Your ship lost its way in a storm. Even in such cloudy fog, the crew tried to navigate to any land visible. The heavy waves and the gush of water reminded tsunami. Some prayed. Some swayed. Others tried to do whatever that is possible to save their lives. But they were helpless. All their efforts were wiped off with a sudden jolt of a thunderbolt and everything collapsed in seconds.

Your eyes – which were shut for few hours – started sensing the thin light of the sun. Your ears – which almost lost their function in the brutal sound of the  bolt – started listening to a musical rhythm of the waves. Gradually you opened the eyes and startled to see yourself lying on the huge bed of sand. All around you is nothing but water. Your eyes were filled with the blue. And now the reality struck: you were cast away to a remote island due to the ship wreck that happened last night.

How would you spend the rest of the life in such a hostile and inhospitable place with only a bunch of people who survived along with you?

Does your attitude change?

Do you change your diet?

Can you change the environment around you or is reality just the opposite?

How would you survive if the island is 5000 miles away from the rest of the world where expecting a ship to save you is as strange as expecting a penguin in a desert?

There were many plants and animals which were stuck in remote islands – just like you. Some islands are so remote, like the Aldabra Island for example, no human has reached it for thousands of years. An island can transform its plants and animals into new species with extraordinary speed compared to their nearest relatives living elsewhere in the world.

Many questions baffled scientists about the island life. But one question tickled them the most: How did the plants and animals arrive at these far fetched islands in the first place?

May be they were carried away by the waves of the water or by magnificent storms. May be they were separated from the super continent by the drifting land. May be the life-less violent volcano tips erupting from the sea formed the island and cooled off after 50,000 years to give life to the seeds of the plants passing by the waves. May be animals evolved there. May be some sea creatures considered the island as a safe refuge to breed, away from their attackers.

To clarify our doubts and to clear our minds from the myths of the island life…I am beginning a small series tentatively titled ‘life on an island’

This very small series unveils many BIG secrets and insights that you never imagined about island life.

I heart-fully invite you to my island with open arms…

Gold coins and a gold box lie in situ on the "Black Swan" site. Hundreds of gold coins and more than 500,000 silver coins were discovered on the site.

MIAMI — A U.S. district judge has ruled that U.S. treasure-hunting company Odyssey Marine Exploration should return to Spain a fortune in old coins recovered from the wreck of a 19th-century Spanish warship.

In an order filed in Tampa, Florida Tuesday, Judge Steven Merryday nevertheless directed that the return of the treasure to Spain be stayed until an appeals process in the case was concluded. It was the latest twist in a complex dispute over the treasure involving Spain, Odyssey and Peru.

Merryday’s order backed a recommendation by a U.S. magistrate judge in June that Odyssey should hand over to the Spanish government nearly 600,000 silver and gold coins valued at some $500 million that it recovered from the wreck of the 19th-century Spanish warship Nuestra Senora de las Mercedes.

Spain said the Spanish naval frigate was carrying treasure back from Peru when it was sunk by British gunboats in 1804.

Continue reading this article here: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2009/12/23/plundered-booty-returning-spain/

Coron is one of the must-see places in my list of destinations within my home country, the Philippines. Together with Busuanga, Culion, and several islands, they form the Calamian group of islands in the northern tip of the Philippine province of Palawan.

Though not as hyped as Bali or Boracay or Phuket or any beach destination in Southeast Asia, Palawan is a favorite among foreigners who come to this tropical country of 7,107 islands because of its beauty and serenity.  Tourists get a close brush with nature, exciting adventures, and a large dose of peace and quiet.

Famous international personalities and celebrities privately sneaked to this part of the globe to get away from the maddening crowd and enjoy the sun and the sand without the threat of paparazzi.

So, off we went to Coron, and tapped the Calamian Travel and Tours as our official guide.  From the plane, the breathtaking view of the islands and transparent reefs got our adrenaline pumping.  Landing at Busuanga, the fresh Palawan air and the sight of rolling brown hills welcomed us.  For 30 minutes we went through paved national highway and dusty roads until we reached the Coron town.

