Any thoughts on wreck looting?

[kelemvor]

The difference is tourists are not generally thieving bastards, divers on the other hand...

As a Floridian, I respectfully disagree with that first part. Okay.. maybe not "generally".. but enough of them are that I've become jaded on the topic.

 

[lowviz]

...//... Historical research is done, properly, by experts, at times with support from us and other times provided with details by us. ...

I'm most glad to hear this. Now, I'm fascinated.

Historical research brings our marine history to the surface for all to enjoy. Here is our effort: njscuba.net.

How do I link to your results?

 

[Pkishino]

This guy actually made a cool map that combines various resources from public sources like the state marine museum archives, historical data and others. Wreck Search
Link to the Swedish wreck protection group with further links there to marine archaeology pages etc
Vrakskydd

 

[lowviz]

This guy actually made a cool map that combines various resources from public sources like the state marine museum archives, historical data and others. ...//...

Thank you!

Same here, amateur historians were needed to pull it all together for the public. Most satisfying...

 

[lowviz]

Finally got Google Translate working.

Where is your history? These are just a bunch of side scans and descriptions that give little more than location.

Example:

"Narrow and oblong bottom objects, approximately 11 ml and 1 m br and with a pitch of approximately 0.3 m. The
object was found on May 5, 2014 after seam survey performed by the Maritime Administration with the seagoing vessel Petter Gedda.
The Maritime Administration's classification is "other bottom object" with the comment: Classified as any other artificial bone formation.
The Maritime Administration's case number is 20886."


Is that all you have?

Edit: A local museum, maybe? New Jersey Maritime Museum

You may wish to reconsider and allow local divers to become involved with recovering your own history. Doesn't seem like the professionals are doing much...

 

[Marie13]

A wreck is a wreck... No difference if the people that died had uniforms on or not... I'm taking what I want..
Jim...

You’ll take what you want, regardless if “taking what you want” ruins the diving experience for other divers? Even if it’s illegal?

Case in point: the Wells Burt wreck off Chicago. Intact schooner in about 40ft of water, that hadn’t been destroyed by the elements from being that shallow. A few years after it was discovered some asshat stole 10 dead eyes off the wreck. With permission from the state of IL, the remaining loose artifacts were removed from the wreck and the remaining dead eyes chained to the wreck by the Underwater Archaelogical Society of Chicago.

Wells Burt | Adopt-A-Shipwreck

 

[lowviz]

@Marie13,

I am not responding directly to your last post as you are supporting your own stance quite nicely. This has been an amazing thread where passionate differences in opinion are being discussed calmly and with substantiation.

My only point to you is that divers are a preciously small portion of society. I believe that nothing positive will get done unless the land animals buy in. There is nothing more satisfying (to me) than to see a family on a day trip to a maritime museum with some little boy/girl staring entranced at something a diver recovered. Enter, the next generation...

You can't keep history safe underwater for just divers. There aren't enough of them to make a difference.

Edit: If you ever find yourself in Ohio, stop by the Fairport Harbor museum. And take the tour of the ship. When you get to the 'safe' room, turn around and look up at the door frame. The combination is written there. My guide said he tried and tried to open the safe but nothing. I suggested that it may be an old one:

"Turn left stopping when first number comes the 4th time to mark.
Turn right stopping when second number comes the 3rd time to mark.
Turn left stopping when third number come the 2nd time to mark.
Turn right firmly until dial stops at 95. If dial goes past, run combination again."

 

[Marie13]

@Marie13,

I am not responding directly to your last post as you are supporting your own stance quite nicely. This has been an amazing thread where passionate differences in opinion are being discussed calmly and with substantiation.

My only point to you is that divers are a preciously small portion of society. I believe that nothing positive will get done unless the land animals buy in. There is nothing more satisfying (to me) than to see a family on a day trip to a maritime museum with some little boy/girl staring entranced at something a diver recovered. Enter, the next generation...

You can't keep history safe underwater for just divers. There aren't enough of them to make a difference.

There’s a big difference between legitimately removing a FEW artifacts for museum display and asshats clandestinely stripping everything they can off a wreck.

The only NOAA sanctuary on the Great Lakes, Thunder Bay/Alpena, MI, has a fair number of really shallow wrecks. There is a custom built glass bottom boat that allows non-divers to see the shallow wrecks.
The Legends of Thunder Bay | Alpena Shipwreck Tours

You can see the boat and a bit of footage as viewed from the boat here.

NOAA seems to be a dirty word to some here, but as far as I can tell, they’re doing a bang up job with the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. There’s a by all accounts fab museum that is FREE.

I’ll be up there diving the first week of August, as long as we don’t get blown out (as happened last year). I put my own trip together and the 6 pack boat is filled. Alpena is where I caught the Great Lakes shipwreck bug back when I was a reporter on the local paper in the early 90s for 18 months.

 

[lermontov]

@Marie13,

My only point to you is that divers are a preciously small portion of society. I believe that nothing positive will get done unless the land animals buy in. There is nothing more satisfying (to me) than to see a family on a day trip to a maritime museum with some little boy/girl staring entranced at something a diver recovered. Enter, the next generation...

You can't keep history safe underwater for just divers. There aren't enough of them to make a difference.

."

quite right -most land animals dont care - look at the plastics problem, they care even less about a few brass fittings -

 

[Wingy]

I'm just glad wreck looting wasn't carried out when they found the Vasa. Our knowledge of the golden age of maritime history was increased 50 fold when she was bought up, cleaned up and has become an exhibit.