Dive
Accesories
The
approprite flag depends on where and
under what conditions you dive. A dive
flag is either a red rectangle with
a white diagonal stripe or a blue and
white double - tailed pennant (Alpha
flag), and large enough to see from
at least 100 metres/yards away. In some
instances you may be required to fly
both flags, particulary when boat diving.
When
diving from a boat, place the dive flag
on a mast, radio antenna or other elevated
location for maximum visibility. If
you're diving from shore or have a long
swim from the boat, you'll fly the flag.From
a surface float. In this case, your
flag should have a wire to extend it
into the "flying" position,
and should ride at least a metre/three
feet high so boaters can see it in choppy
water.
Local
laws regulate how close you have to
stay to your flag. and how far boaters
and skiers must stay- away. For areas
where no laws stipulate these distances,
the rule of thumb is for you to stay
within 15 metres/50 feet of your flag
and for boats to stay at least 30 to
60 metres/100 to 200 feet away. Also,
don't display the dive flag unless divers
are actually in the water.Yourinstructor
will All you in on local dive flag laws.
Unfortunately,
many boaters don't know what a dive
flag means, and sometimes they can't
see your flag (like when they're coming
from directly up wind so that it files
directly away from them). These boaters
may come much closer to you and your
flag than they should, so don't assume
that just because you have a flag that
all boats will stay away. Even with
a flag, always ascend cautiously, and
if a boat sounds particularly loud and
close, stay down, deep enough to be
safe until it clears the area. Remember,
too, that as a diver, you have an obligation
to remain in the area with the flag.
You can't complain about a boat zooming
directly overhead if you're 300 metres/1000
feet from your flag.
As
mentioned in Section Two, be careful
of boat traffic. In addition to staying
near the flag, you may want consider
carrying an inflatable signal tube that
allows you to alert boats to Your presence
in the water.
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