Salvage vs Preservation

[GDI]

Y ou are diving a wreck and you find an articles. Are you going to place the articles with others similar findings with the intent to preserve the wreck and it's historical contents or will you recover/remove the object from the ship? Admiralty laws vs Antiquity Laws and salvage?

 

[Genesis]

Where am I when I make this discovery (e.g. within who's political and legal boundary) and does the wreck have historical significance?

That kind of thing is not a simple question, nor does it necessarily have a simple answer.

 

[NEWreckDiver]

Where am I when I make this discovery (e.g. within who's political and legal boundary) and does the wreck have historical significance?

That kind of thing is not a simple question, nor does it necessarily have a simple answer.

Yes not a simply question to answer. I do have strong ideas in this regard. If this is a normal wreck that has no historical valve, then I will then more than likely take the item.

I do not agree with some folks that say that you should not take anything off of the wreck at all in order to preserve the wreck for future divers. What happens when the wreck completely collapses and then there is no chance of recovering anything? Who benefits then?

Now I am sure there are situations that the responsible thing to do would be to leave things the way they are. But for how long should things be left alone?

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I think if the wreck is not historically significant (ie. less than 75 years old, not famous and not a war grave) and is the process of deteriorating, then I would consider taking the item.

If the wreck is already completely broken up and the items heavily encrusted or buried in sand and is either historically significant or unkown, I'd leave it. The objects are safer and more valuable where they are and the wreck deserves preservation until it can be properly excavated.

 

[aue-mike]

Are you going to place the articles with others similar findings with the intent to preserve the wreck and it's historical contents or will you recover/remove the object from the ship?

Point of information - moving artifacts on a wreck and creating a contrived display (e.g., Truk) destroys the archaeological integrity of the artifact in respect to the wreck. That is not in situ preservation. You might as well recover the artifact...

 

[rab]

The March 2004 issue of Dive Training has a cover story on this very subject: "Finders Keepers: Wrestling with Wreck Diving Regulations"

It seems that the only safe/legal attitude is "just look"

-Rob

 

[aue-mike]

It seems that the only safe/legal attitude is "just look"

That's what PADI and some other interests would have you believe. That article had some errors and left out some important principles. A more balanced version of this issue will appear in an issue of DIVERS OCEAN PLANET in the near future.

 

[Genesis]

That's only because PADI hasn't figured out how to sell a "artifact collection" specialty card yet

 

[sharkmasterbc]

Thanks genesis....that made me laugh

 

[iflyprops]

lol, good point!