Back in the 70s I worked for a dive shop run by a former member of UDT Team 6. He had done a bounce dive on the TAHOE some time in the late 60s-early 70s and recovered a life ring (the name of the ship was on it) and two running lights he had decorating the wall. I knew about the ship at the time from an article I had read and loved seeing that set of artifacts. Wish I had them today!
Scuttling the SS Tahoe was probably the stupidest thing Bliss ever did. A ship like that does not need a "burial at sea", especially when there is nothing wrong with the ship. Bliss basically robbed future generations from experiencing this magnificent vessel just because it was "of no economical value to his family at the time." A very selfish act indeed. Secondly, the Bliss family ignorantly denying attempts to raise the ship because "his wishes need to be respected," was another stupid foul up on their part. If the ship could have been raised, there would be a chance of it being restored to its former glory for new generations to enjoy, a much better fate than sitting on the bottom of the lake.
I will actually defend what he did... Sinking in fresh water is perhaps the best fate that can befall a ship... She is in relatively good shape due to the nature of fresh water. If she had not been sunk, the ship most likely would have ended up being scrapped, and there would be nothing but photos... And some jerkbag scrapper at Alang, India 5 dollars richer off the destruction of history.
If Bliss really cared about the Tahoe, he would have paid the extra few bucks to keep her moored and cosmetically maintained for future generations to enjoy. From a psychology standpoint, the circumstances in which he scuttled her, paint Bliss out to be having something similar to a child's temper tantrum. The idea that "if I can't make money with the Tahoe, then it goes away forever." The fact that Bliss hired an incompetent tug captain to scuttle her didn't help either. Whether scuttling the ship "preserved" it or not, the wreck is living on borrowed time. It will slowly deteriorate to dust on the bottom of the lake. I personally feel at this point in time no matter what the family says, leaving it be is not the right thing to do. The state of Nevada needs to realize how much of a historical asset it is to Lake Tahoe and raise it so it can be restored and preserved. Obviously no one lost their life on board during the scuttling, the age old line "leave the wreck be out of respect for those who died" cannot be used. The Tahoe would be a valuable teaching tool for the history of Lake Tahoe and should not be excluded from public view except for a few highly trained divers.
Back in the 70s I worked for a dive shop run by a former member of UDT Team 6. He had done a bounce dive on the TAHOE some time in the late 60s-early 70s and recovered a life ring (the name of the ship was on it) and two running lights he had decorating the wall. I knew about the ship at the time from an article I had read and loved seeing that set of artifacts. Wish I had them today!
Scuttling the SS Tahoe was probably the stupidest thing Bliss ever did. A ship like that does not need a "burial at sea", especially when there is nothing wrong with the ship. Bliss basically robbed future generations from experiencing this magnificent vessel just because it was "of no economical value to his family at the time." A very selfish act indeed. Secondly, the Bliss family ignorantly denying attempts to raise the ship because "his wishes need to be respected," was another stupid foul up on their part. If the ship could have been raised, there would be a chance of it being restored to its former glory for new generations to enjoy, a much better fate than sitting on the bottom of the lake.
I will actually defend what he did... Sinking in fresh water is perhaps the best fate that can befall a ship... She is in relatively good shape due to the nature of fresh water. If she had not been sunk, the ship most likely would have ended up being scrapped, and there would be nothing but photos... And some jerkbag scrapper at Alang, India 5 dollars richer off the destruction of history.
If Bliss really cared about the Tahoe, he would have paid the extra few bucks to keep her moored and cosmetically maintained for future generations to enjoy. From a psychology standpoint, the circumstances in which he scuttled her, paint Bliss out to be having something similar to a child's temper tantrum. The idea that "if I can't make money with the Tahoe, then it goes away forever." The fact that Bliss hired an incompetent tug captain to scuttle her didn't help either. Whether scuttling the ship "preserved" it or not, the wreck is living on borrowed time. It will slowly deteriorate to dust on the bottom of the lake. I personally feel at this point in time no matter what the family says, leaving it be is not the right thing to do. The state of Nevada needs to realize how much of a historical asset it is to Lake Tahoe and raise it so it can be restored and preserved. Obviously no one lost their life on board during the scuttling, the age old line "leave the wreck be out of respect for those who died" cannot be used. The Tahoe would be a valuable teaching tool for the history of Lake Tahoe and should not be excluded from public view except for a few highly trained divers.
Love it
So sad that legal action by the previous owners of SS Tahoe stopped proposed plans to raise the ship by a salvage group, about 30 years ago
Indians is an offense term, stop using it.