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SC Dive Flag Laws and Marker Buoy’s:

 South Carolina does not have a mandatory dive flag law that makes divers carry a flag or surface markers buoys or even stay with a specified distance of a vessel flying such a flag. See the section of this book that covers the SC law for dive flags.

 Well we do not have a mandatory law, should we throw all caution to the wind and not fly one? Heck no! We as divers need to give boaters all the chances in this world to see us while we are in the water. This means that if diving from shore or a boat a dive flag should be flown. The Dive Flag or Diver’s Down Flag is easily recognized by divers worldwide but a lot of boaters have no earthly idea what its meaning is. 

 The meaning is simply “diver down” so when divers are entering the water or leaving the boat should raise the diver down flag. This free-flying flag will caution and alert others in the immediate area of divers are in the water. The flag in turn must then be lowered when all divers are aboard or ashore. If you have a “divers on board flag” fly it when you are cruising down the river to look cool and not fly the divers down flag. 

“Diver Down” Flag
Should be flown when divers are in the water not from a cruising vessel!

DIVER SAFETY PRECAUTIONS 

• The diver down flag must be flown when divers enter the water from shore or from a vessel.
• The minimum size should be12 x 12 inches, bigger is always better
• All divers should carry and deploy a surface marker buoy prior to and while ascending to the surface.
• Dive vessels may float anchored diver down buoys ahead of the vessel in the direction of travel of the diver(s) to alert approaching boaters.
• Divers prior to ascent adjust to slightly negative buoyancy and ready themselves by securing loose gear etc. then deploy a surface marker buoy that will break the surface while the diver is a depth of 10 – 15 feet.
• Perform a safety stop if required. Safety stops should not be made mid-river in fast flowing current. If current is present swim to the near shore where dive vessel is anchored to a shallower depth.

Please see the safety related linked pages below: Thnaks

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