Posted by SLANG on August 11, 2000 at 12:43:25:
In Reply to: Re: Yah... posted by Jim Hoffmann on August 11, 2000 at 10:03:22:
>"...most divers need more training to dive this wreck..."
If that is indeed the central point of your argument, and if that is something that MHK would stipulate to, that would definitely simplify defining our respective positions. Are you saying that no diver who does not have advanced certifications (including Nitrox and OE certifications) should be allowed on any boat going out to the Yukon? If that is your position, I definitely disagree. What about those of us who have no real interest in seeing the bowels of the ship, we just want to take a look around the wreck? To say that no diver without an OE cert can be trusted near the wreck is absurd and an insult.
If, on the other hand, Mike is just saying that these recommendations of his (for most part, all very good ideas for divers wanting to do some serious penetrations - no argument here) apply only to those divers wanting to penetrate to the inner part of the ship, BUT he is NOT trying to keep anyone else from going out on the boats diving the Yukon and taking a look around, then I have to ask, who is going to police these recommendations? And how?
Jim, I'm sure you were talking about the "average" diver when you made the above statement. And, truthfully, the "average" diver probably does need more training before attempting to visit every inch of this wreck, but what about just wanting to dive the exterior and maybe just swim through some of the open areas (never losing sight of an exit), even the "average" diver doesn't necessarily need more training for that. What the AVERAGE diver needs is more EXPERIENCE. The problem is, you (Jim) can't seem to differentiate the "average" diver from the experienced diver who has made many dives with similar profiles and under similar conditions, but has no interest in obtaining "technical" certifications. That diver is more than qualified to go out to this wreck and poke around and you have no right to try and prevent him from doing that.
To try and keep this discussion from getting any more out of hand and unintelligible than it already has, I want to try and summarize my position for you (MHK, Jim, et al.): If you are trying to initiate blanket policies that prevent anyone without OE certifications from ever seeing this wreck, I am against that and will actively fight you every step of the way. If you are trying to make MHK's "suggestions" policies that must be followed by anyone penetrating the wreck, but not necessarily for those who are on the boat to just dive the exterior, then I just want to know how those policies are going to be enforced? Having unenforceable laws on the books is a source of immeasurable problems.
Does this make any sense?
SLANG