Mt. Tapyas Hotel

The hotel was situated at the foot of Mt. Tapyas.  A breathtaking view of Coron Bay could be seen from where we were staying. The hotel staff members were friendly. Our room was clean and the bathroom has hot shower.

There was a bar and restaurant at the roof deck.  The open air setting gives a natural feel once at the deck.

Although not in the center of the town, it is accessible by tricycle and a good five minutes to the market or the church.

At about 3:30pm, our tour guide, Shynet, met us at the hotel. We were joined by Harold and Dianne, who were also staying at Mt. Tapyas Hotel. We hopped on to the van, driven by a man introduced to us as “Kagawad” (literally means “councilor”), and went away for the start of our four-day adventure.

Bayan (town proper)

Locals call the town proper as “bayan”.  Our first stop at the “bayan” was the souvenir shop, a major takeoff from usual itineraries where souvenir buying is usually done during the last day.  Still, we looked around and found beautiful postcards which I could add to my hundreds of postcard collection.  Wooden faces, which symbolize local beliefs and culture, were hung everywhere in the souvenir shop.

After we filled our plastic bags and emptied our wallets, in the process.  But we went around Coron, passing by Coron Bistro, the Catholic church, the town plaza, and the gymnasium.  A Christmas party was going on at the gym while locals were playing various games at the plaza.

We also passed by the public market, the row of eateries and Coron Gateway Hotel at the reclaimed area.

Mt. Tapyas

We got off at a basketball court and were instantly swarmed by young boys selling bottled water, juices, and Gatorade.  I thought twice of buying but as I saw the number of steps I had to take to reach the top, I resigned to the fact that a bottle at hand would be helpful.

My research generated varying number of steps going to Mt. Tapyas. All of them pointed out that there are over 700 steps to the peak.  The water boy and Shynet said there are 765 steps.  With less time to spare, we ascended this famous hill. Good thing the steps were done just right and were easy to climb.

Brown grass and rich-blue sky filled our landscape as we went up. The sun was shining hard on us.  We made some stops every now and then as there were covered portions along the way.  We’d rest, take photos, chat with Dianne and Harold as our new travel companions, and view the scenery.  And whenever I look out to the bay, the beauty just kept me on and made me anxious to reach the top.  The giant white cross marker beckoned us to continue.  This seemed a pilgrimage act for a believer like me.

Finally, we reached the foot of the cross! The top gave us a scenic landscape of Coron Bay, the islands, and the town below.  The sleeping giant, a set of rock formation that outlined a lying man, came into view.  Two female tourists were at the top, wherein one was sketching the sleeping giant.  After a few snapshots, we decided to go down for the next leg of our tour.

Maquinit Hot Spring

Dipping in a hot spring is the best way to cap a day. I’ve done these with other friends when we went to Camiguin. Off we went to Maquinit Hot Spring, but not without a stopover at a Cashew store.

Women were manually cleaning cashew nuts. Imagine, there are only two nuts in every cashew fruit. No wonder, it was so expensive. We were given free samples to taste and the “bande”, or the sugar-coated cashew nuts, moved me to buy some.

Finally, we were on our way to the hot spring. It was very quiet there and very conducive for relaxation.  Warm water from two small pools cascaded to a bigger pool. A number of foreigners were already. The warm water soothed our tired bodies. A grotto of the Virgin Mary stood on top of the pool as if looking after the bathers.

Siete Pecados

Siete Pecados Marine Park was named as such because of the seven islets found in this area.  Rich coral gardens and marine species abound in Siete Pecados.

Our guide gave us breads so we can feed the species, a first for a snorkeling enthusiast like me. I haven’t fed fishes underwater and I must say that it was an exciting way to interact with fishes of all kind and color.

We roamed the area and found various corals.  One particular coral that stood out for me were the blue branchy corals which have light blue tips that seem to glow.

Kayangan Lake

As we left Siete Pecados, we traversed the sea and zigzagged through isles and islets. Shallow waters appeared green and light blue and corals became discernible even from the boat.

