Rig diving to be prohibited?

[drbill]

This is the Bush administration. Of course they will do anytrhing they can to protect oil from eco-terrorists like some of us SCUBA divers.

I've dived oil rigs and found them to be interesting but they have "artificial" communities at least in the waters of California.

Dr. Bill

 

[cold kiwi]

can you get army camoflage wetsuit/dry suit
now that would be cool

our government is not so parronoid over here and the main headlines on our news is TOM CRUISE HAS LEFT THE COUNTRY

you very rarely here that theres been a murder and when you do they go on about it all week

kinda makes me glad that i live in a country where tom cruise is the main headline

 

[jdb]

I posted a thread on this subject a couple of weeks ago. The answer I received by the Coast Guard and the marine police here was that Presently there is no law or limitation on diving or fishing the Rigs in the Gulf. However there were several Senators that were trying to push one through. My suggestion is to write your senator and let them know how you feel about this subject.

 

[chrispete]

This made the front page of the local papers here - the article states that it is the Coast Guard putting the new rig rules into effect (one paper also stated that the rule has already been put into effect, but there is a waiting period before they can enforce it - I have no way of confirming that though.) I personally think that it's a rather idiotic thing to do. I guess we'll have to start going out into international waters to dive now...

 

[saying]

To expose my ignorance: what is the appeal of rig diving?

Also, how is this accomplished; does one make a day trip out to the rig or are accomodations arranged aboard?

I don't me to turn the course of this thread too far, I'm just curious.

 

[chrispete]

They act as havens for marine life. If we had to dive out in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico, critters would be few and far between. Under a rig there are tons of critters. Granted, there are wrecks and other artificial reefs out in the Gulf, but they are much, much fewer in number than the rigs are. You'll see overfishing of certain spots, and the rigs get crowded with fishing boats as it is right now, I can only imagine if you decrease the number of available spots to fish on out there.

Most fishing is done off of either private boats or charters from here. The charters are usually one day excursions for both hook and line fishing and spearfishing. Depending on the spearfishing charter, you may hit 2-3 rigs in a day with everyone in the water at one time (my preference) or 6-10 rigs in a day with a buddy team jumping over the side, bouncing down, shooting what they can as quickly as they can, and then getting back on the boat which then moves to the next rig depending on how plentiful the fish are reported to be by the team. The next team gets ready, and they repeat all day.