Please forgive the intrusion ... I was searching to see if the permit to dive the Lake Mead B29 had been renewed yet, and I happened along this thread. I am not a pilot. But I am an avid diver with technical credentials and find myself drawn to submerged WWII aircraft, amphibious landing craft, etc.
If I may, please allow me to provide a diver's POV in response to some of the earlier posts in this thread.
First, it is my understanding that the National Park Service (hereafter NPS) desires (should they have had any pre-existing) would in fact be easily subverted by anyone with enough clout in our Military (or perhaps even just "associated" with our Military), be they active or retired. I believe they would have also acquiesced to Boeing or those associated with Boeing. So I think it safe to say that had anyone of any stature truly desired to recover this aircraft - assuming it were possible - the NPS would not have been an obstacle. The NPS, and their Submerged Resources Center (hereafter SRC) are merely custodians of otherwise predestined sites. They are, if you will, simply handed the "keys" to a "bus" that has already been crashed and/or abandoned by
all other interested parties.
Why do I deem it necessary to consume this much space to make this point? Because I sensed that some earlier in the thread were heaping both undeserved power (the NPS really has little that all it's bigger-brother agencies haven't discarded and sneered upon) and thus undeserved blame upon an organization that works extremely hard to maintain the numerous national sites of historical, topographical, geographical and recreational value for us all to enjoy. They do it with increasingly less in the way of resources and governmental and congressional support. Going on the assumption that many of you are indeed pilots, perhaps you've not had the opportunity to visit any number of on-foot locations scattered about our nation, that draw visitors from all over the planet. A simple example are the Cliff Dwellings of Mesa Verde in the Four-Corners area of Colorado. Another is Dry Tortugas NP that holds Fort Jefferson where the Lincoln assassination conspirators were housed to keep them safe until trial. And no, I'm not myself, nor is any member of even my extended family, even remotely involved in the NPS. We do however, as divers and hikers and vacationers and history junkies, greatly enjoy the efforts of the NPS. Nuff said there, methinks. I shall then abandon my soapbox accordingly.
Now, if you are still reading this, I shall move on to strictly diving topics. I wish to have it understood that every time I happen upon a display of restored Warbirds - be it airshow or Veteran's Day events or simply air museums - I am mesmerised and awed, and can be found
hours into my visit lovingly caressing said birds with hand (if allowed) or eyes (if not). I thoroughly enjoy their history and craftsmanship unsubmerged. So now that I have established those bona fides, thus hopefully allowing me the necessary safe passage here. Now allow me to explain the effects of diving upon one of these previously airborne pieces of history. Much can be conveyed simply by reviewing the pics kindly provided by maxum96 above. The spooky, ghostly nature of such deep dives can be easily recognised by even non-divers. Imagine descending the depths, accompanied only by the sounds of your own breathing and the ambient sound oddities carried through the water; traveling down past the reach of daylight with nothing but your and your co-divers lights, and out of the featureless darkness a Boeing B29 Superfortress begins to take shape. You touch bottom and find yourself in her shadow. You know how big she would be on the tarmac. Now imagine that size looming above you as you rest on your knees on the murky bottom, checking all your gear to be certain all is well. You look to your co-diver(s) and signal you're good to go by rotating the beam of your dive torch a few times on the bottom; and wait for them to respond in kind.
After an all-OK, now imagine being able to "tap" a bit of air into your gear to bring yourself neutrally buoyant enough to glide along her various points of interest, peeking into the dark empty cockpit and slowly finning down the length of her broken but near-intact fuselage; her mangled engine casings and her enormous tail and stabiliser. Unfortunately you have approximately only a half hour for your visit. Then comes the decompression stops at numerous depths to "off-gas" your accumulated nitrogen during ascent. I have myself not dove the site, but I can direct you to an excellent write-up of someone who has @
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/wreck- ... eport.htmlSo, in conclusion, I -
we - ask that you not begrudge us divers those few spectacular submerged Warbirds for our enjoyment. This B29 is, perhaps, the best, biggest, most well-preserved, such site in all the US. And she is very stringently and strictly administered by the NPS' SRC such that she is guarded fiercely from pilfering and abuse and is thus insured to be available as-is for some generations to come.
Thank you all kindly for your consideration.
Regards
TSL
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