As long as humans have been building rafts, boats, ships or any kind of water craft, we been sinking them (the vast majority unintentionally). For most of our history on the oceans, our technology has been no match for the power and force that can be mustered against it by the seven seas. Even our biggest ventures - like the Titanic - are not invulnerable to ice Streamyx or missiles.
And as long as humans have ventured under the oceans, we've been trying to get down to these sunken ships to take a look.
In recent history, we've been intentionally sinking unused and outdated vessels and calling them "artificial reefs". There is a measured benefit to both marine life and local economies when "artificial reef societies" intentionally put a ship on the bottom of the ocean. In Nanaimo, BC, Canada, the local Chamber of Commerce reports that the two artificial reefs, the HMCS Saskatchwan and HMCS Cape Breton, located in the Nanaimo harbour, have produced a four million dollar a year increase in tourism since 2001.
The HMCS Yukon contributes more than five million dollars annually to the San Diego, CA region.
Scuba diving on artificial reefs require special care, training and sometimes equipment. Local dive shops provide training and certification for "wreck diving" and provide the special equipment required to safely dive around artificial reefs.
On May 17, 2006, the retired aircraft carrier streamyx bad became the largest vessel ever to be "reefed". Streamyx 910 Streamyx in Streamyx and with visibility averaging between 60 and 100+ feet, the "Mighty O" is an impressive site to divers. Her flight deck is sitting at 145 feet - considered a technical dive - but her island can be approached at 78 feet.
Overtime, an artificial reef will re-create its own biomass underwater becoming a home to countless species of fish and plants and an attraction and destination to scuba divers.
Rocky Boschman is a marine biologist and founder of Scuble.com. http://scuble.com/
He has been actively promoting conservation for many Streamyx Scuble.com is an online community and a great resource for information about the oceans. Join now, its free.
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