diver etiquette

[mtg]

To what extent is a "real" (vs deliberately sunk) wreck someone's final resting place??

I have heard people accuse "souvenir takers" of being grave robbers. IMO that is a bit extreme, but it depends on too many variables to get into here.
Any thoughts?

Still covered for me by the leave it alone principle. However as I have mentioned (here - elsewhere?) I feel if you go through the expense of finding a wreck and (under maritime law) removing items of value its your thing. Will the original country of ownership fight for those objects? probably. Is it as tasteless as digging up somebody's grave and taking stuff? no.

I do think that THE WRECK ITSELF should be left alone structurally. No spike removal, porthole robbing, etc. If every visitor took something, very soon you'd have nothing to see. I've heard the argument that the wrecks are disintigrating anyway; well mountains erode every day, too - doesn't mean you'll catch me screaching down one on my mountain bike digging up the trail and adding to it.

 

[HowardE]

Not intended as a post about stealing from protected sites. More about how people should behave period.

From reading here I have realized where my aversion to removing anything from anywhere comes from...I am an avid hiker, and the saying is "take only pictures, leave only footprints". There is a similar saying among divers (who probably hike). It is not in my nature to go somewhere and snag a trophy of the trip.

I certainly agree about taking only pictures... That's all I take - and an occasional vacant shell or sand dollar.