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Name:
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GhostFleet
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Subject:
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Marine Police Violate Diver Down Flag ??
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Date:
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6/19/2012 7:41:17 AM
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My dive flag was stolen from directly above me on the south end of the old bridge, A boat stopped and when they started again my reel started to play out. I cut the line to prevent being dragged across the lake. At this point I was diving without a flag and about 300 yards from shore. I could have surfaced and swam to shore but scuba equipment was not designed to be streamlined on the surface. Or I could have continued my dive at 40 feet well below the reach of a motor and safely exit at my point of origin. The conduct of the boat operator could fall under"
Section 33-5-74 - Markers, signs, and buoys; mooring or fastening vessel
prohibited; damaging, altering, or moving prohibited; penalties.
(a) Except in case of emergency, no person shall moor or fasten a vessel to a
lawfully placed aid-to-navigation marker, sign, or buoy, regulatory marker,
sign, or buoy, or area boundary marker, sign, or buoy, placed or executed by any
governmental agency.
(b) No person shall willfully damage, alter, or move a lawfully placed
aid-to-navigation marker, sign, or buoy, regulatory marker, sign, or buoy, or
area boundary marker, sign, or buoy.
(c) Any person violating this section shall be guilty of a Class B
misdemeanor, punishable upon conviction as provided in Sections 13A-5-7 and
13A-5-12. Any person so convicted shall be fined not less than one hundred
dollars ($100).
(Acts 1994, No. 94-652, p. 1243, §28.)The person who stole my flag placed me in the position diving with no protective marker and the possibility of a ticket if LE had shown up and saw my bubbles.
Law enforcement officers are exempt ftom all but operating their vessel while intoxicated but is it ethically sound to remove a diver's safety net and reference marker just to get his attention? Causing the rapid or uncontrolled ascent of a person breathing compressed air can result in Decompression Sickness or worse Air Embolism. Both conditions require recompression in a facility willing to treat diving accidents. The nearest being Bessemer, Panama City, Pensacola, or Mobile.
I know there are two sides to the orignial story, however, I brought this up to raise awareness that tampering with a diver down flag can result in serious complications.
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