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In a message dated 98-12-21 17:45:45 EST, captjt@mi*.co* writes: << (9) I've never said that the governnment is saving our wrecks. I've said that >given the choice between idiots raping a wreck and leaving nothing for the rest of >us to see, I would prefer the wreck to be off limits. If we can't control our own >greed, we don't deserve the pleasure of the visitr. >> Hmmmm, greed? Most wreck divers I know are the only ones with any concern for any of these wrecks. The govt or universities that have the archaeologists at their disposal have no interest whatsoever in these wrecks. As I understand it, 20 million will be spent on the raising and preservation of the Monitor turret. How many wrecks will the govt try to preserve at this cost unless they are directly, and overwhelmingly of importance to our maritime or naval history. Universities have not the means or interest in allocating any funds to a project that does not bring some reward to the university. This leaves the wreck to rot on the bottom, accessible to a only a few generations of divers before they are swallowed with their contents beneath the sand, with no memory or mementos of the sailors, and ship. Divers, however have shown extreme interest in the preservation of these wrecks and artifacts. They spend many hours researching the history and construction of the wrecks, and the sociological climate of the period. These rapists carefully preserve the artifacts found, sometimes taking well in excess of a year, and freely allow access to them, their research, and their story, to anyone with an interest. Might I add at a hefty personal expense. Many photos articles and books are published, from the efforts of these divers for all to enjoy. Is this greed? Tell me, what or whom are they protecting the wreck from? People that care and have an interest in preserving them and their memories? Are you aware that many wrecks were completely forgotten until scuba was developed and divers took an interest in them? Or do they need protection from the neglect and lack of understanding exhibited by the govt, archaeologists, and "sightseers" such as yourself, who want to save the world? There is nothing wrong with cruising a wreck for the sights, but tell me, besides the boilers and engine, and a few other identifiable objects, when is the last time you saw a pile of dishes sitting there nice and clean on a wreck from the 1800's for your inspection, or a clearly identifiable porthole that wasn't encrusted and obscured by 50 years of marine growth? You don't, people work to get these artifacts over years of dives, they just don't go down and rape and pillage. Most divers get off on the panorama and major points of interest on a wreck, and wouldn't know a taffrail log if it smacked them upside the head, let alone an encrusted porthole. Maybe you don't deserve the pleasure of the visit, maybe you are the one who is greedy, not giving back to the life of the wreck that you are taking so much pleasure in. It is attitudes like yours that will condemn these wrecks and the history held in them to obscurity forever. Kevin -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
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