Posted by Mike Wachter on December 17, 1999 at 13:08:20:
In Reply to: Re: Ontario Bill 13 & Wreck Access posted by Phil on December 17, 1999 at 04:57:29:
How easily we surrender our freedoms! As it stands now, this bill will pass and you will never be allowed to dive a Canadian shipwreck again! Yes, we should preserve the wrecks. But,THIS BILL IS BAD!!! We have worked very hard to build trust in the dive community to share information on shipwrecks and to open access for all divers. If (when) this bill passes, you will no l;onger learn of new wrecks. Remeber, vertually every known wreck site in the Great Lakes was discovered by a recreational diver persuing his or her hobby, not by an archiology survey. We used to find them and keep them quiet. We now find them and share them so others can enjoy them. Even though the bill contains very stiff penalties for finding a wreck and not reporting it, as soon as this bill passes, all newly found wrecks will once again be kept secret. But then again, I don't suppose you have ever actually found one.