Is it a good idea to intentionally sink large vessels like the Spiegel Grove, the Oriskany, and soon, the Vandenberg into near costal waters in order to provide “something cool” for divers to see while they are diving?

Are these huge man made structures really as good for the environment as some people would have us all believe? Can they really develop into an artificial reef for marine life? Or are we just contributing to the costal zone pollution problem?

Is the intentional sinking of large military and civilian ships simply a “cost effective” way to get rid of unwanted, useless hulks? Is it cheaper to sink than to salvage?

Is the driving force behind this practice really environmental concern or is it purely the economics of tourism for the areas where these “wrecks” are located?

If you think it’s a good idea, then tell us why.

If you think it’s a bad idea, then tell us why.

If you think that there should be changes in the way these things are done, let us know.

If you have an idea how things could be done better, please share it.

I’m not 100% certain which way I would go on this one. Being a Dive Pro and avid diver I always welcome something “new” to dive on and to explore. However, being an environmentally conscious individual, I am not so sure that I am comfortable with the idea of sinking such a large chunk of scrap into the near costal waters. On the other hand, the fish do seem to like these things.

Being an ex-Navy man of quite a few years, knowing what goes on and into these ships and knowing how complex a ship this size is. I’m not completely satisfied that the entire ship could be properly cleaned and made completely environmentally safe for sinking; At lease not when considering that most projects like these have very limited funding available.

What do you think folks? Is the Artificial Reef program, as it is being conducted today, a good thing or a bad thing? What are the pros and cons?

Seawolf sends regards