WILSON MONITORING PROJECT

[PJK]

As everyone knows, there is always two sides of every story.  The GLSPS would like to have equal time to tell their side. 

Any Captain that is in charge of the GLSPS vessel during a Project, sticks to a very strict S.O.P. developed by the Safety Committee.  However the rules of the road and the law take presidence over any of our proprietory rules.  The law simply states, all boats need to stay 100 ft of surface distance from a Divers Down Flag.  The little Red Zodiac was getting well within the limits of 100 ft.  The captain of the R/V Preservation made several attempts to contact the Zodiac but no one answered.  We even tried to hail them using our load speaker on the boat to get the attention of the red Zodiac.  We could clearly see they had an annenna for the use of a VHF Radio transceiver but they must have had it turned off or it wasn't working because, they didn't answer after hailing them several times.

The four divers down at the time had bubbles within 10 ft of the Zodiac so we were getting a bit concerned for the dive team down and a potential safety hazard.  So the acting Captain of the R/V Preservation, (with five other witnesses top side on board the Preservation, including me) needed to make a call for safety reasons.

If the Zodiac would have hailed us or have contacted us in any way shape of form, we would have welcomed them to dive with us. Since they seemed to ignore us in every attempt to contact them and were unable to determine their intentions.  We had no choice to ask them to leave.

Proper boat etiquette or procedures would have certainly granted them a chance to dive the wreck that wonderful sunny and clear day.  They would have been more than welcome to join us!  Next time, hail us and we will give you what ever you need to dive the shipwreck because we certainly don't own the wreck!  We are only attempting to preserve it so many others can see it too.

Phil Kerber
GLSPS President