Two good news stories for Cal Diving

[buckles]

Russian Sub will be added to the SD Wreck Alley


A new law that will take effect Jan. 1 declares scuba diving a hazardous activity in California

Hoping the new law opens the door to a future wreck off Vets some day.

[Mo2vation]

Scuba diving is declared hazardous activity in California, limiting government liability in case of accidents

July 26, 2010 | 2:35 pm

A new law that will take effect Jan. 1 declares scuba diving a hazardous activity in California.
AB 634, signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger this month, adds the sport to the list of recreational activities considered hazardous and releases state and local governments from liability in lawsuits associated with it, reports the Dana Point Times. Other sports currently on the "hazardous" list include surfing, water-skiing, windsurfing, kayaking and white-water rafting.

"Fear of frivolous lawsuits has hampered efforts to expand recreational activities in many communities," the bill's author, Assemblywoman Diane L. Harkey (R-Dana Point), said in a statement. "I am pleased that Gov. Schwarzenegger signed into law our legislation reducing liability for local and state governments while allowing for more recreational activities such as scuba diving, aiding coastal economies, the environment and the state of California." The legislation, backed by California Ships to Reefs, was created with sunken-ship-based scuba diving in mind, because "diving in and near sunken ships can be hazardous, requiring special training and equipment beyond that for normal scuba diving," Harkey said.

Harkey added that because the government will no longer be held liable in lawsuits in which a scuba diver is injured or killed while diving, coastal communities may be more likely to create artificial reefs -- a benefit to both the marine environment and to divers interested in exploring them.

"Today, California has removed a major impediment to artificial reefing," said Joel Geldin, chairman and CEO of California Ships to Reefs, a nonprofit organization that hopes to establish a regional system of reefed ships along the California coast. "We are enthusiastic about the new unlimited opportunities ahead to create a network of artificial reefs on the state’s coastline, improving ocean life and enhancing our recreational diving and fishing industries."

-- Kelly Burgess
twitter.com/latimesoutposts

[Mo2vation]

Soviet-era sub will join HMCS Yukon as a dive reef off Mission BayFriday, July 16, 2010 6:01 PM EST












SAN DIEGO (CNS) - A Soviet-era submarine on display at the San Diego Maritime Museum will join the HMCS Yukon as a dive reef off Mission Bay, it was announced today.

An agreement in principle to sink the B-39 Foxtrot sub was reached this week between officials with the museum, the owners of the vessel and California Ships to Reefs, an organization which seeks out surplus ships to use as artificial reefs for diving and fishing.

"We anticipate sinking the sub in San Diego's wreck alley, where the HMCS Yukon is already a popular attraction and beautiful artificial reef, said Joel Geldin, CSTR's chairman and chief executive officer. "We are proud to announce this new agreement on the 10th anniversary of the sinking of the Yukon, which has proven the economic and environmental value of man-made reefs," he said.

It wasn't immediately clear when the Foxtrot, which has been in the museum's fleet since 2004, would be sunk.

The 300-foot long diesel-electric submarine served for 20 years during the 1970s and 80s to track U.S. and NATO shipping, according to the museum. It was one of the longest conventional subs ever built.

The B-39 was decommissioned in 1994 and sold to a private group a year later.