Removing items from the USS Oriskany (interesting dilemma)

[Kim]

Well I can't really comment on the US as I've never dived there or had any experience with your scene (except Hawaii). I CAN comment about Asia though - particularly Malaysia and Thailand. The ops I've dived with are very fussy about touching/taking stuff. It's really simple - do it and you don't dive again. You might have another 4 days/16 dives left on a liveaboard.....work on your suntan....you won't dive again. If you are lucky that's all that happens. If they actually DO report it to the police you'd go to jail as well. For some reason they all seem to take this kind of thing rather seriously......

 

[Guba]

So, do we REALLY want to see something take place to dissuade people from looting again? Does anyone in Florida have contacts within the journalism world? By that, I mean does anyone know someone in TV broadcasting, the newspapers, or perhaps within the dive magazine industry? If you do, suggest this forum as a possible topic for an article or feature. Should they pick it up, I have no doubt that a few thousand Oriskany servicemen and women will rise to the occassion upon learning what has happened and may still be happening. Many of these folks spent their careers in the Navy and they still know people within the system. I have no doubt that a little publicity will generate action. Whether it's the type of action we want is a topic for a lot of thought.

 

[Diver Dennis]

I have been in contact with Channel 3 (ABC) news in Pensacola. I will let you know what happens.

 

[The Chairman]

Hey,

This is still "Family Business" here. Let's clean up our own messes and not get the public in to pass silly laws that we don't need.

 

[Diver Dennis]

Don't worry. I have a friend with a contact who might do a little "informal" poking around.

 

[Scuba]

This just seems like an awful flame war against Viking Diving by people who don't know any facts.

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt on this.

One fact I do know, is the five posts here by the captain. Provided this is not an imposter, for which there is no such indication - based on this fact, he has earned my DISTRUST.

 

[PenguinAdLitem]

This just seems like an awful flame war against Viking Diving by people who don't know any facts.

You may be correct. We are taking our facts from here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/techdiver-SE/message/4515

That is a message in the techdiver-SE group on yahoo that purports to be from the diver who stole from the Oriskany. According to that message, the diver first found a console, which he removed and returned to Cap't Tim's boat. Cap't Tim then directed him to a phone, which he went back down and retrieved on his second dive of the day using a mallet, chisel, and crowbar. The message purports to be from "Rich Sleppy".

It is possible that the message is not from Mr. Sleppy, or that it is from a different Sleppy then the one you met. The message says that the diver dove with Cap't Tim and Britany "again," so perhaps this was after your dive with them. It is also possible that Mr. Sleppy is lying, or perhaps telling a sick joke. Nonetheless, we are taking him at his word.

Someone who purports to be Cap't Tim himself has posted messages here implying that he privately spoke with Mr. Sleppy after discovering that Mr. Sleppy had taken things from the wreck. He later wrote messages implying he did not know it was wrong to take things from the wreck. It is possible that the poster was not Cap't Tim, or that he was lying one or both times. We have taken him at his word that the conversation took place.

It is correct to say that we don't know all of the facts (at least I don't,) to be sure. We have asked Cap't Tim for more facts, but he (or his doppleganger on this board) has not been very forthcoming, preferring instead to deflect attention and blame.

In any event, I think we should be clear on our focus here. While it may be true that Cap't Tim did something ill-advised, it is Mr. Sleppy who did something thoughtless and illegal. Whatever blame we have for Viking Diving, the real approbation should be heaped upon Mr. Sleppy's tech-diving shoulders.

 

[bisonduquebec]

No, what I am telling you is that a property owner has the right to tell you what you may or may not do with or on their property. In the case of the Oriskany the property owner (the State of Florida) has *not* given permission to take anything off the site other than the permitted harvesting of legal fish.
If your State allows the harvest of Christmas trees from State parks then that's allowed; if it doesn't it isn't. This really isn't that difficult a concept to comprehend...
Capice?
IXΘYΣ

It was just bad sarcasm from my part . I perfectly understand and agree with you. Don`t take anything that does not belong to you without owner approval.

 

[bisonduquebec]

I was in Bangkok this week. Got home this afternoon. I've been reading/scanning through this thread and upon reading this post I have to comment.

Rich Sleppy and his dive buddy were the other two divers aboard the Viking the day my wife and I dove the Oriskany. Rich and Liza are tech divers and we thought they were very nice people. We enjoyed meeting them and diving with them. We talked about getting together in the future. Rich is a very experienced diver and an interesting guy. Rich must have booked another trip with Capt. Tim because nothing was taken the day we were out together.

I've been scanning so far and maybe I missed a confession by Rich or an eye witness account. Maybe I missed a confession by Capt. Tim or an eye witness account. Maybe I'll come across one as I read more.

I highly dissapprove of hacking objects like that off a wreck such as the Oriskany. I think it spoils or deminishes the experience for all other divers for all time to come. If I ever dive it again and that phone isn't there it'll be sad.

However, so far all I've seen is heresay and accusation. I hope all those panning Tim and Rich are pure of heart and haven't sinned thenselves or that their participation isn't for their own self promotion and personal gain.

I would dive with Tim anyday.

Here is the post that describes what the person took off the oriskany. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/techdiver-SE/message/4515

 

[djanni]

You may be correct. We are taking our facts from here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/techdiver-SE/message/4515

That is a message in the techdiver-SE group on yahoo that purports to be from the diver who stole from the Oriskany. According to that message, the diver first found a console, which he removed and returned to Cap't Tim's boat. Cap't Tim then directed him to a phone, which he went back down and retrieved on his second dive of the day using a mallet, chisel, and crowbar. The message purports to be from "Rich Sleppy".

It is possible that the message is not from Mr. Sleppy, or that it is from a different Sleppy then the one you met. The message says that the diver dove with Cap't Tim and Britany "again," so perhaps this was after your dive with them. It is also possible that Mr. Sleppy is lying, or perhaps telling a sick joke. Nonetheless, we are taking him at his word.

Someone who purports to be Cap't Tim himself has posted messages here implying that he privately spoke with Mr. Sleppy after discovering that Mr. Sleppy had taken things from the wreck. He later wrote messages implying he did not know it was wrong to take things from the wreck. It is possible that the poster was not Cap't Tim, or that he was lying one or both times. We have taken him at his word that the conversation took place.

It is correct to say that we don't know all of the facts (at least I don't,) to be sure. We have asked Cap't Tim for more facts, but he (or his doppleganger on this board) has not been very forthcoming, preferring instead to deflect attention and blame.

In any event, I think we should be clear on our focus here. While it may be true that Cap't Tim did something ill-advised, it is Mr. Sleppy who did something thoughtless and illegal. Whatever blame we have for Viking Diving, the real approbation should be heaped upon Mr. Sleppy's tech-diving shoulders.

Oh my... So the man cooked his own goose? Okay, no more defending him. I still doubt Tim Thorsen directed him to the phone. Tim was proud of that phone and I would think considered it a tourist draw of sorts.

What a mess...