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You are diving a wreck when you find a shiny trinket that appears valuable. Do you:
a) Leave it where it is..you still remember kindergarten when you learned to “look with your eyes, not with your hands”
b) Hide it in your bathing suit (remember that scene from Pulp Fiction…) you will study it later and hopefully make a million dollars off of it
c) Proudly display it to everyone you com in contact with until the local authorities cart you off to jail for stealing national treasures
CNN recently ran a story about a diver who found a pocket watch near a wreck, and decided to go with a modified version of choice b above. Instead of looking to make a million on it, he spent 9 years researching the history behind it and looking for the current-day, rightful owner.
The story got me thinking about the possibilities of the sunken treasure that lies beneath the waves, and the possibilities of turning my aquatic hobby into a money making venture. After some research I have learned that, sadly, there is no direct line from the sea floor to my pocket. Underwater treasure hunting is governed by the U.N. Law of the Sea, which is about as straightforward as a slinky. The original ship owner, the location of the wreck, the contents of the cargo, the phase of the moon and even the number of goals last scored by Manchester United all seem to play a part in the ultimate meaning of “finders keepers.”
Many privately owned underwater archeology companies (ie. treasure hunters) ply the planet’s oceans each year looking for riches. You’d be hard pressed to actually name one of these companies, however, as they are more secretive than the SPECTRE bad guys in the old James Bond movies (but actually have access to even cooler gadgets.) One such company found $500 million in coins last year, shipped it all back home, buried it in their backyard, then raised their hand and said “Um…we think we might have found something.” The Spanish government is still trying to get the booty back, resorting to armed encounters and public claims of grave robbing in order to “persuade” the salvage shop to return the loot.
Since I’ll be spending my lottery winnings on that $95 million orca yacht, I won’t be able to afford the high tech toys needed for the salvage operation. And since this blog is gathering a healthy following of divers, it looks like the secrecy requirement isn’t going to work either. Guess I’ll have to stick to salvaging the usual abandoned dive gear and old bottles…although a piece of Andrea Doria china would be nice.
Now that Florida has finally gotten around to sinking the Vandenburg, their planned string of successful artificial reefs is complete. Recently I ran across an article discussing the cleanup of a failed 1970’s attempt at creating an artificial reef using that little known reef building material, used tires. I began to wonder: is all this artificial reef creation good, or are we just rationalizing our practice of throwing junk into the sea?
The available information base on artificial reefs is almost endless. But, from what I can tell, people claim four main purposes for artificial reefs:
Financial
a. “Dismantling my old boat will cost too much. Instead, I will throw it in the ocean and pretend not to notice when it sinks.”
b. “I have no reef, but I hear it generates income. Let’s get one!”
Environmental
a. “That hurricane/cruise liner/glowing green factory goo destroyed my reef. Help!”
b. “My shorefront property just became a houseboat. Where did my beach go?”
Sport
a. “Cool, dude! I need gnarly wave action for surfing.”
b. “Cool, divemaster! I need great reef action for diving.”
Accidental
a. “Oops, iceberg.”
b. “Well, that landing strip was shorter than I thought.”
And, from what I can tell, artificial reefs are made of a few different materials:
1. Manmade stuff – Wrecks, train cars, airplanes, cars, dump trucks, and the occasional toaster
2. Reef promoting materials – Rocks, odd manufactured products like reef balls
3. All else –Items placed for a purpose other than promoting reef growth, such as bulwarks and Hoffa
I now realize that the question of artificial reefs being good or bad is not straightforward. The success of the reef seems to be a combination of both the purpose and the material.
Some examples:
#1
Purpose: Mobile Bay homeowners desire Environmental shoreline protection
Materials: “All Else” flat bulwarks that actually dissuaded marine growth
Result: Got our beach back, but ruined the fish population
#2
Purpose: Surfer Dudes at Pratte’s Reef in El Segundo need waves
Materials: Reef promoting rocks
Result: The rock promptly sank into the sea floor leaving flat water and a large bill
#3
Purpose: Aruba had an extra airplane all dressed up but nowhere to fly
Materials: 60 ft long YS-11 previously owned by Air Aruba
Result: Promising evidence of coral and fish “Movin’ On Up”
So now I realize I can’t pass judgment on artificial reefs as a whole, but need to measure success individually. For every tire cleanup story there is a successful artificial reef just waiting for fish and divers to come and play.
