Chapter 8- Wreck Diving
Wreck Diving
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FIGURE 8-2. Before you remove anything from a wreck consider the legal and ethical issue of artifact collecting.
a specialty, requiring training, special equipment, and
experience to ensure enjoyment. You are about to gain
some insight into this exciting and challenging pursuit,
but you must be aware that you will by no means be
qualified to engage in wreck diving activities beyond
those to which you are introduced. Penetrations, external
surveys, salvage, and similar activities on wrecks require
special training.
POSSIBLE HAZARDS
In addition to the possible environmental conditions
of currents, limited visibility, and deep water,
other potential problems include silt and hazardous
animals. It is common for wrecks to be covered with a
layer of silt and sediment that has filtered down upon it
for years. The slightest disturbance can raise a cloud that
can immediately reduce visibility to zero. Being able to
move about without disturbing silt is often a requirement
(figure 8-3).
Wrecks are artificial reefs–often the only shelter in
an area–and are havens for life. This is one of the attractions
of wrecks, but it can also present problems because
of potentially hazardous animals that dwell in wrecks.
You need to know what creatures could be harmful, how
to identify them, where they are likely to be encountered,
FIGURE 8-3. Learning a good finning technique that avoids disturbing
the bottom, whether near a reef or inside a wreck,
helps preserve the environment and the visibility.
and how to avoid injury from them. Being armed with
this knowledge and using some caution will allow you to
enjoy the animals while helping to prevent injuries.