Paul,

          I ususally don't get involved in these discussions.  They're
          sort of stupid after all; you're not gonna convince me to
          stop collecting artifacts (as long as I feel that I am doing
          it in a responsible way) and I'm not gonna get you to start.

          BUT.... just for the fun of arguing, consider the
          following questions......

          Why do you suppose Alexander the Great got into a diving
          bell?

          What was the original purpose for the invention of
          underwater life support technology (and I'm not talkin 'bout
          the Cousteau family here)??

          Here's my answer in one word:

          SALVAGE.

          Salvage for economic gain, salvage for political
          gain, salvage.

          According to Webster: " from the French
          salver -to save.

            1a. compensation for saving a ship or its
          cargo from the perils of the sea or for the lives and
          property rescued in a wreck  b: the act of saving or
          rescuing property in danger (as from fire)

            2a:  property saved from destruction in a calamity (as a
          wreck or fire)  b:  something extracted (as from rubbish) as
          valuable or useful."

          We are not talking about cultural or natural items here;
          99% of the stuff taken from shipwrecks by sportdivers is
          just junk to others.

          We are not talking about an exhaustibe supply here; there
          are tens of thousands of wrecks just off my little area of
          the east coast of the US.

          We are talking about your vision and purpose of wreckdiving
          vs mine.  Am I ruining your diving when I take a porthole??
          Maybe.  Do photographers ruin reefs when they perch on coral
          to take a shot (everyone here is thinking "but I NEVER touch
          the coral")??  Maybe.  Do spearfishermen (women) and those
          that like lobsters strip the wrecks bare of life.  Maybe.
          Shall we all stay the hell out of the water????  I don't
          think so.

          So you're just gonna have to bite the bullet deal with
          those of us that do things that you may not approve of and
          I'm gonna have to bite the bullet and listen to you call me
          names I guess.  Ain't democracy (in all its versions)
          great!!

          You don't like collecting artifacts, don't do it.  There,
          that's one less "wreck rapist" to worry about.  See, I knew
          we could agree on something ;-).

          Pat Moran


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