It has been a long time coming, but last week, we finally got some good visibility in shallow depths.
It's a good time to free dive for your favorite offshore fish. But there can be a problem with boaters knowing where a free diver will surface. Once a breath-hold diver descends he might swim in any direction across the bottom looking for game. Some free divers will place a second diver-down flag near the ledge or wreck from their boat. This helps warn boaters and it makes it easier for divers to triangulate on the surface and start their next dive over the desired spot.
We sometimes use a surface catch buoy to help with our safety and to store our fish until we get back to the boat. You can make one of these buoys. Use an inner tube and in the center strap a large heavy-duty mesh game bag and attach a dive flag. Line the top of the tube with heavy cloth and top it off with plywood. The cloth and wood covering will stop fish spines from penetrating the tube.
- Bill Hardman teaches scuba, spearfishing and free diving through Aquatic Obsessions Scuba in St. Petersburg. Call (727) 344-3483.