Finally we arrived in a clear lagoon that looked very inviting. We climbed up a rocky entrance and climbed down to a magnificent view of the Kayangan Lake.  A green pool of still water greeted us with tiny fishes swimming at the edge where white large rocks could be seen below the surface.

We swam towards the other side of the lake.  There was a tiny opening that could fit about six to seven people. It seemed scary because of the sharp rock edges and narrow entry way.  With Rico assisting us, I volunteered to go in first.  Inside was like a small room with an opening at the top that brings sunlight and air for anyone who is inside the little cave.  Others swam in for picture taking.  But for a claustrophobic like me, I felt I had to swim out into the open for more breathing space.

After we have drunk the beauty of Kayangan Lake and as more tourists arrived, we got out of the lake towards our next stop.  As I climbed up, several butterflies flying in circles followed me.  The sound of the insects and the sway of the branches were like a lullaby.

When we reached the top, Rico showed us a spot where we viewed the most photographed area in Coron.  It was breathtaking and so picturesque.  Picture-frenzy as we were, we all snapped our cameras away taking various angles of the view.  Behind us was a cave which was bigger than the one we entered at the lake.

Twin Lagoon

The twin lagoon was like a contrast.  When we reached the big lagoon, we dipped into the water.  I noticed the greasy look at the water and thought that gas might be leaking from somewhere.

Others had swam beneath a small tunnel while others climbed a bamboo raft towards the small lagoon.  It was a good thing that it was still low tide and we had plenty of head room as we swam through the tunnel.

Rico was pulling the raft with the two Chinese girls on board.  He advised me to keep my feet underwater so I won’t feel cold.  He explained that the water beneath was warm while the water on the surface was the opposite, thus, the mix of such produces a greasy look.  I told him that that was my observation as well.

When I entered the small lagoon, I felt so peaceful as we were surrounded by tall rock walls and greens. But with noontime already around the corner, we hastened to go back to the boat so we could have lunch at our next stop.  All the while, Shynet and her companions were cooking at the boat and the whiff of the food made us all the more hungry for lunch.

Banol Beach

Sand bar at the edge of a rock mountain covered by the sea came into view.  Colorful flaglets waved at us.  We docked at the white sand beach and headed to the covered bamboo tables for our lunch.

The beach and the pristine water were very inviting that all we could say were “oohs” and “aaahs”.  To shield myself from the scorching sun, I floated at the side of the boat and enjoyed a relaxing moment.

Lunch was like a fiesta as large grilled fish, crabs, sea weeds, chicken and rice were prepared before us. Everyone dived into the table, obviously famished after a morning filled with swimming and climbing activities.

Skeleton Wreck

The next stop was something my friend dreaded.  There were about 40 or more ships sunk at the area but only nine were seen in Coron.

Curious about the wreck, I went into the water to take a look.  I couldn’t find it at first because the water was too deep.  Finally, I saw a white rusty object underneath surrounded by dark blue water. I didn’t want to explore any further afraid of the deeper waters. I opted to view the corals nearby but found the one at Siete Pecados much better. It was disheartening to see several dead corals.

CYC Beach

The Coron Youth Club Island seemed like an abandoned place. It was no longer well-maintained. Good thing mangroves abound at the area.

After being told that there were several sea urchins and jelly fish, some of us decided to stay in the boat or wade nearby and enjoy our sandwiches prepared by Shynet.

The sun was setting and we headed back to Lambingan bridge. With an early activity the next day, we rested a bit before we enjoyed a delectable dinner of pizza, chicken and beef at the talked-about Coron Bistro.  And it was an awarding way to end our Coron Bay adventure.

Wall Fish Tank Posted via web from Wall Fish Tank Bits & Bobs

Desde que tome como costumbre cuestionar todas y cada una de las cosas que veo me han ocurrido 2 cosas, termino siendo un completo incrédulo o un infeliz… infeliz no por aquella infelicidad que hace cortar venas o tirarse de puentes o alguna otra mariconeria…  no,  esta infelicidad que proviene del cuestionamiento es aquella que te deja con un vació dentro…  un vació que era llenado por algo falso,  quizás sea una infelicidad interna causada por una perdida de la fe y sensación de pesadez por haber perdido/creído todo el tiempo en algo que a ciencia cierta, es falso.

