§ 29.1-734.1 Skin and scuba divers
A. No person shall engage in skin diving or scuba diving from a boat in the waters of this Commonwealth which are open to boating, or assist in such diving, without displaying a diver’s flag from a mast, buoy, or other structure at the place of diving; and no person shall display such flag except when diving operations are under way or in preparation or display a diver’s flag in a location which will unreasonably obstruct vessels from making legitimate navigational use of the water.
B. The diver’s flag shall be square, not less than twelve inches on a side, and shall be of red background with a diagonal white stripe, of a width equal to one fifth of the flag’s height, running from the upper corner adjacent to the mast downward to the opposite outside corner.
C. No operator of a vessel under way in the waters of this Commonwealth shall permit such vessel to approach closer than twenty-five yards to any structure from which a diver’s flag is then being displayed.
History
This law was first created in 1987. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 488 of that year’s edition of “Acts of Assembly,” the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1987 “Acts” aren’t available online.
1987, c. 488.