Posted by Mike Abbott on August 30, 2004 at 19:59:49:
In Reply to: Oil Rig access could be in jeopardy posted by Ken Kurtis on August 29, 2004 at 21:49:37:
I really don't undertsand all of this posturing amongst you all on diving oil rigs. I think you are discussing the oil rig platforms off Alamitos Basin where we dock and not the ones further up north off Santa Barbara. If you are discussing Edith, Emmy Elly and Eureka we dive them almost every week and always ask for permission with the radio. The last time we dove one was Eureka yesterday. We always get permission and do take scallops. Sometimes guys on the Emmy Elly oil rigs send someone down the ladders to the water line and ask us to get them some. We are a small 21' private boat and have never been denied diving them. We have been warned constantly about not diving the working side of the oil rig and we have always done what they say. We only give about 30 minutes notice when we are close to the rigs to let them know we are coming. I know of at least two other small private boats that dive those oil rigs on a semi regular basis that have the same experiences we have had. If the oil rig managers didn't want us to dive the rigs they would surely tell us no when we ask to dive them. I have a real problem with someone else negotiating my privileges in regards to diving the oil rigs we have no issue with.