There is so much beauty to discover in Maine, from trails to mountains to the many lakes and ponds that exist in the state. There are many different ways to enjoy that natural beauty, especially lakes and ponds that are often home to camps, boats, and divers. While many people understand the sight of a buoy in Maine waters, others do not understand what the flag shared on Facebook by Roland Constable represents. And because of that, it nearly cost him his life.

Facebook via Roland Constable
Facebook via Roland Constable
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What you're looking at is a diver down flag. This flag is attached to a diver as a signal to other people in the same body of water that a diver is below. Etiquette would suggest that anyone who sees this flag stay at least 100 feet away, as the line can easily become tangled and leave the diver in dire circumstances.

According to CentralMaine.com, dire circumstances are what Roland Constable faced when someone ignored his diver-down flag in North Pond here in Maine. A boat ended up hitting Constable's oxygen tank from behind. If that wasn't frightening enough, the force of the collision forcefully pushed Constable toward the boat, leaving his body to strike the propeller.

Constable was left with an injured should, but alive. He decided to share his story as a teaching lesson to those that don't understand what a diver-down flag looks like, and what it means. If you're enjoying Maine's waters this summer, please be smart and respectful.


 

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