Vandenburg Delay-Key West FL

For those of you following the on-going Vandenburg sinking saga you probably know it has been delayed.

We were scheduled to do a pre-deployment survey of fish species at the site and on 7 surrounding reef and artificial sites starting next week. I was asked by REEF/NOAA to photo document each site with an emphasis on fish assemblages and first fish to appear on the Vandenburg, etc. It was to be something where I'd learn a lot about shipwreck photography and focus on fish species with interesting backdrops - but looks like it will be postponed now and probably won't sink before hurricane season? Then that means sinking in November and that isn't optimum as all the operators miss out on the spring/summer diving season down there, plus it will accrue extra cost/storage overruns, etc. Now we seriously wonder if it will ever sink in Key West.

It is a bit of a mess but I can't stress enough how it really looked like it was going to come off on-time on May 15th...., even NOAA thought so and scheduled us. I think it would be really good for the area and the fish, diving etc. The Vandenburg is a bit longer than the Spiegel Grove and much "prettier" (pardon that expression but I think all the radar, towers etc would be really cool looking underwater and "pretty".... B) ) Also my buddy who lives on a sailboat in Key West said they have been working on sinking this ship for years and were very excited......, it was soooo close....

I hope this isn't bad for it and other shipwreck sinkings too. It is just now a-days they have to be cleaned so thoroughly, especially with the Vandenburg going down in a US National Marine Sanctuary, the costs just escalate.........

Hopefully she will still sink, we will see how it plays out here are some links if you all are interested:

Re: the delay

http://www.underwatertimes.com/news.php?ar..._id=01435697108

Interesting Vandenburg Video:

http://www.bigshipwrecks.com/index_nosound.html

Carol

I have to admit, I think these cleanup requirements are excessive. Think about all the ships that have gone down naturally, and the reefs on them did just fine. It's one thing to remove oil products, the rest is BS in my opinion. So they strip all the stuff and dump it in a landfill to leach into the underground water.

I have to admit, I think these cleanup requirements are excessive. Think about all the ships that have gone down naturally, and the reefs on them did just fine. It's one thing to remove oil products, the rest is BS in my opinion. So they strip all the stuff and dump it in a landfill to leach into the underground water.

I understand where you are coming from Jeff....

Yes, it makes you wonder if all the asbestos removed from that ship is really better off disposed of on land (but they do have strict regulations on that now, would be interesting to know exactly where that waste does go.......).

But I think the strict regulations for cleaning all the oil residue, etc. are very warranted.

Personally I hope for the best, but I'm concerned it won't get sunk at all now. That means a lot of $$$ and time wasted and I sincerely hope it doesn't come to that and some sort of equitable solution can be reached. We spend so much money on military expenditures in this country - I would just hope we could spend some towards a project that not only helps create habitat for fish and other life but honors the memory of some of the historic ships and the people who served on them.

Carol