NOAA and Thunder Bay rules

[alpenadiver]

I can't speak for all of the NMS's, the majority of the displayed artifacts here in Alpena have been donated / given to NOAA by local residents, I for one. There were no threats, no law enforcement at the door. I just asked the Archaeologist "I have a artifact from the Nordmeer, would you like it". That was pretty much it, filled out a donation paper, now it is in the Nordmeer display.

 

[Jared0425]

Well it was a rumor that I believed until now. All of my arguments are my belief and facts that I have put together. There is always different sides and opinions. In the end, the love of shipwrecks and artifacts are and should be enjoyed by all. Thank you for the information though.
Jared

 

[alpenadiver]

your welcome, Jared

 

[ComputerJoe]

So if I read the rules correctly:

You can dive any site at will, no permissions needed.
You can grapple onto a wreck if it isn't buoyed.

I do not grapple into wooden wrecks for fear of breaking something divers brought up from below and put on deck. I have repeatedly returned ceramic items below decks only to have them re-appear latter that year.

I motor up wind a hundred feet or so before dropping anchor. I only let enough line out for the anchor to reach bottom. We then drift until I feel the anchor bump into the wreck on the bottom, then I pay out the rest of the line. Although not fool proof this is my practice.

 

[Jared0425]

I have been trying a system of marking the wreck on the sonar and sending the anchor down and use that as a shot line and mooring line. Works on shallow wrecks, but deep ones I have yet to see it work well.
Jared

 

[dsc2679]

For the past 4-5 years in the Straits, we've been using a marker buoy to mark the wrecks. Then we swing back around, with divers at the ready with mooring line in hand and they follow the marker buoy line down, without disturbing or moving it. They find the mooring point and tie in. Voila.

This works even on the deeper wrecks, e.g. the Eber Ward and Young. Knock on wood, we almost always drop the marker buoy on, or very near the wreck. The improved visibility from the zebra mussels, et al., have made this easier. 10+ years ago, you might only be 10-15' off the wreck and not see it.

You obviously need more than a couple people to pull this off, as someone has to continuously handle the boat. At any rate, this has worked like hotcakes for us and has greatly limited our disturbing/impact on the wrecks.