Trato de estar centrado (aunque el tratar no sea siempre es garantía de lograrlo), trato de andarme lo mas próximo a la realidad palpable, trato de no ser sensible, de no expresar mucho aquello por lo cual mas adelante me pudiera arrepentir, trato de evitar sentir lastima o compasión por algo (aunque la merezca)…  en síntesis, trato de no sentir y es por una razón de lógica,  si lo sientes, entonces te afectara. A veces trato de ser un poco mas humano como para tratar de contrarrestar el efecto de lo anterior y alcanzar el equilibrio pero no siempre lo consigo.

Es imposible lo uno o lo otro… por mas que te empeñes en encerrarte, siempre habrá algo que te hará abrir…  y por mas que trate de comportarme como un cerdo, siempre me arrepentiré.  Shit happens!

Shit happens!!  Shit happens!! shit happens in all the fucking days…

Porque cuando me nos encontramos naufragando y perdidos en alta mar,  cuando se logra avistar el salva vida llega la ola y Shit happens te arrastra como alejándote, cual confabulación maquiavélica en contra de vos.

Porque debe ocurrir lo que hoy ocurre??  Porque sucede aquello de lo cual tememos lo peor?  Porque la vida suele comportarse de manera morbosa con las persona que uno les tiene mayor afecto?? Porque con ellos, los que mas queremos??  Porque???  Porque mierda no puedo ni siquiera dar un consuelo a alguien que lo necesite???

A ver… que consuelo puedo dar?? “confiad en dios que todo saldrá bien” joder!!  A quien engaño? dios no existe!!  No puedo ni quiero mentirte!  Y decirte aquello seria como burlarme de ti… aunque no lo entiendas

En los peores momentos es cuando mas se hace necesaria la fe… la fe en algo, aferrarse a algo utópico, a algo sagrado…  por suerte nunca he debido pasar por un momento de esos en los cuales me haga falta la fe. No sabría que hacer,  no creo ni creeré en algo que no pueda ver.

En este caso,  juro haré lo posible por dar el alivio u ofrecerte la serenidad puedas llegar a necesitar en algún momento de desesperación aunquemellevesamentirmeamimismo…

Por ahora solo quedan palabras para decir, palabras que a veces se vuelven tediosas o de lo contrario logren algún efecto sedante en tu angustia, palabras y mas palabras es lo único que queda.  Ignoro si esas palabras te hacen bien o mal, lo único que me perturba es la impotencia de solo poder ofrecerte palabras y no hechos…   bien sé que con palabras no se llega a ningún lado,  solo con hechos reales y palpables.

Solo diré que a veces siempre ocurren cosas que no deben ocurrir… eventos que nunca deben suceder.

The life is like a insane doing steps taken forwards but sleepwalking back again… Dragged by the force of some inner tide.

Espero que por el bien de todo, mañana sea mejor para vos…  seria lo mas justo!  It’s been a bad day…  we know..

Help me through the hopeless haze

But my oh my

Tragic eyes

I can’t even recognise myself behind

So… if the answer is No

Can I change your mind??

Out again, a siren screams at half past ten

And you won’t let go

While I ignore, that we both felt like this

Before it starts to show

So if I had a chance

Would you let me know??

And if the answer is no

Can I change your mind????

We’re all the same

And love is blind

The sun is gone

Before it shines

And I said if the answer is NO

Can I change your mind???

Try to sleep queen… try to have a sweet dream… it’s been a bad day

Loserr.

Underwater archaeologist Barry Clifford & the Whydah Sea Lab and Learning Center

From USA Today

By:  Dan Vergano

There are eleven or twelve accounts of Paul traveling by sea in the book of Acts (9:30, through this chapter), about 3000 miles in all.  Yet this chapter gives bay far the most detail of a journey by sea in the Bible, and even in the rest of ancient literature.  Given the fact that Luke has carefully designed the rest of this two volume history, we should probably pause to wonder why he includes such a great amount of detail to the journey to Rome.  It is not just that it is an exciting story (his readers were getting bored?) or that he was trying to fill out a scroll.  There is a literary and theological reason for Luke’s inclusion of this lengthy story.

