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[afraser31]

Hi,
Did all of you hear or read the latest news about the mothballs navy ships being look at for the latest development? This month Scuba Diving magazine has a small articles about navy ships and artifical reefs. I thought this is really important because of the cost to keep these ships at bay are abundant! What a waste of tax money to keep these old ships at docks. So my guess is why not send these ships out to sea and blow them up. These underwater creatures could use a home so the U.S. government and the diving associations are working together to establish ways to send old navy ships out to sea and destroy them. If you would like to see this happen rather than lose your money for ship at dock fee.. Check the web @ http://www.scubadiving.com/features/shipstoreefs/. I think it really important for all people who dive recreational or techanical divers to share their opinions and help out the underwater world.
afraser

 

[afraser31]

Sorry-
Check the web: http://www.scubadiving.com then find the article topic on "Ships to reefs." Again, I apologize for the error I've made. I'm still trying to learn to type webpages addresses.

P.S. Write to your local politicans to help make this happen. You'll be glad that you did!!
afraser

 

[SubMariner]

Sorry to burst your bubble, Afra, but they've been doing this for years. The big thing isn't the cost of sinking them, it's the cost of:

1) getting it passed by local EPA and municipalities.

2) cost of making the ship environmentally safe. This includes getting rid of any pollutants (or possible pollutants) and making it safe for divers to enter.

There have been 3(or 4) Cdn Navy ships that have been "retired" this way, and have turned out to be wonderful habitats & dive sites. Hopefully more will soon follow.

BFN,

~SubMariner~

 

[TwoBitTxn]

One big point the article makes is currently sinking the ships is not listed as an option. The options are:
1) Do nothing...50 million bucks a year
2) Domestic scrap.... $1.9 billion over 20 years
3) Foreign Scrap.... $170 million over 5 years

We still need to let our legislators know this is a viable and preferred option.

Tom

 

[large_diver]

Very cool proposal.

Just be aware, however, that the sinkling of ships is NOT expected to be any sort of boon to sea life -- some maintain that it could hurt it, even with proper pre-sinking environmental cleaning. Check out this thread I participated in over on RSD a few days ago, including answer from Exec. Ed. David Taylor.

http://www.scubadiving.com/talk/read.php?f=1&i=317985&t=317945

 

[greg somers]

They were sold by the navy and purchased by local divers who raised the money for them and did all the work to prepare them for sinking....sold of scrap,cut holes..etc etc.You can dive on both in the same trip with Dive Tutukaka for $90 NZ.Further north is the rainbow warrier in Matauri bay.Great diving.But it was the diving community that made it happen,not the govt.
Here are the links....
http://www.aquaaction.com/us.htm
http://www.divenewzealand.com/62waikato.html
http://www.divenewzealand.com/rainbow43.html
http://www.divenewzealand.com/58taioma.html
Look around these sites for other great NZ diving aswell,
Cheers put a hole in her bottom ears,
The Thunder from Down under,
The one and only,
Gasman :mean: