Allison Finch
Contributor
:shakehead
This is a reply from Viking's owner regarding the removal of items from the Oriskany. My e-mail to him said that it was "shamful" for him to allow the ripping off of items from the wreck thereby damaging the very wreck he plans to use as an attraction for divers in the future. I mentioned that it was short sighted. His reply was, in all honesty, a bit of an attack on me. I found that quite interesting. The rest you can judge for yourselves.
From Viking;
Obviously, your experience in diving is not from the perspective of what really happens on the day to day basis in the real world. Viking Diving has for years tried to maintain it's reputation to customer service and "Safety" above all else when it comes to diving. "Plundering" a dive site as you put it is most often done by people like yourself... the untrained and un- experienced diver. It is not that we endorse the disturbance of any reef whether it be taking items from a wreck or shells from a reef, it is more of the fact that we are a realist in knowing from years of experience that people are going to do these things regardless of what we allow. My job as a responsible dive operator is to ensure the safety and security of the divers who intrust us to take them to any dive site and make sure that they all return to the dock safely. The implications that we are only trying to profit from this wreck or any other shows your complete lack of knowledge of what a safe dive operation is all about in the first place. I was as surprised as anyone when I saw items coming aboard from the wreck, especially knowing the potential dangers of penetration of such a deep wreck. My responsibility was to make sure that someone doesn't kill themselves in pursuit of such meaningless "junk" so to speak. My operation is not filled to the ceiling with plundered items from local wrecks as is the case with every other dive operator in Pensacola, nor have I disrespected this Country and the men who serve her by writing my advertisement on the US Flag and displaying such on the reef.
SHAME??? Obviously, should fall on you as a diver, for spouting off your e-mail without knowing the facts about anything you imply. I am a US Air Force veteran and former US Special Operator. I work with the YMCA SCUBA program because our program is the only program who does look for the protection of our marine resources and being responsible as divers in the aquatic environment. I worked with the Cousteau's in the 1980's for the same reasons. If I where to be one who was trying to profit from such things, I would have done as everyone else and purchased a cattle boat to take every idiot diver in the industry to the wreck to do as they please and not have any concern for any of their safety. People are going to do what they are going to do, regardless of what you think and if someone is going to take something from a reef, then there is really noting anyone can do to stop them. A simple look into any book about diving will show this fact. Try reading "Shadow Divers" and see the plunder of a U-boat wreck off New Jersey despite the requests of the German Government to leave the wreck as it lay...
If you as a diver are so shallow minded as to not see the facts, then just like someone who would "plunder" a reef, you are just as irresponsible of a diver... if not more so. Unlike you however... I understand that you made a hasty comment about something that you really don't know anything about and "I, for one", am not a narrow minded as to say that you would not be welcome on my boat again. Nor would I try to hide my identity (or possible embarrassment of myself for showing ignorance of facts) and not even sign a letter written in complaint of anything.
Our mission will remain as it always has... to provide the best overall diving experience to everyone on board and not to become a dive operator who is only seeking to reap the profits without regard to what is really important in diving. Protection of our resources for future generations to come (if you knew anything about what you where implying, you should have surely seen just this when you where on my boat and heard about how my daughter herself is furthering this goal with my support). I will continue to fight to increase the skills and education of divers and when all the rest are gone by the wayside (like Skippers) I will remain here serving the interests of divers who have a serious commitment to the sport and a responsibility to it's continuance. Note: I have been here since 1992... longer than any other operator in Pensacola next to SCUBA Shack. Why... because we have built our reputation on facts... not misinformation and ignorance of such facts.
It's obviously your choice to remain in the dark and if you choose to dive with other operators, I can only hope that you will survive during their short life's as dive operators (the next oldest dive charter operator in Pensacola started only three years ago, and is already seeking other employment opportunities). We will continue to provide the best dive operation in Pensacola and the safest opportunity to divers long after your dive gear is collecting dust in a garage somewhere and with our experience of supervising literally thousands of divers over the years... we will continue to know more about what is best than someone who only has their own personal dives to their knowledge of the industry.
