a few questions, possible rants

[kwesler]

IMHO-anyone who dives there should do their very best to come up with the $250 for a lifetime membership. If we, the people who are closer to these resources than anyone else does not support them, who will?

My $.02

Ken

 

[socaldiver]

with Wreckwriter.

Our sport or hobby (whichever suits your fancy) is an expensive one. For what you have already paid to get as far as you have in your diving skills, $10 more is not going to kill you.

I have never been to the Caribbean dive sites but if I am not mistaken, each island (country) charges a fee ("tax") for entering or exiting, some for diving.

You also pay extra charges when staying at certain resorts here in the states.

No biggy.

 

[raviepoo]

Hello! Savitar! "Artificial reef!" How did they get there? Someone put them there, right? Someone put them there at great expense and effort. If you want to dance, you gotta pay the piper.

So you want to dive the same "National waters" of the Florida Keys without paying the $10 artificial reef fee? Great! There are lots of reefs out there that grew without anyone's assistance. You can dive them to your heart's content and keep your 10$. But if you want to play on the nice playground equipment that someone else payed to install, you had better kick in your share. I would suggest shelling out another $10 to tip the dive master while you're at it.

Sheesh! It's only $10 for a full year's unlimited diving. If you really want to get your money's worth, visit the Speigel Grove every weekend. If you dive it once a week for a whole year you are only paying 19.3 cents for each dive. Is that cheap enough for you?

ut:

Savitar once bubbled...


#2:
In the July issue of Florida Scuba News there is an article saying
all divers must purchase a $10 medallion to dive on any of the artificial reefs in Key Largo.
Why do I have to pay yet another "tax" in Florida to dive in national waters. To pay for the Speigle Grove? Why not tax the dive boat operators as they will be the ones to gain by this. I didn't ask or vote for them to throw a trash ship in a national park. Let's all pay $10 to go see a tyre dump in Yosemite, or an auto scrap yard in Aspen. Burnt out cars provide shelter for little furry animals.

 

[The Chairman]

Somehow I thought DIR divers did not wear both booties... you usually keep one foot in your mouth, right? And from all appearances, it looks to be bungeed there too! :tease:

 

[Mouth Breather old]

NetDoc once bubbled...
Somehow I thought DIR divers did not wear both booties... you usually keep one foot in your mouth, right? And from all appearances, it looks to be bungeed there too! :tease:

Good one NetDoc! I was going to leave a humerous comment, but I defer to your rapier wit.

 

[Savitar]

raviepoo and others bubbled...
Hello! Savitar! "Artificial reef!" How did they get there? Someone put them there, right? Someone put them there at great expense and effort. If you want to dance, you gotta pay the piper.

So you want to dive the same "National waters" of the Florida Keys without paying the $10 artificial reef fee? Great! There are lots of reefs out there that grew without anyone's assistance.

WOW how some people can miss the entire meaning of my post!!!

I RESENT Artificial reefs!!! Also I resent more taxes like those disguised as state lotteries. Also the $10 fee is Illegal ! Florida has no right, or law passed that would allow them to collect this fee! ie. National Waters. (for the slow, NATIONal, not STATE)

I don't want to dive someones trash, I would like to see money like that spent on cleaning up what they have! Last time I dove Pennicamp it was 1973, and it was a good beach dive!
It doesn't look as nice now, because it's dying with someones "assistance". Hey! On land, no one would give me a permit to put a burned out car in a national park, as a habitat for small animals. Why is it different in the water!

Real reefs grow, artificial reefs (sunken ships) disentigrate, and leech metals into the ecosystem that may not be naturally occuring there. Has anyone seen a 40-50 year old wreck? Jagged rusty metal, silt outs, cave ins.

As with discussing politics, "Follow the Money".
Who is making the money, what is being neglected?
What are their priorities? Is this a fast fix to an existing problem?

Don't tell me I'm cheap when I stand up to the Kings Tax!
Wake up and see the stealing!

Or are the people dissing me dive charter operators?

Warren

 

[Walter]

The $10 is not a tax or a fee. It is a donation. It is not being presented as such and that misrepresentation is morally wrong. Send an e-mail to the Key Largo Chamber of commerce asking about the fee. They will tell you it is a voluntary donation, that such a requirement could not be enforced.

 

[Savitar]

Walter once bubbled...
The $10 is not a tax or a fee. It is a donation. It is not being presented as such and that misrepresentation is morally wrong. Send an e-mail to the Key Largo Chamber of commerce asking about the fee. They will tell you it is a voluntary donation, that such a requirement could not be enforced.

The only part of your post that I agree with is "that misrepresentation is morally wrong".

To wit I refer you to these excerpts.

From Florida Scuba News V19 N7 July 2002:

All Divers who wish to dive on the artificial reefs in the Key Largo area must purchase a $10 plastic medallion, renewed annually, or purchase the gold lifetime sponsor medallion."

From http://spiegelgrove.com/

"To defray the costs of cleanup, preparation, and towing, the
Key Largo Chamber of Commerce Artificial Reef Committee
will be selling medallions which will be required for divers
wishing to visit the artificial reefs off the Upper Keys."

From Divers Direct catalog:

"Keys Wreck Diver Annual Badge
Item # 27477
Divers Direct Price - $10.00
The $10 annual medallion will offer a keepsake plastic BC medallion and access to any of the shipwrecks in the Upper Keys, including the Bibb, Duane, Eagle, and Spiegel Grove.

Annual Medallion:
To be purchased annually,
for access to any of the
Upper Keys Artificial Reefs.

From Ocean Divers of Key Largo:
"medallions...will be a prerequisite for divers wishing to visit the artificial reefs off the Upper Keys."


(emphasis mine)

So I guess it depends on who you ask, as it seems not everyone involved knows it's a "donation".
Are these people trying to intentionally mislead or is there some subliminal advertizing going on to sway a gullible public?

Warren

 

[moxie]

1. A couple of cold beers.
2. A couple of aspirins.
3. A couple of deep cleansing breaths.

 

[Savitar]

moxie once bubbled...
1. A couple of cold beers.
2. A couple of aspirins.
3. A couple of deep cleansing breaths.

This is the attitude I expect from "sheeple".

No one cares, nobody wants to upset the cart, no one wants to get involved. Everyone is too busy looking out for #1.
"Hey, too bad some stupid turtles die, I need those plastic rings so I can carry my beers."
Just maintain the status quo and do what the important people tell you.

Stay in your blissful intoxication it's easier and more entertaining.
Just hope you won't be around when it's too late to clean up the mess.

I used to think that divers were aware of marine ecology.
In the 70's there was a political movement to save the oceans, it was even difficult to find a spear gun at a dive shop. Everyone was happy just to look at the natural ocean flora and fawna.
Now that it's dying away we need these ammusement parks.

I'm too old.... guess times have changed.


Warren