Those of you that were at the meeting last night would have heard that we are thinking about ways of increasing awareness about dive flags amongst boaters. I will start another topic where people came come up with other ideas, but in this thread, please focus on the 2 questions I'm asking of you. All other posts will be deleted.

Louie outlined one of our plans, a simple, achievable plan that might make a difference. If it saves one person a trip to hospital, ever, then I think it is worth while doing.

The idea is to put signs up at key boat ramps with a picture of a dive flag and saying "within 90m of this flag you must be doing 5knt or less".
I am aware that there are already some of those signs up at some boat ramps (and if anybody could take a photo and post it here that would be great). These have become like old furniture. Nobody notices them, and nobody cares. I'm talking about changing the colours, changing the position, changing the size. People will notice them, even if it is just for a few years.

I want 2 things out of this thread:
Can you report here any near misses or contacts with boats or jet skis to include in the application. I want you name, the approximate date (month and year), location, type of incident.
Can you design a sign that will catch the eye, be informative and stick in peoples memory?

For more info about the marine safety grants program go here
http://www.marinesafety.vic.gov.au

You can put me and Tim down for a close call at least once a week in summer. From Frankston to Mt Martha.

One day in January 07' we were on the surface about 2mts apart and a Jet Skier flew inbetween us putting a wake over both of our heads yelling abuse at us. Could've reached out and punched him he was that close. That close that most of the wake went over us and missed us.
Same day another Jet Skier came flying at Tim only to swerve at the last minute missing by only a few meters, mind you he was still only about 10 meters from me also. He stopped and apologised stating that he thought it was 20mts from a float that he had to be. This was a dead flat, sunny day and we both always have a float and flag each.
We had a close call with a boat that day also but I can't remember the details.
At the same spot I've had several boats stop and yell abuse at us for diving out past the rocks. Even had one do doughnuts around us whilst dishing out the abuse.

Beginning of August 07' at Portsea Pier I was diving with Christian and Tim and a big yellow boat came flying straight at me. At least 100 mts away from the pier so I thought it must have been fisheries trying to race in and nab me before I dumped my catch. At the last second it swerved in towards the pier and docked. Only missed me by about 10-15mts and only slowed up once it was inside the pier. A heap of scoobies got out and I realised it was the dive shop boat!

We have also had boats fly up to our floats on several occasions stopping next to it thinking they had found something that someone must have lost or just curious as to what it is and not having a clue untill we pop up next to them and let them know.

Ryan Harris

Depending on the time frame of this application if it is still going when the fish start hitting the top of the bay I'd guarantee I could get you some footage of it happening with my camera. Not gonna go out hoping that it will happen but I'm not joking when I say it happens at least once a week! Could even sit on the cliffs with a video camera and film someone out there diving. I guarantee it would happen at least once a dive on a sunny day on the weekend. Bit sadistic waiting with a camera for a close call but we would be out there diving anyway. This might be a bit more of an in your face for getting the grant.

_________________
Like a farken underwater ninja!

The fish were blinded by overexposure to his pure awesomeness!

Close call in May this year off White Cliffs. Jet skier thought it would be fun to use my float with flag (upright purchased from Brett Illingworth) as a turning bouy twice. The Jetskier allegedly was flying from the Rye pier to my float (while I was underwater) turned around my float then power back to the pier then returned once more turned around my float a second time, at which time an old guy came towards the jetskier in his tinny and almost clocked him with a snapper lead weight and told him very clearly where to go.

Few other close calls I recall mainly with Jetskiers. But will post all future incidents here and hopefully with a camera I might get the jetskier in picture along with the rego!

close call off mornington in april, was on bottom with float upright and kept close to me, and while im down the bottom look up to see a jet ski fly past my float directly above my head on a dead calm day at a fair pace, surface and hes out of sight

_________________
speaross

I have had quite a few close calls And during summer its not uncommon to have one of these close calls once every 1-2 weeks.

Recently I was diving around the portsea area with a few mates (All of which I might add, had floats) One fishing boat cruised past one my mates going semi-fast, missing him by like a meter. Then we yelled at him to watch out, so he came back and did a really close circle around us then drove off........DICKHEAD.

Unfortunately it is a very common thing for us spearo's and really its not a matter of time before someone gets hurt (a spearo or diver). Something has to be done!

_________________
You can run fishies, but you can't hide!!!

As per South's original email, can we keep this thread purely as an incident register? All other posts will be deleted. Please post dive reports in dive report section, general chit chat in the relevant section. If you have any objection to your post being deleted, just PM me.