Sincerely,
Capt. Tim Thorsen
This is a reply from Viking's owner regarding the removal of items from the Oriskany. My e-mail to him said that it was "shamful" for him to allow the ripping off of items from the wreck thereby damaging the very wreck he plans to use as an attraction for divers in the future. I mentioned that it was short sighted. His reply was, in all honesty, a bit of an attack on me. I found that quite interesting. The rest you can judge for yourselves.
From Viking;
Obviously, your experience in diving is not from the perspective of what really happens on the day to day basis in the real world. Viking Diving has for years tried to maintain it's reputation to customer service and "Safety" above all else when it comes to diving. "Plundering" a dive site as you put it is most often done by people like yourself... the untrained and un- experienced diver. It is not that we endorse the disturbance of any reef whether it be taking items from a wreck or shells from a reef, it is more of the fact that we are a realist in knowing from years of experience that people are going to do these things regardless of what we allow. My job as a responsible dive operator is to ensure the safety and security of the divers who intrust us to take them to any dive site and make sure that they all return to the dock safely. The implications that we are only trying to profit from this wreck or any other shows your complete lack of knowledge of what a safe dive operation is all about in the first place. I was as surprised as anyone when I saw items coming aboard from the wreck, especially knowing the potential dangers of penetration of such a deep wreck. My responsibility was to make sure that someone doesn't kill themselves in pursuit of such meaningless "junk" so to speak. My operation is not filled to the ceiling with plundered items from local wrecks as is the case with every other dive operator in Pensacola, nor have I disrespected this Country and the men who serve her by writing my advertisement on the US Flag and displaying such on the reef.
SHAME??? Obviously, should fall on you as a diver, for spouting off your e-mail without knowing the facts about anything you imply. I am a US Air Force veteran and former US Special Operator. I work with the YMCA SCUBA program because our program is the only program who does look for the protection of our marine resources and being responsible as divers in the aquatic environment. I worked with the Cousteau's in the 1980's for the same reasons. If I where to be one who was trying to profit from such things, I would have done as everyone else and purchased a cattle boat to take every idiot diver in the industry to the wreck to do as they please and not have any concern for any of their safety. People are going to do what they are going to do, regardless of what you think and if someone is going to take something from a reef, then there is really noting anyone can do to stop them. A simple look into any book about diving will show this fact. Try reading "Shadow Divers" and see the plunder of a U-boat wreck off New Jersey despite the requests of the German Government to leave the wreck as it lay...
If you as a diver are so shallow minded as to not see the facts, then just like someone who would "plunder" a reef, you are just as irresponsible of a diver... if not more so. Unlike you however... I understand that you made a hasty comment about something that you really don't know anything about and "I, for one", am not a narrow minded as to say that you would not be welcome on my boat again. Nor would I try to hide my identity (or possible embarrassment of myself for showing ignorance of facts) and not even sign a letter written in complaint of anything.
Our mission will remain as it always has... to provide the best overall diving experience to everyone on board and not to become a dive operator who is only seeking to reap the profits without regard to what is really important in diving. Protection of our resources for future generations to come (if you knew anything about what you where implying, you should have surely seen just this when you where on my boat and heard about how my daughter herself is furthering this goal with my support). I will continue to fight to increase the skills and education of divers and when all the rest are gone by the wayside (like Skippers) I will remain here serving the interests of divers who have a serious commitment to the sport and a responsibility to it's continuance. Note: I have been here since 1992... longer than any other operator in Pensacola next to SCUBA Shack. Why... because we have built our reputation on facts... not misinformation and ignorance of such facts.
It's obviously your choice to remain in the dark and if you choose to dive with other operators, I can only hope that you will survive during their short life's as dive operators (the next oldest dive charter operator in Pensacola started only three years ago, and is already seeking other employment opportunities). We will continue to provide the best dive operation in Pensacola and the safest opportunity to divers long after your dive gear is collecting dust in a garage somewhere and with our experience of supervising literally thousands of divers over the years... we will continue to know more about what is best than someone who only has their own personal dives to their knowledge of the industry.
Sincerely,
Capt. Tim Thorsen
