[ Reply | Next | Previous | Up ]
From: From the what its worth department
Category: Shipwreck Research
Date: 17 Nov 2004
Time: 23:33:20
Remote Name: 209.112.92.88
Seems like a while back I saw some posts on how there is just not much going on as far as wreck diving goes. Is the popularity declining? You bet it is, and I think it is because of one big factor. Good old Uncle Sam. Get the government involved and all of a sudden we have a "regulated" hobby. Sure, the intentions were good, or so they seemed at the time, but lets look at the results. Less divers and more regulations. Fines for this, and stay away from that and no more "finders-keepers". There are more wreck hunters than ever, but the loop has been closed so tightly that the locations are just not being leaked anymore. Many wrecks have been discovered, but it is a long time before the public finds out about it, if ever. And they still get stripped, but now people are more cautious of felony convictions and are much less likely to reveal a find. This I know happens. Those of you old-timers remember the good old days, and they were good. The day the government began regulating my underwater activities was the day my interest began to decline. Though I am still active, I don't find the magic in it like I used to. To quote BB King, for many, the "Thrill is Gone". Not everybody wants to be a Bob Ballard. There are still a few wildcats left, but they sure do keep a low profile. Divers like yourself will eventually hear about the finds, but only after the original finder is lost in the shuffle, and that can take some time. Yes, the information loop has been drawn closed. Keep the federal government out of our regulated activity. The states are bad enough!!!