Taking GPS coordinates of a site... captain's permission?

[redacted]

On the boat that I ran for the last two years, they had a section in the waiver that you signed when boarding the boat, stating no use of GPS. A lot of time and money is spent to locate some of the wrecks we dive out here on the Great Lakes, and to make the numbers public makes it very hard to recover the costs of hunting for these wrecks when other charters and divers with their own boats get the numbers for free.

We had one customer a few years ago who took out his GPS and took numbers for a wreck that only we had. He was told not to do this by the Captain, crew and all the other customers on board, but did it anyway. He then shared them on the internet for everyone. He has not been allowed back on the boat.

Why have you not taken him to court to recove your losses due to his contract breach? Seems to me you did everything right up until he broke your contract.

---------- Post added January 8th, 2013 at 12:54 PM ----------

I am not. Neither were they kidding. It was announced to the boat as we left the dock in a professional manner. I don't believe anyone felt threatened.

would you please identify the boats.

 

[ScubaSteve]

You gotta be kidding. Either tell me before I book, so I can choose another operator, or those conditions aren't covered in our agreement and are thus void IMO. If I'm told after leaving port that "oh, and remember, you aren't allowed to write a diary from this trip", I'll bloody well make sure to make them turn around so I can get the **** off that boat. With my money.

You people are funny. So ready to ruin a day of diving over something so stupid. Some people just need to cause a scene .

 

[nimoh]

You people are funny. So ready to ruin a day of diving over something so stupid. Some people just need to cause a scene .

I know what you mean. If I am standing on the dock and find out GPS use is not allowed, I would still happily go on the dive and forgo the GPS. Finding out on the boat at the dive site, I would be a little upset, but again, wouldn't stop me from diving, although might affect my tipping

However, I like to record GPS coordinates of dive sites for my log book, and so next time diving in the area would probably be with a different operator.

Since I have never had a problem with a boat crew regarding GPS devices, I haven't thought about this much. But, perhaps it should be up to the diver to ask the operator about using a GPS device before booking --- I think this makes more sense.

 

[Akimbo]

I stand corrected on GPS on cell phones… which elevates the problem form extremely difficult to fricking impossible. Instead of depending on 100% of divers to honor the request for site secrecy, Captains would have a better chance of getting gentlemen’s agreements with competitors… unless that is illegal. Sad to say, they need to modify their business strategy because this one can’t work for long.

 

[ScubaSteve]

However, I like to record GPS coordinates of dive sites for my log book, and so next time diving in the area would probably be with a different operator.

I like to do the same thing. I have a Google Earth KMZ file with my worldwide sites and even many possible sites......but as annoyed as I might be, I sure as heck would not let it ruin a day of diving. It might affect my Charter choice next time but if they were good, safe etc., I would still use them again.

In all honesty though, most of the time I use the dock we leave from and not the actual site (unless I think of it which is rarely).

 

[ctwreck]

---------- Post added January 8th, 2013 at 10:41 AM ----------



If that is the rule, than yes. Indeed the captain has that authority. Luckily you have the option to dive on another vessel.

---------- Post added January 8th, 2013 at 10:59 AM ----------




Do you have a boat? tell you what... I'll leave my Lifeline on the dock, and you take us out to a few wrecks. I'll be down next month.

 

[Mike]

Why have you not taken him to court to recove your losses due to his contract breach? Seems to me you did everything right up until he broke your contract.

Don't you know why? They went out of business. Somebody went through the major task of pushing a button on a GPS enabled device to get the super secret proprietary information of where he was and then somebody started going to the same wreck for fifty cents less and they went out of business and the earth cracked in half, the moon fell into the sun and that was the end, we're all dead.

 

[redacted]

Don't you know why? They went out of business. Somebody went through the major task of pushing a button on a GPS enabled device to get the super secret proprietary information of where he was and then somebody started going to the same wreck for fifty cents less and they went out of business and the earth cracked in half, the moon fell into the sun and that was the end, we're all dead.

Or maybe the "secret dive site" ad is still bringing in the customers even though the secret is out.

 

[ctwreck]

Some of my favorite wrecks can be clearly seen on Google Earth. African Queen, Olympic II, both Caissons, Fog Wreck, Moody, Gambler, Santa Rosa, Palawan, Redondo Barge, Savino's Barge, Star of Scotland, Ace1 among many. Offshore reefs such as White Point Rock, Buchanan's Reef, Hawthorne Reef and the artificial reef rock piles off Marina del Rey and Malibu are easily spotted as well. Many of these can be seen on Google Maps as well, but you need Google Earth to get the coordinates. I've dives all of these, and the numbers on Google Earth are correct. Check out Google MapsThose are the Caissons. They sit in 150-165' and stand 40' high. On Google Earth, you can see the shape and height in 2D.
For history of the Caissons, check out The Caissons

Thanks for the info... very interesting.

Also, I feel everyone here should know exactly what you did for us, the diving community. A quick Google search of the German sub UB88 shows that you went out and found the sub so that its location would be known to all.

"The exact location of the UB88 however, was never released, and so relatively little diving was performed on her until July 2010, when Phil Garner independently located her, posting video and the details of his search. Unlike the original discoverers, Phil posted enough clues in his report to allow others to pinpoint the location, and open the UB88 to the local diving community."

California Diver Magazine ? Dedicated to Scuba Diving California and beyond. Come diving with us! » Diving the UB88 Submarine: California?s WWI Submarine

I applaud you for your selflessness. Thank you

 

[John_B]

And, as Ive already posted several times - published numbers are notoriouslu WRONG.....

Because certain charters have a vested interest in the numbers being wrong?