Shore diving without a Dive Flag

[cayal]

Planning a shore dive next weekend with some friends in Victoria, is it illegal to shore dive without Dive Flag? Would like to know so I can organise one if need be.

 

[Rick Murchison]

Don't know 'bout the legality there, but if there are *any* boats that pass through where you're diving, I urge you to use a flag, with or without the legal requirement to do so.
Rick

 

[cayal]

Don't know 'bout the legality there, but if there are *any* boats that pass through where you're diving, I urge you to use a flag, with or without the legal requirement to do so.
Rick

I intend to get one, but if I can't, just need to know if I can go or not.

It's a pier and I *think* (from memory) that boats dock on one side and the other is free so we *should* be ok in that regards.

 

[diver257a]

Planning a shore dive next weekend with some friends in Victoria, is it illegal to shore dive without Dive Flag? Would like to know so I can organise one if need be.

Hi Cayal,

The government agency responsible for maritime safety in Victoria is Transport Safety Victoria (Home - Transport Safety Victoria). As its publication, the Recreational Boating Safety Handbook (refer Recreational Boating Safety Handbook - Transport Safety Victoria), is silent on the matter of the use of flags when not diving from a boat , you could phone Transport Safety Victoria to ask to advise if there is a requirement.

Alternatively, you could ask the following organisation for an opinion - Scuba Divers Federation of Victoria (SCUBA DIVERS FEDERATION of VICTORIA) BTW, It has a webpage concerned with boating speed restrictions - refer Diver Safety - boating, speed limits, Dive Flag.

From personal experience, I would suggest doing a risk assessment. For example, if you plan to be under a pier for the entire dive, there is no point taking a buoy with a flag attached. Alternatively if you plan to dive at a site in open water where there is a lot of boating activity, taking a buoy with an attached flag is very wise.

 

[gcarter]

I intend to get one, but if I can't, just need to know if I can go or not.

It's a pier and I *think* (from memory) that boats dock on one side and the other is free so we *should* be ok in that regards.

If you are talking about the breakwater, you don't need a flag ogden point breawater, victoria, british columbia

 

[MA]

I think cayal would mean victoria, Australia. Divers rarely use flags for the pier dives. Stay within the pier to avoid fishing lines anyway. Just be careful where you surface, often the ladders are at the same place boats pull in so always look up and listen out just in case.

 

[cayal]

I think cayal would mean victoria, Australia. Divers rarely use flags for the pier dives. Stay within the pier to avoid fishing lines anyway. Just be careful where you surface, often the ladders are at the same place boats pull in so always look up and listen out just in case.

Yeah, I meant Australia.

I've dived there a few times and it is 99.9% under the pier so we know it pretty well.

Thanks.

 

[gcarter]

And THAT would be why the post was in the Australia forum. Duh. Back to your regularly scheduled programming while I quietly exit the room.

 

[Gef-Engel]

I regularly dive on the Mornington Peninsula, Mornington, Rye, Blairgowrie, Sorrento. With pier dives I personally don't think they're essential - during Summer and even early Winter those piers are so jam packed with people and other divers it's common knowledge that people are diving and swimming in the water. But off the coast and diving off a boat? I would never enter the water without a flag. I agree with MA and Diver257A, a risk assessment couldn't hurt, and let common sense prevail