates that you should always avoid swimmers, the same way that a driver should always avoid pedestrians, but if this is codified, I'd like to fill that hole in my knowledge base.

Thanks

 

[The Chairman]

Can you please provide a link to the rules on this. I'd like to learn more about the details on how the swimmer's rules actually work. I do not recall any reference to swimmers on the USCG captain's test. I recall RAM vessels, Vessels restrained by draft, Mine Sweepers, etc., but I do not recall a reference to swimmers.

Common sense dictates that you should always avoid swimmers, the same way that a driver should always avoid pedestrians, but if this is codified, I'd like to fill that hole in my knowledge base.

Thanks

Which part? In either case, Google is your friend.

Statutes & Constitution :View Statutes : Online Sunshine

NavRules Frequently Asked Questions

 

[PBcatfish]

Diver loses an arm in accident with boat off Palm Beach

Ouch. Could not imagine this happening.

The description in the video puts the location just off the beach at the north end of Palm Beach island. That would be just south of Lake Worth Inlet. I know the spot well. Several people fish from that jetty. Several fishing boats try to catch bait there. A few fish for moderate size fish there, mostly with spinning gear. A lot of people anchor up & swim there. Some people dive the jetties for lobster, but it's pretty well picked over most of the time. I've never found a keeper there. It's sort of a small cove with little if any current, moderate depth & mostly sandy bottom, other than the jetty. Once you get near the end of the jetty, it's a different story. Then the current can rip.

Being a holiday, there is a high likelihood that tourists & weekend worrier types outnumbered knowledgeable locals.

I will be looking for more information. This is my home turf. It is likely that I will be in the water in that same spot in the near future, perhaps even later today.