Need your help! Falls of Clyde as a Waianae divesite

[DiveWestOahu]

hanabusa's already on the bandwagon,,, like lisa said hvb and cc's to lingle can't hurt

 

[MeiLing]

Letter writing to state and tourism officials certainly can't hurt. However, I think the real issue is whether or not all the appropriate permitting can be done swiftly and at a minimum of cost. The state is not going to "buy" the ship or probably not even take donated ownership unless it is passing all the permitting requirements. While a successful sinking as a near-shore reef certainly has an economic benefit, any lengthy, costly, drawn out process to get it done at state expense could be a major blackeye especially in tough economic times.

What I would suggest to really help make this happen is to work directly with Bishop Museum, since they have non-profit status, to create a fundraising effort to help defray any costs of a near-shore sinking. Because they are non-profit, any donations would be tax deductible. Also, I think it would be a good idea to let Bishop Musuem know that we support this.

I've made a few phone calls to Bishop Museum to see about the possibility of getting the ball rolling for this fundraising effort and the initial response has been favorable. I've left a message with the person responsible for handling the Falls of Clyde, the Chief Operating Officer, Blair Collis, and I will let you know how things go. In the meantime, I think that the letter writing campaign should must definitely include them!

I am working on getting an email addy where you can send those letters..... And here it is:
nicole.sakai@bishopmuseum.org

Nicole Sakai is the COO's administrative assistant.

 

[MeiLing]

In the meantime, I have emailed the COO of Bishop Museum proposing that they set up a non-profit account earmarked for the project for us to begin fundraising to grease the wheels. In that the event that the project falls through, I have asked that a secondary marine-related designation be made.

We'll see what becomes of it.....

 

[MeiLing]

Update:

I just got off the phone with Brad Collis, the chief operating officer and senior vice president of Bishop Museum. Basically, they have set a deadline of September 1, 2008 as the final date that they will entertain offers for the purchase of the vessel. Obviously, as this ship has cultural and historical significance, a solution that keeps the vessel afloat is preferable to them. Until then, they are not going to seriously entertain the possibility of any other solution that would send a mixed message to any potential buyers.

Should that not happen, a near-shore sinking becomes their next favorable option if the permitting can happen in a timely manner. If it becomes a long drawn it process, they will be forced to entertain their most fiscally feasible option, even if that means a deep sea sinking.

I probed for the likelihood of that as it was my understanding from media reports that the were already cleared to sink it at sea. It seems that is not quite so and that the EPA has not, in fact, given them final clearance.

Part of the problem is also that they really do not know just how much it is going to cost them to make the ship ready for a near-shore sinking.

I let him know that the local dive community was really behind a near-shore sinking as being more favorable and he agreed. However, the final outcome is up to the board of the museum.

From him, I was told that the State, DLNR, and the Waianae community are all fully behind a near-shore sinking.

I guess all we really can do right now is write our letters and keep our fingers crossed.

 

[scottitheduck]

To all who have contributed to this thread....

This week has been a great roller-coaster ride of emotions! In light of the recent posts by Mei Ling, do you think some of the more vested individuals should plan a meeting BEFORE the September 1 deadline to streamline our thought process and email, letter and phone campaign?

Does anyone have any contacts with the EPA or any Coast Guard members who have recently inspected her? Just trying to throw a few more thoughts around..... all in all great news!

Here is the response I got from the Bishops' Chris Hu today via email:

Dear Gabe:

I’m sorry it’s taken me a while to get back to you about the Falls of Clyde. We are still hopeful that we will be able to find a buyer by September 1, but are making plans to scuttle the ship in case that does not happen. I am told that in order to comply with EPA regulations governing the scuttling of ships, we will have to sink it at the depth and distance from shore quoted in the papers – 1800 feet and 12-15 miles from the shore. Unfortunately, we can’t sink it any closer than that.


If you have any further questions, please let me know.

Best regards,

Chris

---

Chris Hu

Corporate Development Assistant

Bishop Museum
1525 Bernice Street
Honolulu, HI 96817
808-847-8271

Finally, it would be nice to draft a form letter that we could copy, paste, and forward to the various stakeholders, ie HVCB, DLNR, Gov Lingle and The Bishop. I can flex my journalism skills on this one and post it to my blog if everyone wouldn't mind sending me their initial letters to my gmail address:

gabescotti@gmail.com

You guys rock.... keep it up! Grassroots activism IS still possible.

G

 

[Nitrogen_Junky]

Shell has continued to try and suck oil out of the USS Arizona, i am sure we could ask Shell if they would like to come in and scavenge all of the lube/fuel oil from this vessel and they would gladly do it for zero cost and possibly would even provide some assistance to the effort. just a thought no body likes hauling oil from a bilge except shell.

 

[CaptFlyingDutchman]

Ok we need to know who is doing what.

While things are looking up, we still have a far road to travel.

There is alot of questions on whether the Clyde will be a diveable wreck.

We need to pool our resources. Is Capt Scotty / the Waianae boat harbor master the main persons that will get everything done for sinking the Clyde

What can we as the dive community do to help with the Clyde, besides the emails

In theory we have unit sept 1.

 

[MeiLing]

Ok we need to know who is doing what.

While things are looking up, we still have a far road to travel.

There is alot of questions on whether the Clyde will be a diveable wreck.

We need to pool our resources. Is Capt Scotty / the Waianae boat harbor master the main persons that will get everything done for sinking the Clyde

What can we as the dive community do to help with the Clyde, besides the emails

In theory we have unit sept 1.

I don't think you've read thru all the information carefully. The boat belongs to Bishop Musuem. Ultimately, the decision of what is to happen to the Falls of Clyde resides with them and them alone. They have approached DLNR's Department of Aquatic Resources about what permits they would need to acquire if they would like to sink it nearshore and they would have to be the ones getting the permits. And they have the approval of the community.

UNTIL September 1st, Bishop Museum is not officially entertaining any plan but to sell the boat to a buyer who plans to restore it and keep it afloat. Barring any last minute suitor, that isn't looking too good for them. After that the plan is to sink it. Then it becomes a question of where: near-shore or at sea. Near shore is the option of the two that is more favorable to them if they can get the proper permits in a reasonably timely manner and a minimum of cost. And they have already approached those they need to about the possibility of acquiring the appropriate permits.

It is not up to anyone but Bishop Museum to get the permits and they have the support of those they need to get the job done. What is lacking is the money to overcome the potential hurdles. This is going to take more than letter writing.

One thing that COO of Bishop Museum shared with me is that they've had lots and lots of letters from folks who feel that the boat should be saved. BUT no one's ponied up a dime. Money talks folks!

Do write your letters showing your support, but what we really need to do now is talk up everyone in the dive community to be ready to open up their checkbook come Sept. 1st, if no buyer has been found.

Do not expect that someone else is going to be the one's to pony up the monies. Yes, there may be one here or there who can donate services such as an ocean construction company who's already offered to deal with the masts if the ship sinks upright.

A good portion of the monies are going to have to come from donations from the dive community.

If we are all going to sit back and think that all the monies should come from Bishop museum, the State or HVB, then this project likely isn't going to happen.

As it was told to me last night by the Waianae harbormaster, there is (unofficially) about a 95% chance that the plan to sink the boat between the Mahi and the barge, if no buyer is found by Sept. 1st. From what I was told by him and from what I was told by the COO of Bishop Museum today, the remaining 5% comes down to time and money and the decision of the board of the museum.

 

[onfloat]

How much do they want for it?

 

[MeiLing]

How much do they want for it?

As I am sure they are only entertaining serious offers, I didn't ask. I already have one hole in the water I throw money into!