Posted by Brad on January 31, 1999 at 01:05:55:
In Reply to: Re: Illegal to search for shipwrecks posted by ARG on January 30, 1999 at 19:49:11:
: : Has any one heard or doe's any one know why the state wants to make it illegal to search for wrecks on the great lakes
: : It is my understanding that once a ship makes it to the lake floor it becomes the property of the state having jurisdiction. That states department of archeology lays claim to it and then they try to prevent damage to the site by disallowing diving activities. The problem is that the ships insurance actually becomes its owner once all reasonable salvage attempts are exhausted or surrendered by its owners. The dept. of archeology also restricts diving some sites under the aboriginal act for very old wrecks. These state archeologist seem to be able to dive these wrecks in the name of saving artifacts and preserving history but many beleive that this is merely another governmental restriction on a divers freedoms. In one such case, Zeis vs. Illinois, the state took Zeis to court to prevent access to the Lady Elgin which went down in Lake Michigan off shore some where near Fort Sheridan. Mr. Zeis actually discovered the wreck after having been missing for many years. There are documents on this case somwhere. There, the fight was over diving rights to which Zeis claimed to have since he discovered the wreck and contacted the insurance company and was sold or given title to the wreck. Illinois was still successful in barring him from any further dives on the Lady Elgin. Check with the state of Illinois maritime society or the states Dept. of archeology for their side of the argument. Im sure its just what your looking for. By the way I hope they never restrict searching for shipwrecks.