What to do when "buzzed"?

[scubastew]

Taking the lead from MASS-Diver and Yak:

What is the proper way to respond/act when you hear a boat motor overhead to save your hide and let the boater know to be more careful (if not report them to authorities)? Is there any accepted guidelines or procedures to follow?

Thanks, scubastew

 

[The Kraken]

Given time, I would IMMEDIATELY make sure I was at least 10' below the surface, make a 360 degree survey, determine from which direction the boat was coming, wait a few seconds to see if it was being closely followed by another boat and then ascend to the surface and cling closely TO THE DIVE FLAG OR SURFACE MARKER BUOY that was deployed, given that it was not a boat dive.

 

[Mako Mark]

free flow your alternative air sources to make a large bubble patch. surface when boat has passed and yell angrily.

 

[The Kraken]

Come on, Mark, they'd just try to make a slalom course out of the bigger bubbles!!

 

[MASS-Diver]

There's not much you can do, stay close to the bottom I guess. As I said, I won't dive in water shallow enought to be hit. If we surface away from the boat I always shoot a bag.

Another good idea that I see used alot is putting out a 100' tag line with a few tuna balls and a dive flag float on the end (in addition to the boat flag). If you not dead-boat diving, the guy on the surface should record the MS #'s and call the Coast Guard and/or Harbor Master. He or she should also shout obsenties at the offending vessel.

Lots of times the boats are going very fast, they sure as heck won't see any bubbles.

 

[yak]

Then there's always the flare gun

I still like the idea of marking them with red dye - if you can get them close enough

 

[Doc Intrepid]

What is the proper way to respond/act when you hear a boat motor overhead to save your hide and let the boater know to be more careful (if not report them to authorities)? Is there any accepted guidelines or procedures to follow?

Step 1 is survive. Remember there may well be more than one of them. Don't surface to yell angrily at #1 and get waxed by #2.

Protocols include always flying a flag from your boat, float, platform, etc. Its no guarantee that they'll pay any attention, but its a start. Make it a big flag - often they aren't looking for it. A small dive float and flag on the surface is basically invisible from most fast speedboats. By the time they see it, they're on it.

If you're careful by the time you surface (hopefully) they're long gone. Getting angry buys you little. They're either not likely to respond constructively or they've been drinking. Get a number, type of boat, etc. if you can later on and report it. Then get over it.

Stupid boaters are sort of an environmental hazard, like undercurrents, kelp, sharp surfaces, drift nets, etc. You learn to deal with the hazard.

 

[jagfish]

I had an interesting incident in this realm with the "fishing Mafia" here in Japan.

Although I understand that in most places on the mainland is technically permitted, in practicality, all shoreline is controlled by the fisherman, which is a very powerful group here. They vigorously discourage diving anywhere but at designated "pay" dive sites.

One time on a pre-dawn diving raid with a friend, we tried a new "free" dive site. Toward the end of a slow ascent up a gentle incline of a the rocky bottom, I noticed that we were being silently buzzed by a small fishing boat, powered by a jet. I was amazed that I could not hear it at all, I had thougth that jet boats would be really loud underwater.

Anyway, this guy was following my bubbles as I was coming up the slope and trying to hit me with a bamboo pole. I became rather infuriated, and was trying to catch hold of the bamboo, as my maniacal plan was to pull him in and introduce him to the bottom for edification.

Never happened. When I surfaced, he yelled a bunch of stuff at me I didn't understand, and I retorted with a stream of obsenities that was no doubt greek to him as well. We both seemed satisfied with what we had said, and he went along his way...

JAG

 

[Quarrior]

Seems like there is a definate need for hand launched torpedos here. LoL

 

[yak]

Protocols include always flying a flag from your boat, float, platform, etc. Its no guarantee that they'll pay any attention, but its a start. Make it a big flag - often they aren't looking for it. A small dive float and flag on the surface is basically invisible from most fast speedboats. By the time they see it, they're on it.

You don't understand, flags are their targets!