Be Dive Flag Aware
June 27 marks the beginning of Dive Flag Awareness Week

Posted Thursday, June 25, 2009

 
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Rob Murphy, 26, surfaced from the depths of the Atlantic five miles offshore of Stuart, enjoying what he loved best - scuba diving. Although he had been diving for just over a year, he dove three days a week,
accumulating about 400 dives under his belt by that January 2009 day.

Murphy recalls that as he was treading water at the surface, he realized a boat was heading directly for him. He tried to swim out of the boat's path, but the diver and the boat collided. Murphy lost both of his legs, below the knee.

"I just hoped I would live," Murphy said.

Now, he is dedicated to educating others. Murphy and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) are on a mission to make boaters and divers aware of what a dive flag is and how it should be used.

In the past five years, 22 divers in Florida's waters have been killed or injured by boats. Many of these incidents could have been avoided had the boaters been on the lookout for divers-down flags, or if the divers had properly displayed the dive flags to alert boaters to their presence.

"It's a plague in this area," Murphy said, speaking of the Palm Beach and Jupiter area. "There are divers, charter fishermen, recreational boaters, all using the same place. Some are unaware, and some simply don't care."

June 27 marks the beginning of Dive Flag Awareness Week. Lt. David Bingham is an FWC watch commander stationed in South Florida. He conducts law enforcement details targeting divers-down flag violations. He works with Murphy to promote dive flag awareness. This week, Bingham
will be patrolling on the water, getting the message out.

"Too often, there are too many close calls," Bingham said. "With the increase in boaters and divers, I'm very concerned there will be more injuries, or deaths, if boaters aren't looking for divers-down flags and
using due care, or if divers don't use the flags to alert boaters to their presence."

The law requires that a vessel display a divers-down flag whenever divers or snorkelers are in the water. The divers-down flag is red with a white diagonal stripe. It must be at least 20 inches by 24 inches and
displayed at a high point where it can be observed 360 degrees around the vessel. When divers are not from a vessel, a divers-down flag towed on a float must be at least 12 inches by 12 inches. It must have a wire or other stiffener to hold it open.

Divers and snorkelers must make every reasonable effort to stay close to their flag. When they exit the water, the divers-down flag must be taken down.

Though Murphy is not fully recovered and will forever be haunted by the day when he lost his legs, his love of diving has brought him back to the water. With prosthetics, he is able to dive.

"It's my passion - nothing will keep me out of the water," Murphy said. "But, I don't want anyone to go through what I'm going through. Just look for divers and give us some space."

All vessels must make a reasonable effort to stay at least 100 feet away from a divers-down flag within a river, inlet or channel. In open waters, vessels must make a reasonable effort to stay 300 feet away from a divers-down flag. Within those prescribed distances, a vessel may operate, but at idle speed.