Reply from Viking re: Oriskany ripoff

[webhead]

I really think that everything that could be said has already been said, on both sides. There hasn't really been any new discussion relating to the original topic you reference above. I think this thread has ran its course. If people insist on continuing on with that discussion, then I do believe I'm done here...

:wavey: bu bye

 

[kmaat52]

Allison,

here i am surfing the web and your name pops up,

skippers the 70's

the chulamar

phil, charlie dave brett

i noticed that they now have tons of sites to dive now.

things do change,

just a hello , my name is dave morgan, reside in savannah, ga.

My original e-mail to Viking;

[[Shame on your charter allowing the plunder of the Oriskany!!! I would like to dive the ship years from now and still see it as an interesting wreck, not one with plundered wires hanging all over.

SHAME!!

As a person who started diving in Pensacola in 1970 (Skippers dive shop), I am appalled at your lack of farsightedness as a business who will profit from future divers.

I, for one, will avoid your business like a plague.]]




After rereading my e-mail to Viking, I have to admit that it was strong. I wrote it immediately after reading the original thread on the artifact collection. I was, admittedly, pretty hot about it.

While I started diving in Pensacola, I no longer live in the area and have not dived there with anyone, much less Viking, in over 30 years. I did a lot of cave diving in the 70's in central and north FL and assisted in laying cables in a couple of systems. I now travel to dive, mostly, spending the majority of my time in Papua New Guinea. I'll occasionally dive off of our coast. I photo on most of my dives. Just a little history.

 

[RikRaeder]

The op's reply seems like more of a riposte than an attack, if you know what I mean. He seems to be replying to certain key words that a reasonable person would find inflamatory.

 

[bfw]

Validity (or not) of his points notwithstanding ... the attitude displayed by Capt. Thorsen doesn't sound like someone I would choose to do business with.

Before coming to such a conclusion, I'd like to see the email to which he was replying.
Anyone who's dealt with the public knows how abusive customers can be, sometimes without justification. If "shamful" is any example of the care with which the OP composed the original email, then you may be overreacting.

 

[Oriskany Divemaster]

kmatt,

Couldn't you have picked a less incendiary thread to stalk some hottie? Maybe classreunions.com or www.yourebeautifulyourebeautifulyourebeautiful it's true.com

Risking opening up a can of sleeping dogs, for all who have recently found this thread, here's what finally happened....

I contacted the guy who took the stuff. He apologized profusely and wanted to make everything whole again. So, since his schedule couldn't accommodate a dive, he hired me to return the items. He also hired Capt. Tim to take me out there, and together we replaced the items.

In my experience, which extends way beyond diving, the guy was incredibly sincere in his apologies for his actions, and wanted to do the right thing for everyone, including those who served aboard, those who worked to secure it in our backyard, and those who will continue to dive it for decades.

What sucks is that a month after Capt. Tim and I returned the items, some knucklehead ripped them off again.

Still, even though some items have been removed and it's dropped a bit in depth, the Oriskany is still a great dive and there's still plenty to see. So when you're ready to dive her, give me or any one of the Gulf Coast dive ops a call and schedule a trip. It's something you'll always remember.

Eric