Persons scuba diving or skin diving in federally controlled waters
must display a diver-down flag to mark their diving area. Those
involved in spear fishing in Arkansas state waters must display
a diver-down flag and stay within 300 feet of the displayed flag.
For safety considerations, it is strongly recommended that vessels
not engaged in diving operations stay at least 100 feet away from
a displayed diver-down flag. Two types of flags are used to indicate
diving activity.
| Illustration< |
Types of Flags |
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Divers Flag:
- A rectangular red flag with a white diagonal stripe is
attached to a vessel, float, or buoy.
|
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Alfa Flag:
- A blue and white International Code Flag A (or Alfa flag),
at least 3.3 feet (one meter) high and visible from all
directions, must be displayed on vessels on federally controlled
waters
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Scuba divers and snorkelers should not place a flag in an area
already occupied by other boaters or where their diving operation
will impede the normal flow of waterway traffic. Divers also should
follow all of the water safety rules themselves.
Local waterways may have specific equipment and operational restrictions
in addition to those covered in this chapter. Be sure to check
for local regulations before you go out, especially if you are
planning to boat in a water supply reservoir.
