Use a flag and live longer

[grant]

I decided to put up this post after nearly running over the same guys diving the same spot two days in a row way off Birdrock in San Diego. It's my hope that in this online community someone knows the guys who were out there and can let them know in a nice way that dive flags are a good thing. Yesterday they had floats which are good but a flag is better today they had a float inflatable with a very small flag. I give them credit for going for it and ambitiously diving a quarter mile off the beach. I warn them because they weren't near any kelp which tends to slow boats down and were well within the "boating lane" for people cutting up the inside of the kelp line to La Jolla. I know a diver was seriously injured a few years back and I would hate for a couple of young enthusiastic types to get hurt. I tried to polietly warn them today but I'm not sure they understood just how easy it is to get hit by a boat. Thanks if you know them for passing this on.

[mokaction]

It would really suck to run some one over with my kelp cutter. Keep at least a carter float or simular on you.

Larry

[tailsurfer]

I hate floats and float lines. if a boat runs it over you'll get sucked into the prop.

['o Cino]

Hey Grant,

Huge Apologies!!! I thought that was you, but I can't see distance well with the presciption mask. And thanks for purring up to us, instead of running the prop.

A super thanks for pulling up and talking with us. I'm not sure who the prior days divers were, but the the three of us were out yesterday.

Dive flags are a good point to consider, and each person ought to put some serious thought into time/use considerations. I dive solo in that area a lot, I hear watercraft a lot easier there (for whatever reason), and only dive it M-Th...never on a weekend! Watercraft will travel through there fast, so at first sound, gun goes up, and look around until you see the source and direction. It's not scary, it's training yourself to stop the hunt, note the potential danger, track it, and resume or respond.

Kelp beds scare me more, as the jet boats have no qualms about zinging through them, and the motors give much less up front warning.

Thanks for the post Grant! I'm 49, and definitely want to live longer...if nothing else to be a crotchy old man, and teach my grandkids bad words and nasty tricks

[grant]

No apologies needed. Good to know everybody was aware and on the lookout. In retrospect I was probably in way more danger than you guys hunting Yellowtail off La jolla yeserday it was a zoo... didn't see any but had a pretty dive none the less. The spot you were in can be reel fishy and gets little pressure. Hope you guys scored!!!

[IrieSpearo]

Originally Posted by tailsurfer

I hate floats and float lines. if a boat runs it over you'll get sucked into the prop.

You're kiddin, right?

Tie the floatline to your gun, not to yourself...

['o Cino]

Originally Posted by grant

No apologies needed. Good to know everybody was aware and on the lookout. In retrospect I was probably in way more danger than you guys hunting Yellowtail off La jolla yeserday it was a zoo... didn't see any but had a pretty dive none the less. The spot you were in can be reel fishy and gets little pressure. Hope you guys scored!!!

Did we score.....c'mon, quit joking around

Corey got some sweet video of Elliott swiming next to a big BSB, and some of a curious 7-gill that acted like a dog wanting handouts.

[grant]

Wow sounds awesome. That dog does want handouts he has followed a few of my friends all the way to the beach out there. How deep were you guys 30ish???

[EJM]

OK, so, when shore diving, what's the best way to fly a dive flag?

I've contemplated the idea of having a flag on my float with a flexible pole that would bend when pulled through the kelp but it's not really practical and it would ultimately snag on the kelp. Not to mention, everything we set our gear up for is stream-lined so that it will, in fact, pull through the kelp easily thus I've also thought of bringing a separate float with a flag on it to tie off to the kelp but again that seems really impractical.

So unless your diving from a boat and can fly a flag on your boat, presenting a dive flag could be a challenge.

Does anyone here actually do it? If so then how?

['o Cino]

Originally Posted by grant

Wow sounds awesome. That dog does want handouts he has followed a few of my friends all the way to the beach out there. How deep were you guys 30ish???

At the deepest 30-35, mostly stayed around 20-25 due to the low tide, even though we were so far out. There's a really big dog around there, with a head as broad as my shoulders. I've seen it twice, and both times it came out from the visual range on my rear quarter...I hate that, and 'hate' is a strong word I don't use often!

[Pipe 45]

I run a float and flag about 50' to 75' behind the boat. You can also rest on it' store some water in them and they could help in a rescue.

http://northeastscubasupply.com/stor...ats/cat_278.ht

[32Juan]

I use a body board and a small flag that I clip to it. I use the wrist leash to attach it to some kelp, and try to put it in the center of where I'll be hunting. However, I find myself getting absorbed into the hunt, and before I realize it, I'm almost a 1/4 mile from my flag/float. For hunting YT, it wouldn't be a problem to clip it directly to my lifeguard can, since when going for YT, I'm usually outside of the kelp line. For WSB however, it would be a nightmare trying to drag that setup through the thick stuff. In either case, use a flag whenever possible. I've been far too close to too many boats in my life. Catalina is like the 405 at 5pm on a Friday before a big holiday weekend. Especially during the summer.

[Bug N' Surf]

I've always thought it would be nice to put a big dive flag up on the rocks when I'm shore diving. Yet I don't have the funds to do so at this time. So I put my big blue toga/towel up to help mark my entry point.
So this is another reason to have a whistle on your person in the water. Just yesterday I had a boat coming up on me and I made sure that they saw me and waved to acknowledge I was there. I was way outside on the outer kelp line and my huge toga/towel looked tiny. It doesn't take much to bring a whistle with you. I know Nathan, aka Sgt Byron, has one around his neck, and I like mine on a little key bungee on my left arm. It doesn't really bother me or get caught up on the kelp and is good to know it's there.
The only thing other than a big WSB sighting that gets my heart racing is hearing that high pitched whine of an engine getting louder and closer to you. AND don't forget there are some sailboats out there as well, so keep an eye out too. I've made it a habit to take an extra few seconds after surfacing from a dive to make a quick check around me, as I'm recovering and before I put my face back in the water.
Just my 2 cents, but hope it's worth something for others.
Mike