In Reply to: Re: Oh no! Now Dwill will be after me! posted by Dwill on August 02, 2005 at 09:51:50:

I'm sure that they already know that it is there. It has no value so that is probably why it is still there.

That port hole increased the "wow" value of the dive. It helped the fun meter go to off the scale. It would be so cool if most wrecks had things like this to experience. Unfortunately, due to pilfering, they don't.

I have observed that there seems to be several mind sets out there. a) keep it a secret so that we and we alone can pilfer, b)everybody dives it so there is absolutely nothing left, c) keep it a secret so that nobody pilfers it - that seems to be the only way that things have a chance of being there tomorrow.

The California Wreck divers say that they are "keeping things for everybody" - but I never see what they take. I see a display at the scuba show once a year of a couple of shinny souveneers but that is it. Where is all of the rest of the stuff.

Never seeing things sucks. Seeing things polished and displayed is OK. Seeing things where they origionally were on a dive is another experience entirely. It makes a dive so incredible.

I see part of the problem with our culture to be the recent books that have come out. "Fatal Depth", "Shadow Divers", "Descent into Darkness" they all glorify the macho man that risks his life to take things off of wrecks. They focus so heavily on the "superman" image of these divers that they completely cloud the issue that by leaving things alone, maybe others can enjoy it too. From what I have read, divers have china cabinets at home full of Andrea Doria stuff. Wouldn't it be super if that china was in a few good Andrea Doria exhibits for everyone. Wouldn't it be super if the emphasis of the books was on the terrific photos and not on the brave men that risk their lives to stuff thier China Cabinet? Wouldn't it be cool if there was still a lot of China on the Doria for future visitos to see until the wreck crumbles entirely? My beef with those books is that the glorify the wrong thing.

Now that there is digital photography and the web, everyone can enjoy the photos. If people would leave the stuff there, all divers could enjoy it for as long as it lasts in the ocean.

I've said my mind.

• Re: Diving and Ethics DougD 11:26:49 08/02/05 (14)
  • Re: Re: Diving and Ethics and selfishness AKB 13:48:13 08/02/05 (13)
    • Securing and preserving for who? Elaine 14:13:45 08/02/05 (12)
      • Shame on you! AKB 21:12:03 08/02/05 (11)
        • Re: Shame on you! DWILL 09:39:24 08/03/05 (0)
        • Oh, I guess that some of it can be viewed on ebay Elaine 00:21:32 08/03/05 (0)
        • why don't you sign your name? Elaine 22:29:19 08/02/05 (8)
          • Why, so you you can stalk me? AKB 08:42:25 08/03/05 (6)
            • You have no credibility Elaine 11:14:40 08/03/05 (5)
              • posting one's first name give idiots instant credibility?!?! AKB 17:06:39 08/03/05 (4)
                • Do you pay taxes on what you take from wrecks? Usually Quiet 17:49:51 08/03/05 (3)
                  • Good Question Good Question 18:07:26 08/03/05 (2)
                    • Do you doccument wreck sites before you start taking things? Just as good a question 18:21:39 08/03/05 (1)
                      • Complain about us sure King Kona 12:56:34 08/04/05 (0)
          • Re: why don't you sign your name? stephen clark 08:18:55 08/03/05 (0)