Looking for a new way to apply your scuba skills for fun and profit? Drug smugglers have the job for you! More than 500 kilos of cocaine have been found hidden near the engine room of an oil tanker in the Spanish port of Tarragona, stashed in a place so small and inaccessible that only a scuba diver entering from outside the tanker could reach it. Authorities said that the external boat room of the ship contained 14 packages of cocaine waiting for an enterprising Egyptian scuba diver to obtain it once it reached its final destination in Egypt. What I want to know is how would that scuba diver move 500 kilos of anything unaided, and how does the diver keep all of that powder dry when leaving the hiding place? I can’t even keep my t-shirt dry on a dive boat, and it stays above water.
Call me a purist, but my idea of a great dive involves warm water, great visibility and plenty of sea life. There are those, however, who are looking for something a bit more…challenging. Thanks to an interesting article on webecoist.com, I’m now enlightened on some of the most bizarre dive sites on the planet. A sample:
Nuclear Missile Silo – Fortunately the US Government took the nukes with them when they abandoned the site located right in the heart of Texas. Now a technical diving training facility, this place boasts cold, dark water to a depth of 130 feet. Sure, you might start glowing in the dark after prolonged submersion, but hey, the fun is worth the radioactivity.
Giant Red Sea Hole – The coast of the East Sinai Peninsula contains a huge, water-filled vortex that reaches over 400 feet into the earth. Divers descend into the gloom to reach the hard-to-find passageway that connects the hole to the open ocean. The creepy-factor of the place is increased exponentially by the large number of makeshift monuments around the hole that honor all the people who have died while diving it. At this site you can come face to face with death, and find out what brand of BCD he uses.
Ammunitions Depository –Historically Thai people dumped ammunition in the Samaesan Hole. Now they dump divers there. You can have a real blast here diving to 300 feet amongst unexploded munitions. Though advertised as a perfect site for trimix training, I would challenge that the person who needs to hone their “deep diving with exploding bombs” skills probably needs to find a new job.
Italian authorities just uncovered what might be the worst case of ocean toxic waste dumping ever. An “informant” (who will, presumably, be sleeping with the fishes soon) directed the authorities to a sunken ship 15 miles off the Italian coast. According to the informant the vessel had toxic waste cargo onboard when it blew up 17 years ago. This is one of 32 potential radioactive underwater sites. Reportedly, a local crime syndicate sunk the ships to make money from companies wanting a quick and easy way to dispose of their toxic goo.
It took 17 years for this informant bird to sing. One sort of wonders what has been happening on the sea floor during that time. For sure some sea life is beginning to glow like a string of aquatic Christmas lights. Other fish have grown fingers, and are coming along nicely with their piano lessons. The seaweed has developed a personality, and won’t stop imploring passers by to “Feeeeed Me, Seymour.” In short – it has got to be ugly. Here’s hoping it is cleaned up soon.
A treasure chest?
You are diving a wreck when you find a shiny trinket that appears valuable. Do you:
a) Leave it where it is..you still remember kindergarten when you learned to “look with your eyes, not with your hands”
b) Hide it in your bathing suit (remember that scene from Pulp Fiction…) you will study it later and hopefully make a million dollars off of it
c) Proudly display it to everyone you com in contact with until the local authorities cart you off to jail for stealing national treasures
CNN recently ran a story about a diver who found a pocket watch near a wreck, and decided to go with a modified version of choice b above. Instead of looking to make a million on it, he spent 9 years researching the history behind it and looking for the current-day, rightful owner.
The story got me thinking about the possibilities of the sunken treasure that lies beneath the waves, and the possibilities of turning my aquatic hobby into a money making venture. After some research I have learned that, sadly, there is no direct line from the sea floor to my pocket. Underwater treasure hunting is governed by the U.N. Law of the Sea, which is about as straightforward as a slinky. The original ship owner, the location of the wreck, the contents of the cargo, the phase of the moon and even the number of goals last scored by Manchester United all seem to play a part in the ultimate meaning of “finders keepers.”
