Saturday I saw something for the first time in my four years of fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. It started after finding a platform on the GPS Waypoint Search map on the link Rigdvr posted, http://www.rodnreel.com (great link Rigdvr). I have 3 maps, one I paid 160 bucks for that was suppose to show ever platform in the Gulf and this was not on a single one. Last year I would have past within a few miles of it and never saw it so maybe its new. In it looked pretty new with better paint than most.
Even though it showed it on the internet map it had no information on it. Anyway I was really jazzed Saturday when it came into view. It was in 250’ of beautiful blue water, right were the 40 fathom line takes a dip in toward the coast. I thought, great I found a secret platform that few people know or fish.
When we pulled up there was a big sign that said “Private Property, No Tying Off and No Diving!”. This really upset me! I just spent 2 ½ hours going 48 miles. I feel like IYA with my rights being taken away!
It seems to me that since the platform is theirs, they could enforce not tying off to it, although this is still a sad precedent that we hope won't spread to other rigs in the U.S.. The no dive rule, though, doesn’t seem like they have a legal right to enforce. They only own the mineral rights, not the water! If you don’t touch the metal, how can they keep you from diving? What do you think?
Although it would be chore, because I don’t have a windless to lift and lower my anchor, I could drop my anchor the 250’ beside the rig and not touch it. The rig is unmanned, but has a helicopter pad on top, so it can be reached quickly. There is a manned rig, with a helicopter about 10 miles away. I have fished at several rigs with helicopter pads and you don’t hear or see the helicopter until its minutes away from landing. So what I am saying is there is a good chance there will be a confrontation if I dive it. Do you think I can politely tell them they don’t own the water and have no legal right to stop me?
Don
Even though it showed it on the internet map it had no information on it. Anyway I was really jazzed Saturday when it came into view. It was in 250’ of beautiful blue water, right were the 40 fathom line takes a dip in toward the coast. I thought, great I found a secret platform that few people know or fish.
When we pulled up there was a big sign that said “Private Property, No Tying Off and No Diving!”. This really upset me! I just spent 2 ½ hours going 48 miles. I feel like IYA with my rights being taken away!
It seems to me that since the platform is theirs, they could enforce not tying off to it, although this is still a sad precedent that we hope won't spread to other rigs in the U.S.. The no dive rule, though, doesn’t seem like they have a legal right to enforce. They only own the mineral rights, not the water! If you don’t touch the metal, how can they keep you from diving? What do you think?
Although it would be chore, because I don’t have a windless to lift and lower my anchor, I could drop my anchor the 250’ beside the rig and not touch it. The rig is unmanned, but has a helicopter pad on top, so it can be reached quickly. There is a manned rig, with a helicopter about 10 miles away. I have fished at several rigs with helicopter pads and you don’t hear or see the helicopter until its minutes away from landing. So what I am saying is there is a good chance there will be a confrontation if I dive it. Do you think I can politely tell them they don’t own the water and have no legal right to stop me?
Don