Death at Blue Heron, another off Pompano, and a diver survived being struck by an apparent hit and run boat off Ft Lauderdale.  No conclusive info on deaths.
May they RIP

Boats are my biggest fear. Pretty much zero disregard or knowledge of a dive flag.  I get smb's confusion.

Dang.

Yes, boats going at speed seem to either not see five flags or otherwise disregard. That's why I try to surface very close to my own dive boat or closer to shore when shore diving. Fortunately, the numbers of divers actually hit by boats is pretty small, but I don't want to be the one.

I have yelled at boaters that see a DSMB and drive towards it because they want to see what it is.

OP where do you dive at?

Riviera Bch (palm bch), Jupiter and Broward.

Dmsb in my case is used when drift diving ( so my charter can track me upon ascent).  I am solo most of the time.
Most ops here have one dm in water to tow a bouy.  I have seen many boats from the bottom ( 80' or so)  plane past the bouy, and its fn huge.

When I dove WPB last year, the DM's buoy got detached.  The dive boat kept following it.  The boat must've been a mile away by the time we surfaced.

Loling
I suppose it would depend on the charter's protocol, but did the dm make all of you surface (hope not) once they realized it was gone?
What charter?  I bet I could name it..
Also a good lesson of varying current speeds in the column.  This is why I send the dsmb early.

I just spent a week in Key Largo.   On one trip, once vessel was secured to moring ball, crewman deployed tag line (ripping current and swells).  Tag line was not secured to the boat.  Crewman and accomplice noted that it wasn't secured and it drifted further and further away while they deliberated on who was jumping in. Cpt intervened about shit show and offending crewman reluctantly jumped in to retrieve.  After a serious current battle he secured it and got back on the boat....yet not so secure....it slipped away again...jump in and repeat.
I was laughing pretty hard while others were puking.

Dang, that's sad. I'll be in Pompano for a  buisness trip next week, so I'm flying out early (tomorrow) to do some diving on Sunday with SFDHQ.

Abernathy's

Doh!
Would not have guessed them.  
He sold the Blue Water off to his dm
About 2 yrs ago.
He only runs the Shearwater.

They're a good outfit. Their captains are very attentive to the drift flags and keeping boats away from them. I like that they run three boats and you can reserve a spot well in advance there.

SFDHQ is a great outfit!  I use them every time I'm in Pompano.

I am sure most are also over on SB and are aware of the recent fatal accident off of Palm Beach.
Info

I haven't logged on over there for quite some time.  Can't stand the banter from the same posters over and over.  Most don't have a clue or no local experience to speak of.

I have been on Dustin's boat twice.  This was on his first boat.  His method of pu is aggressive compared to other boats in the area, but the method is the same.
I was a little puckered on first pu, but impressed.
I stopped diving with him because I got dropped on sand twice.  That's once each trip.  He blamed me (and other divers on drop) for missing the reef.
Yeah, no.
Running during the Wuhan is questionable, but I understand.  All SE Fl charters are shutdown now.  I know of one maybe 2 running on the West coast.

May she rest in peace.