Wreck Stripping

[divedude]

??? Views on removing items on found shipwrecks???

Should some sites be protected from stripping?
Should it be first come first serve?

 

[DivingGal]

Now Jim, don't get me started.... what with you supporting POW, and me SOS... you know where my feelings lay.

I say leave it for all to enjoy. Unfortunately, I know there are folks who don't think that way, and the beauty of some our wrecks are destroyed in their quest to bring home a trophy of their visit :upset: :upset: :upset: :upset:

 

[Spectre]

Well, the subject of the thread sort of points out the original posters feelings!

Wreck Stripping? How about Wreck Poaching? Or go the other way "Artifact Preservation". [Not really offended, just pointing out the humor in it all.. ]

 

[divedude]

Originally posted by funky__monks
Well, the subject of the thread sort of points out the original posters feelings!

[Not really offended, just pointing out the humor in it all.. ]

Ya I guess it does point out my feeling But I'm interested in what other divers think
I should have put in the difference of fresh water wrecks and salt water wrecks as fresh water wrecks don't deteriotrate very fast and can be around for hundreds of years.

 

[Spectre]

Originally posted by divedude
I should have put in the difference of fresh water wrecks and salt water wrecks as fresh water wrecks don't deteriotrate very fast and can be around for hundreds of years.

Completely agreed, and my "vote" isn't based on the freshwater wrecks that will be around for many lifetimes. My views are based on such things as the "target ship" in Cape Cod bay, which I've watched deteriorate from a point where it was a ship on the horizon down to a couple of ribs at low tide...

-Jeff

 

[Tavi]

I didn't check off a choice in the poll.

For most wrecks I'd say take only pictures, leave only bubbles.

For wrecks that are deteriorating (like the Andrea Doria) Take what you can while you can. Someday it isn't going to be there for anyone to see anyway!

 

[The Chairman]

I thought it said Wench Stripping...

 

[Ontario Diver]

My first thought is that any wreck should be left alone. This especially applies to historical wrecks, significant wrecks, war graves, or the ever popular "protected wreck.

This doesn't matter if it is in fresh or salt water. If the wreck is in danger of being ruined, then I believe that the wreck should be surveyed for historical/archeogical significance. If it is, the artifacts should be removed by trained divers working under the direction of a real marine "Indiana Jones"

If it isn't significant, and going to be destroyed (or has been professionally strippped) then maybe a mantlepiece is better than disappearing forever. Now of course - time to destruction is still an issue.

(Of course, when I discover a 1920's bootlegger full of scotch and whiskey or a Spanish Galleon full of gold things that got really lost in Lake Ontario.......... IT'S MINE! MINE I TELL YOU! ALL MINE!)


But a side question.... If you dove onto the Doria; would you take a plate?

 

[scuberd]

I havn't been on many wrechs (yet!!!) and all of which you would need specailized tools to remove parts of, but I think if you find something that the next person would take anyways, what real harm does it do to "rescue" the artifact?

 

[Welshman]

Take only pictures, leave only bubbles. Don't spoil the site for others who come after you.