Re incidents for me, in January this year, P.Diddy and I had a jet skier whiz past at breakneck speed (within 50m of our dive flags) off Sandringham. Water Police gave chase and dealt with the offender.

I will try and post another 2 soon.

_________________
RIDE THE BULL!!!!!

november 2006:
sandringham
police boat drove straight up to me, didnt have time to move as it bow almost wacked me in the head, extremely dangerous! then they asked if i was after abs, answered no and they drove of like maniacs.

december 2006:
mornington
dead calm, no wind chop
3 boats drove over the top of me, seemed fairly fast
all within an hour of each other
then anchored within 20m of my float and flag

jan 2007:
mornington
small wind chop, jetskier hit my float and abused me

sandringham
dead calm
swam out to anonamus shoal lost count of how many boats came within 15-20m of my flag and float

black rock
calm
30 yachts sailed straight into me, one pick up my rig cord on its keel and dragged me and my float 30m, the sailer then abused the day lights out of me with his young son next to him
(this was the most scary, with boats you generally hear them, yachts no such luck, pop your head up and there they are right in front of you.)

feb 2007:
sandy
calm
yacht senario play out again, safety boat told me to look out because they wont move for me.

march 2007:
rye, oceanside
small swell
fishing boats came within 10m of me

sept 2007:
portsea
calm
played dodge the boat for 2hrs as almost every boat drifted into me, had to push one of the boats away with my hand...gave up and headed to shore

these are just a few of the encounters that i remember, there are countless more situations during the diving season, i also remeber getting in to verbal battles with fisherman that feel they can anchor right next to you!!!

For the sake of this thread- drifting boats don't count. And boats ARE allowed to anchor next to you. The flag does NOT mean stay away; it means go slow while you are within 90 metres of it. ( and be aware that there are divers in the immediate vicinity) Become friendly with the drifting fishermen. Tell them what is around, help them retrieve hooked rigging, show them your catch. They will quickly learn that you are not such a pest and will then show respect for the flag. I have had more than my fair share of incidents. On more than one occassion violence has ensued. On the other hand I have also had fishermen abuse other boat operators on my behalf as they have violated the rules. All these incidents go a long way to progressively educate regular operators in a particular area.

Beaumaris January 2007 - Boat came flying in to get to the birds diving and nearly took my head off
Black Rock March 2007 - Jet Skier came within about 5 metres of me and I was on my way in about 30 metres from shore. Black Rock yacht club members on the balcony went ballistic at him as he was terrorising everyone

When I sat my boat license test I can't even remember the question about diver flags being on the test. It should be mandatory. They should actually ask the question three times on the test on purpose to stick it in boaties and jet skiers heads. Another suggestion could be instead of having a little flag, maybe they could make some sort of expandable looking thing that fans right out, 1 metre wide or so that once you get out there you can fan it open. It could say "diver below, slow to 5 knots"

_________________
"Hooters, hooters, hooters, yum, yum, yum"
"Hooters, hooters, hooters, on a girl who's dumb"

OK, need a list of boat ramps now.
So far I've got:

Ocean Grove
Queenscliff
Sorrento
Rye
Mornington
Safety Beach

Where else?

Frankston?

_________________
Like a farken underwater ninja!



The fish were blinded by overexposure to his pure awesomeness!

Mordialloc?

I will print a few off and put them at my local boat club (Beaumaris motor yacht squadren)

_________________
You can run fishies, but you can't hide!!!

patto river has 3 ramps and i believe no signs are there to remind people of of regs and flags.i think education before u get your boat license/pwc license is the key.anywhere a boat/pwc can be launched should display flag awareness.personally, i had a jet skier hit my boat, fell off into my tinny,at this point i thought how sweet,gave him what he deserved and thru him over minus a few teeth.revenge was sweet but prevention of incidents is more important.

_________________
hunt it,kill it,eat it!!!!

He fell into your boat? LOL.
We are putting in for 15 signs unless someone can convince us before this Friday that we need more. Basically picked the ones people suggested here and added a few. I see that a few spots over that have have more than 1 ramp.

On the subject, NSW guys are running a raffle for MARK COLYS who was badly injured from being hit with a boat. Massive list of prizes including 7 days on Hamilton Island, a complete Blue water setup including cannon.
Check them out here: http://spearoz.org/index.php?topic=1660.0

I have a couple of books of tickets to sell. $5 each. PM me or call me if you want some. If your not in my area and you want tickets, it would be nice you bought a few to make the transaction worthwhile. If your in my area, give me a call.

I might be hard to contact next week, so be patient.