A BOAT owner and the coastguard have warned people not to swim in Christchurch Harbour after a man was nearly mowed down by a boat.

The man who was spear fishing in the channel, narrowly avoided collision with a boat after the owner changed course at the last minute, to collect some rubbish.

Long-time boat owner Gary Spooner said the incident shook him up.

He described the incident: “I’ve got a mooring down at Tuckton that I've had for quite a long time and I’ve got a little open motorboat and I was going down the river on the way out.

“I got down to within about 200 yards of the jetty where the ferry goes backwards and forwards in the channel itself, and I saw something floating in the water, which looked like a bit of debri or something. So I thought 'well I’ve got to pick it up if it’s rubbish'.

“When I got close to it, I realised it was a child's rubber ring so I went past and I didn't take much notice, and all of a sudden a diver appeared behind me, just came up out of the water.

“I shouted at him and he just went back down under the water. I nearly went into another boat trying to avoid him.

“It shook me up because I got a fair old propeller on my boat. And if I hadn’t gone to pick this rubbish up I’d have cut him up badly, very badly. If I had gone across the top of him that would've been very nasty. He’d have been in bits, I think.

“A proper diver would have an orange floating boy to show that they're under the water. but even so he shouldn't have been in the run.

“I phoned the coast guard when I got back, I just wanted it logged that somebody had done such a stupid thing.”

Ben Feeney from BCP Christchurch Harbour Marine Patrol said: “On Monday, August 22 at around 11am, BCP’s Marine Patrol team were notified of a ‘near miss’ between an individual spearfishing in the harbour and another vessel.

“The individual was located shortly afterwards by BCP’s Marine Patrol vessel spear fishing in amongst the moored boats in the harbour as well as in the marked main channel which is not permitted and extremely dangerous.

“The person in question was spearfishing and did not have any knowledge of the harbour or regulations relating to the use of marker buoys.

“Suitable words of advice were given and the individual was asked to exit the water immediately.

“Any swimming activity in open water can be dangerous if not within the marked swimming zones within the yellow buoyed areas across the bay.

“Whilst there is a 6knt speed limit within these areas for any craft wishing to enter, it is still advisable to use an approved personal marker buoy.

“Swimming in the marked boat channel within Christchurch harbour itself is extremely dangerous and not permitted, this also includes ‘The Run’ at Mudeford Quay which is extremely busy with vessels this time of year as well as hazardous due to its strong tidal current.

“Although new additional signage was introduced this year, sadly we have still had to advise a small minority of visitors on the dangers.”