Bl**dy idiot divers!

[BruceB]

When you get idiots like this it just makes me mad. Leaving Oban today through the north channel I had a boat come across fast that was close to shore and shout that he had divers down in the North channel just at the Corran spit.
No A flag, no boat monitoring the divers, diving in the main channel in amongst all the boat traffic (including the ferry coming in which I passed on the way out) and also within the harbour limits where diving is not allowed.
He was lucky I didn't take one of their heads of with the prop as when he shouted and I slowed down sharpish the bubbles were 6ft off my port side.
As a diver myself these guys were particularly stupid and idiotic diving not only where but how they were diving.
The blue cross marks where they were and if they weren't picked up before the ferry came in the channel they won't be popular with macbraynes........

[willk]

LOL - join the club...

Just off the water myself. Got rammed in port by a 36' Jeaneau Prestige (skipper useless AND pissed). Cut up by skis. Abused by chavs (skangers) laying pissed on slip. Lifted box of litter from the carpark.

Just love Sunny Sundays - brings out the scum in us

[BruceB]

It annoys me though, myself and others dive certain places within the harbour limits without any grief as we are not in anybodies way. Idiots like this are just more likely to get diving within the harbour more closely monitored and it is us locals that will end up suffering the consequences.
Diving around Heather Island and Maiden Island are popular spots and are both within the harbour, albeit out of the main traffic route in and out.
Can you imagine the hassle involved for both of us if I had actually hit one of the idiots...........

[chewy]

Originally Posted by BruceB

Can you imagine the hassle involved for both of us if I had actually hit one of the idiots...........

New prop, trying to find the correct colour paint for the skeg.....

[jwalker]

Hehe, very good, chewy.

[Puffin]

Originally Posted by BruceB

Can you imagine the hassle involved for both of us if I had actually hit one of the idiots...........

Not half as much hassle as if Cal Mac had hit them! I am no diver, but surely anybody could see that that is slap bang in the middle of the main channel with Cal Mac ferries heading in and out with great regularity not to mention all the other traffic and there is absolutely no room for a cal mac ferry to take any sort of avoiding action short of full astern, and I would suspect that even that would take a whille to work!

[Simon B]

Originally Posted by BruceB

Can you imagine the hassle involved for both of us if I had actually hit one of the idiots...........

Darwin award nomination form, shark fishing permit, stay clear till their air tank empties or boat could sink?

Despite all efforts by diving governing bodies, RNLI, Seasafe, RYA etc there will always be a group of people so stupid, reason will never reach them, this goes for the idiots who dont even see the dive flag on a legitimate safe site. If they keep doing it report them to the coastguard as a hazard to navigation etc - Blood boiling in sympathy even from this distance!

[BruceB]

Originally Posted by Simon B

If they keep doing it report them to the coastguard as a hazard to navigation etc - Blood boiling in sympathy even from this distance!

They are not locals so probably just up for the weekend. A few years ago the ferry had to sit for nearly 15mins waiting for divers to surface in exactly the same spot, it didn't go down well with the skipper or calmac

[markymarkP]

not sure on protocol where you are, but here in plymouth, anywhere within plymouth sound, or the shipping lanes, three things MUST happen:
1) dsmb while diving
2) boat to display A Flag
3) Longroom (port control) to be asked and confirm where and when you are diving, and permission to dive

any infringements are swiftly dealt with

i dive all the time, and i do see some scarey things. sadly though, often divers following all the correct things, but boat owners (yachts normally) try to cut right over them. seemingly oblivious.

i have had to nearly ram a boat before to make them change course where the pimms is more watched than thier heading!

[G.Mac]

It certanly would not go down well with the Old man on any of the Calmac boats using the North entrance, Having to sit off for numpties like that does not look very good on the performance returns either as Calmac can be fined a fair whack by the Scottish executive for just being a couple of mins late!!

its the same on the Wemyss Bay - Rothesay run with all the waffies getting in your way on purpose and these jin palaces being hell bent on passing over your bow even when they are the give way vessel ( a vessel called bluebird being habitual tosser)

Oops, sorry for getting on my soap box there!

Graeme

[jambo]

Originally Posted by G.Mac

It certanly would not go down well with the Old man on any of the Calmac boats using the North entrance, Having to sit off for numpties like that does not look very good on the performance returns either as Calmac can be fined a fair whack by the Scottish executive for just being a couple of mins late!!

its the same on the Wemyss Bay - Rothesay run with all the waffies getting in your way on purpose and these jin palaces being hell bent on passing over your bow even when they are the give way vessel ( a vessel called bluebird being habitual tosser)

Oops, sorry for getting on my soap box there!

Graeme

Dont apologise Graeme you are quite right notonly do they spoil others enjoyment they are bloody dangerous and should be escorted of the water and their boat confiscated as they do with cars now for road criminals.
Thats me joined you on your soapbox.

J

[BruceB]

Apart from the IRPCS I also heed two ther golden rules that seem sensible.
Give way to ferries of all kinds no matter what size.
Give way to any ship that is larger than say 300 tons or so no matter what the rules say, its just safer to do so