Removing items from the USS Oriskany (interesting dilemma)

[The Chairman]

From my conversation with Mr Turpin, it appears that the Navy wants to curtail theft and he did not associate the Navy with the request to not enter.

If you read the disclaimer you sign when diving Blue Spring, you can see that they do not want you to even dive. It seems to be a matter of controlling the risk of liability more than anything. He was pretty clear that there were no laws against penetration like there are about removing artifacts.

If I understood him wrong, I am sure he will E-Mail me a correction.

As for the Navy. Well, who wouldn't like to blow a big ship up? Target practice on this scale is quite scarce and what sailor would not like to punch a hole or 3,000 into a ship for practice. That's some skeet shoot!

 

[Tagerisatroll]

If the US Government "abondoned" it's title claim, then there has to be paperwork to surpport. Namely a DD-1149 form.

There will be a DD-1149 form transferring ownership and would require witness(signature) from DCMA.

This is standard procedure with Defense equipment, whether it's transfer of a hinge on a port hole or a warship being transferred from one government organization to another. (Note, there is also a DD-250 on file from when the government took possesion of the ship from Newport News and the "sell off" was completed.)


So... If Florida now owns it, there is paperwork to support it.

It’s quite simple why it’s against the law to take things off the ship, The State of Florida Owns the O and its theft Litterly your steeling from the state of Florida. The O is not a wreck it is not abandoned or lost; it was purposely placed in its current location by the state. And we dive there with their consent, its like if you went to your friends barbeque and took home his grill if you take things off the ship. He knows you're there it's ok for you to be there, but you're crossing the line by taking his grill home, Because its not yours it his grill and he wants it to stay in his yard. Flordia Owns The O every bolt every gauge, every inch. Removal of Items from the O proably is theft of state property and destruction of state property, both of which carry steep penalties.


If a diver wants a souvenir bring a camera.

 

[Diver Dennis]

I don't want to contribute to an impression that Mr. Turpin and his agency are unable to control these resources, thus giving the Navy cause to pursue the 6,000 foot alternative.

I don't either but that is what I'm getting from Capt. Thorsen's posts and he purports himself to be one of the better operations. He also gave the impression that much vandalism has already occurred.

 

[subageezer]

I'm not ready to dive the Oriskany just yet, but would like to some day. As a new diver, I find this thread a good read and it reinforces what I was taught by my instructor. I'm more than happy to leave everything alone on the bottom and somehow manage to find that experience extremely pleasurable.

One thing I'm seeing in this thread is a very strong dive community who are passionate about the responsibility we all share to preserve our dive environments. I thank all of you for that so when I feel experienced enough to dive the Oriskany it might still be there.

 

[PhotoTJ]

A captain who cannot enforce rules on his own vessel is a poor captain.

I wonder what agency is in charge of enforcing this law? If the Coast Guard were to board, search, and seize a vessel or two, and confiscate the artifacts and dive gear, I'll bet this issue would be resolved really quickly. Upstanding divers would not book with crooks, for fear of losing their equipment, and attrition would take care of the rest.

 

[The Chairman]

I don't know TJ,

I would rather we educate first and then self regulate. I for one, don't need to see someone get in trouble over this, I just want to see it STOP.

 

[Tagerisatroll]

A captain who cannot enforce rules on his own vessel is a poor captain.

I wonder what agency is in charge of enforcing this law? If the Coast Guard were to board, search, and seize a vessel or two, and confiscate the artifacts and dive gear, I'll bet this issue would be resolved really quickly. Upstanding divers would not book with crooks, for fear of losing their equipment, and attrition would take care of the rest.

Basicly it should be self regulation, the boat captians should make it clear they are making their livings by taking people to the O... and if your chopping it up they will make a statement to the local police that you came up with a piece of it, and have the police waiting for the offender when they get back to shore... works real well for the dive boat operators in Michigan.

 

[PhotoTJ]

Yeah, I know, sometimes, though, an example has to be made. If someone is flouting the law, (and boasting about on the net I'd consider flouting), they need to either return said items to the wreck, (with photo evidence of the operation), or suffer the legal ramifications.

Actually, I'd think rather highly of both the captain and the artifact grabber if they documented the return of said items, under the assumption that they truly did not know better.

A person who can suck it up, admit to and correct an error in judgment I can respect.

 

[Fastmarc]

One thing I'm seeing in this thread is a very strong dive community who are passionate about the responsibility we all share to preserve our dive environments.

I concur.
It is very encouraging to see the reactions (& actions) taken on the thread.

 

[King Kong Matt]

Actually, I'd think rather highly of both the captain and the artifact grabber if they documented the return of said items, under the assumption that they truly did not know better.

Heck, I think it would have been nice if the Captain had simply said, in no uncertain terms, that divers who break the law are no longer going to do so on his boat.

The Captain was given a number of occasions to answer the question as to whether the offending diver would be allowed back on his boat once the Captain ascertained that the removal of artifacts was, in fact, illegal. At no point did he unequivocally say that he would not permit such a diver aboard his vessel...which is why I tend to differ from my more civilized, more trusting colleague from the Sunshine state. I don't think the tone of the Captain's posts changed at all.

But NetDoc is probably right and, in the end, it's his world and I'm just diving in it...