Spiegal Grove Diving Tax

[WreckWriter]

Voluntary sale of themedallions for the shops but as I understand it, KADO (Keys Assoc. of Dive Operators) has said that their member shops will collect it. That's everybody except serious fly by nighters.

Its not a law or truly a tax so it is voluntary for private boats.

Tom

 

[BradfordNC]

you have got to be kidding me.

anyone who travels from one side of the country to the other, or from the other side of the world for that matter, and then complains about a $10 fee has got to be an idiot. maybe i'm being a little extreme, just maybe.

let me guess, your going to argue that the boat charter is already costing you $50.

that $50 covers the boat and tanks, it doesn't cover the expense of cleaning and sinking the SG.

want to dive on a wreck for free? come out to North Carolina, our coast is littered with wrecks. These wrecks were sunk for free. most by mother nature, some by nazi subs, but there is no $10 fee.
However, be prepared to pay the $110 charter fee to get you out to the sites, most of them are out 25-40 miles. thats at least a 2 hour boat ride for ya.

pay the $10 and enjoy the SG, i did. and i realy enjoyed the 15 minute ride to the dive site.

 

[TwoBitTxn]

Yall ease up on the guy. He asked a simple question. Maybe he didn't understand what it was for. Don't throw a guy under the bus for asking a question.

The money is for a good purpose. It goes to pay the bills for sinking the Grove as well as protecting Florida's magnificent reefs.

If you go to Cozumel you pay a charge to dive in the Nat'l park. I believe its about $10 U.S.


TwoBit

 

[metridium]

WreckWriter wrote...
Voluntary sale of themedallions for the shops but as I understand it, KADO (Keys Assoc. of Dive Operators) has said that their member shops will collect it. That's everybody except serious fly by nighters.

Its not a law or truly a tax so it is voluntary for private boats.

Thanks, Tom.

What's the rationale in requiring medallions for wrecks predating the entire SG soap opera?

 

[Walter]

It's a lie!

I do not object to donating money for artificial reefs. I object to the way this is being presented. It is voluntary. No diver can be required to pay it to dive any of the artificial reefs. Present it as optional and I'll gladly chip in the $10. Present it as required and you'll never get 1 ¢ from me.

 

[WreckWriter]

metridium once bubbled...

Thanks, Tom.

What's the rationale in requiring medallions for wrecks predating the entire SG soap opera?

Just that its intended to fund the artificial reef program, past present and future.

Tom

 

[WreckWriter]

Walter once bubbled...
It's a lie!

I do not object to donating money for artificial reefs. I object to the way this is being presented. It is voluntary. No diver can be required to pay it to dive any of the artificial reefs. Present it as optional and I'll gladly chip in the $10. Present it as required and you'll never get 1 ¢ from me.

Well, in that case I guess your indignant cent saving a$$ can either sit on the dock and wave or sail with one of the shops that aren't good enough to join KADO.

Shops/boats can require anything they want to, you sail, you pay, you don't pay, you don't sail.

I guess you could always rent a boat. That will only force you to pay a couple hundred bucks extra instead of ten.

Oh yea, you can also swim out, its only about 7 miles. Don't forget to drag a flag or the Sanctuary Patrol will give you a nice ticket (which they also will require you to pay).

This argument is CS. Special diving fees are standard all over the world. Tobermory has one, Bonaire does too I believe? Why is this one so insulting to so many of you?

Tom

 

[metridium]

WreckWriter wrote

Why is this one so insulting to so many of you?

I don't care for the idea of forcing those diving older wrecks to pony up for the Spiegel Grove Charlie-Foxtrot. What value do you derive if you don't want to dive the SG?

I'm also uncomfortable with virtually the entire local industry getting together to set a price. If the dive shops want to tithe from their profits, fine. If the local representative government votes to fund it, fine.

IMHO, it should be funded from the increased volume of revenue the SG brings in to the shops and the local economy, not from specific "taxes" on divers.

Is there any guarantee that the money will actually go where it's supposed to?

 

[Beachman]

Local government, local banks, local businesses, and of course the upper keys dive shop owners all commited to the final financing package which sunk and then turned the SG for all to use.

The dive shops commited to selling tags voluntarily. Small shops maybe 200 per year.....a large shop maybe 1000 a year. Remember, the dive business in the keys is VERY competitive. The shop owners could not have afforded to cough up or commit to cash from their normal revenues. There was never a place where the saying "if you want to end up with a million dollars in the dive business, start with two million" was more true.

Each shop is trying to fulfill its commitment in its own way. Some are making it totally voluntary, but "selling" the benefits. Some are making it mandatory to dive with them. Some are even actively trying to sell tags to non-divers and the local population based on environmental and ecological benfits.

In my opinion, anyone that dives should buy a tag in the interest of the dive community as a whole......just like the folks in the Keys should want to support a good cause in California or New Jersey that benefits diving in general, or gladly pay the park fees in Bonaire or Saba.

Sheeeesh........Ten Bucks?

 

[metridium]

Beachman wrote...


Each shop is trying to fulfill its commitment in its own way. Some are making it totally voluntary, but "selling" the benefits.

That's different, then. As long as the option exists, I wouldn't have a problem donating (though I wouldn't wear the tag) to a good cause. Thanks for the explanation!

Beachman wrote...
Ten Bucks?

It wasn't the amount; it was the principle. Heck, I wouldn't even pay those $3.50 "energy surcharges" hotels tried sticking to travelers at check-in over the last couple years.