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Almost all shipwrecks in Lake Superior, or anywhere for that matter, have had death associated with them. Therefore by default the shipwreck is the mark of the grave. What makes deep fresh water grave sites different is that the bodies don't decay or get eaten as they would in a marine environment. The bodies of sailors that died 50+ years would still recognizable. These bodies are in a refrigerator at 38*f with very little dissolved O2. The bacteria in the stomach that would normally float the body can't, because of temp., produce any gas.(Ever heard of a lake that doesn't give up it's dead. This is why). Knowing this, there have been family members of the crew of the Fitz try to get laws passed to prevent scuba diving on the Fitz. They are concerned that and I quote "We don't want divers going through the pockets of our relatives". The laws concerning shipwrecks and salvage of same, date back a long time ago(Help me out shipwreck buffs). The long and short of them are they were written to encourage other ships to help ships in distress. The "Helper" or the salvager has claim to the ship until the salvage is paid. These salvage / shipwreck laws are international and would take the cooperation, in this case, of both the Canadian and US governments to change them. On top of that, Ontario and Michigan have laws concerning the Great Lakes bottom land. Both federal governments deal with the Great Lakes as international waters where as Ont. and MI governments believe that they own every thing on the bottom of the lakes. Everyone see where I'm going with this. It is not a simple task to make an amendment any maritime law without one level of government some where getting their nose bent out of shape. And to this I add, if an amendment were to take place for this particular wreck, this would put all wreck diving in jeopardy. Once this kind of law is in place, just think about all the reasons that the government could be coerced into closing any wreck site they wanted and for any reason they wanted. As far as the Fitz wreck, the site is in Canadian / Ontario waters. The owner is now the insurance company that paid the claim of the tragedy. Technically I can go and raise the Fitz and charge the insurance company for the salvage because it is polluting the bottom of the lake ;-). They wouldn't pay, so then I would own the ship. This is by federal law that I could do this. Now comes the Ontario government in with their laws. They say that you can't touch anything on the bottom and that include the sediment on a shipwreck because they own it. These laws are mainly for undiscovered wrecks but they do have some merit concerning discovered wrecks. So now the media gets into the picture. The media, after a story, sees the grieving family members of the Fitz crew and starts stating that the wreck is off limits because they, the relatives, want it that way. Bad news stories sell more papers than "First to Scuba the Fitz". Then you get bone heads like Zambeck adding to all of the published inaccuracies and you see what you get. The Fitz lays in 535'. The Pilot house spikes at 450'. The first and only scuba dive to this wreck was on Sept. 1, 1995 Randy Sullivan Sault Ste. Marie, Ont sulteck@ic*.ne* -----Original Message----- From: Paltz, Art <Art.Paltz@R2*.CO*> To: Randy Sullivan <sulteck@ic*.ne*>; Greg Zambeck <gzambeck@us*.ne*> Cc: techdiver@aquanaut.com <techdiver@aquanaut.com> Date: Thursday, December 18, 1997 9:20 AM Subject: RE: private > NOT FLAMING ANYONE HERE!!!! I'm looking to clarify information >I thought was correct. About a year ago I was watching a special on the >Discovery Channel, may still have the tape. One night was devoted to >the Edmond Fitzgerald. I thought the wreck lied in about 300' of water. >In the special I also thought they said it was considered a water grave >and sport divers weren't allowed to dive on it? Again I'm not saying >anyone is wrong here, just want to clarify information and >misinformation. > > Thanks way in advance, >Safe diving, >Art. >art.paltz@r2*.co* >Last Dive 12/13/97, Mohawk, NJ 70ft/50 min bottom time, 48 degrees F, >28% bottom mix > -- Finally, cold water again! > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Randy Sullivan > Sent: Wednesday, December 17, 1997 9:37 PM > To: Greg Zambeck > Cc: techdiver@aquanaut.com > Subject: Re: private > > Here is just one more example of your total lack of knowledge on >anything. > There were NO laws broken on either side of the border diving >the "Edmond > Fitzgerald"(526'). You were planning to the Fitz the year >before. The > problem with you doing the Fitz dive is that is located deeper >that 30'. > You're just mad because you weren't the first to do the dive. > > Published misinformation about the laws concerning the Fitz is >amazing. I > would like to see a law that prevent stupid people, like you, >from posting > to this list because you would be at the top of that list. > > BTW I would like a copy of the so called laws that we broke so >that I can > light the sauna with it for my ice dive on the Sagamore. > > Randy Sullivan > Sault Ste. Marie, Ont > sulteck@ic*.ne* > -----Original Message----- > From: Greg Zambeck <gzambeck@us*.ne*> > To: gmirvine@sa*.ne* <gmirvine@sa*.ne*> > Cc: Techdiver Mail list <techdiver@aquanaut.com>; Caver Maillist > <cavers@ww*.ge*.co*> > Date: Wednesday, December 17, 1997 7:48 PM > Subject: Re: private > > > > Why you even thought to try your Fitz story was a mistake. I >objected to > >the dive because of what Zee was planning to do. He was given >copies of > >the laws and went ahead and broke laws on both side of the >border. The > >information was all over the magazines and papers. > > > > > -- > Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to >`techdiver@aquanaut.com'. > Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to >`techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'. > -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
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