Many privately owned underwater archeology companies (ie. treasure hunters) ply the planet’s oceans each year looking for riches. You’d be hard pressed to actually name one of these companies, however, as they are more secretive than the SPECTRE bad guys in the old James Bond movies (but actually have access to even cooler gadgets.) One such company found $500 million in coins last year, shipped it all back home, buried it in their backyard, then raised their hand and said “Um…we think we might have found something.” The Spanish government is still trying to get the booty back, resorting to armed encounters and public claims of grave robbing in order to “persuade” the salvage shop to return the loot.
Since I’ll be spending my lottery winnings on that $95 million orca yacht, I won’t be able to afford the high tech toys needed for the salvage operation. And since this blog is gathering a healthy following of divers, it looks like the secrecy requirement isn’t going to work either. Guess I’ll have to stick to salvaging the usual abandoned dive gear and old bottles…although a piece of Andrea Doria china would be nice.
The Israeli shore town of Kiryat Yam is boasting one of the most interesting oceanic phenomenon to be seen in a long time: a mermaid. Local officials have proposed a $1 million reward to the first person to take a picture of her, a tempting offer that has given a shot in the arm to the area’s tourism. Though I love the mermaid legends, including siren songs, narwhal theories and the occasional cup of Starbuck’s coffee, I can’t help but be skeptical of this particular sighting. Here are a few “facts” about the case and my initial reactions:
• It’s been described as “a young girl.” But then really, who wants to come to the shore to see a half-naked old man.
• It only appears at sunset. At that time, light reflecting off the waves in odd angles can help the creative bystander see almost anything they want. Put my childhood Chihuahua in the water at that time of day, and he would look like a mermaid also.
• The mermaid performs acrobatic tricks before it disappears. The creature reveals itself to humans in order to demonstrate its stupid pet tricks prowess?
• Capturing the mermaid is not necessary to claim the $1 million reward. I.e. please do not leave stinky fish on the steps of the tourism board building.
Though I’m not so sure this story will end with a new species being logged, I do hope that it has a happy ending that includes a boost to a local economy and a renewed interest in what might just lie beneath the waves.
"And our friends are all aboard..."
This post will appear periodically, letting folks know the latest news of what divers are seeing under the waves across the globe. I look forward to hearing from you as you encounter the weird, the wonderful, and the downright odd. I will kick this recurring post off with a selection of interesting tidbits from aquariums from around the world.
Georgia Aquarium, USA
A giant squid has come to the Georgia Aquarium! OK, so it’s dead. And, it’s constant formaldehyde bath has reduced it to the consistency and appearance of firm tofu. Oh, and prior handling broke many of the tentacles, giving it the nickname “shorty.” So, turn around and watch the beluga exhibit behind it instead. That one really is fantastic.
Melbourne Aquarium, Australia
Penguin sex. King and Gentoo penguins getting it on. Need I say more?
Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise
Not just an aquarium, but an entire sea paradise. Located at the tip of Yokohama Bay, this unique destination combines an aquarium with a sea-themed amusement park. Just like diving from a boat, you can get seasick on the rides then go see the aquatic wonders.
Two Oceans Aquarium, South Africa
The United Nations declared last year the International Year of the Frog. Don’t tell me you missed it! Now people can get that frog feeling all the time with an enormous permanent exhibit dedicated to our amphibious ancestors. The website lists one of the compelling reasons to visit the exhibit as “Frogs with personalities!” How could you say no?
New England Aquarium, USA
I guarantee that no where else in the world can you find the collection of sea creatures as specific and specialized as this aquarium’s Gulf of Maine exhibit. Highlights include blue and white lobsters, which turn into American flags when you drop them into a stock pot.
Oceanographic Museum & Aquarium, Monaco
In 1910, Prince Albert I cleaned out his garage and put all of his old nautical stuff in this building, including excellent examples of why fish should not be subject to the rigors of taxidermy. Forgo the entry fee and instead spend your time out front looking at what I believe is the most interesting thing related to the museum: a submarine used extensively by Jacques Cousteau. And, best of all, the thing is bright yellow. (I kid you not.) “In the town, where I was born…”