SloopCamotop
Registered
Just got back from a trip, and while I was there 1 of the 4 remaining balls broke loose through no fault of the operator. What started as 6 (when the king post had a line way back when) went to 5, then 4, and now 3. This means on any given day if all 4 local operators are out there then 1 is doing a drift, and if private boats are on site there are multiple drifts occurring with people from different boats all bobbing around. It was all handled very smoothly when I was one of the drifters, but there were also students on the boat (who handled it well and were guided well by their instructor.) That said, I can see it getting needlessly hairy for both operators and divers. It doesn't need to be this way and was not designed to be run this way.
NOAA is responsible for maintaining those balls, and empirically I would say they are not doing well with that responsibility. I called and left a message for them, notifying them that the site is down to 3 balls and asking them to replace the lost balls, at 305-809-4727. If you are familiar with the site and would like to take a moment to request as a citizen that they maintain the sight with safety in mind, I think it would be a service to our community. Nobody wants to see someone get a prop to the face or perform any other unnecessary circus tricks.
NOAA is responsible for maintaining those balls, and empirically I would say they are not doing well with that responsibility. I called and left a message for them, notifying them that the site is down to 3 balls and asking them to replace the lost balls, at 305-809-4727. If you are familiar with the site and would like to take a moment to request as a citizen that they maintain the sight with safety in mind, I think it would be a service to our community. Nobody wants to see someone get a prop to the face or perform any other unnecessary circus tricks.