That Luke is traveling with Paul may account for the detail.  Often ancient historians would write up to the time in which they are living and include themselves in the story in order to build credibility.  Consider Josephus, who summarized all of Jewish history up to the time of the Jewish revolt.  So too Thucydidies, who wrote his history of the Peloponesian War and included his own participation at various points.  This shipwreck functions to give Luke credibility – he witnessed the events himself and was a participant in the history he tells.  A Greco-Roman reader would expect this sort of thing if the book of Acts was to be seen as credible.

But there is more going on here than Luke’s interest in travel.  If someone (say, Theophilus) has been reading through Luke and Acts, he would notice some similarities between Paul and Jesus.  Both are arrested by the Jews and handed over to the Romans, both are tried by a secular authority (Pilate and Herod; Felix/Festus and Agrippa) and both are the victims of a miscarriage of justice motivated by the religious establishment in Jerusalem.  Will Paul suffer the same fate as Jesus?  Will he be executed by the Romans as a political undesirable, or will he receive justice from Rome?

Beyond these parallels, we need to remember Luke’s theme for the whole book: “beginning in Jerusalem, then Judea and Samaria, then to the ends of the earth.”  Luke knows that Paul will go to Rome to testify before the Emperor, but the reader may think that Paul will be killed along the way.  As James Dunn has observed, Luke is trying to show that “come what may, God will fulfill his purpose by having Paul preach the good news in the very heart of the empire.”

Some have questioned the historicity of this story based on parallels with other ancient literature, including Homer’s Odyssey.  Often a guilty man will try to escape justice (or fate), head out to the seas to avoid capture, but ultimately he will suffer and die anyway.  Paul is escaping from the Jews, yet is shipwrecked and eventually nearly killed by a snake, it is thought that Luke is patterning this story after the archetypal Greco-Roman novel plot-line. There is something to the parallels, and it may be that Luke tells this story in such detail because shipwrecks were popular in literature at the time, but this does not necessarily negate the historicity of the story.  Paul went to Rome, the best way to do that is by ship, it is entirely plausible that Festus would send him off in this way.  Shipwrecks were in fact common, so much so that Paul has already suffered shipwrecks twice in his travels (2 Cor 11:25)!

Sea Trek is finally offered on the West Coast of the United States.  With the Sub Sea Systems home office in Northern California, we are excited to have a site relatively close.  The Los Angeles Times just published an article covering new attractions on the Avalon Island, a popular tourist and cruise line destination.  Along with a new casino, Sea Trek will now be offered on the island.  For $89, visitors will tour underwater gardens in the bay as well as a wrecked vessel just off shore.

Chick here to read the full article.  The Sea Trek part is at the end.

Sea Trek in the Kelp Forest

Take the Dive with Sea Trek

Avalon Island

The Prospero Cipher was written over three years time, late in the 1980’s. One agent took a look at the manuscript and told me there was no story, or too many of them. After re-reading it, I decided that was the least of its deficiencies, and I would not add to the number of mediocre books cluttering dusty shelves in failing bookstores.

But I feel no such compunction about adding to the number of blogs. Infinite room in little riches.

The characters in the book are all figments of my laboring imagination. But true to many people in my life. Some of the places, such as Lookout Mountain, Chattanooga and others are real. Many are not.
The story starts with a flashback, involving three of the figures in a tale of misplaced ambitions and hopes. Real life, in other words, although fictional in this version.

Following is the flashback. There are five parts to the book, with varying numbers of chapters per part. The individual chapters will be linked from the footer blocks at the bottom of the page.

On the uplifted, narrow tableland of Lookout Mountain, two families will be wracked by a storm of their progeny’s making. The Lauderdale family, reduced by his father’s early death to the straitened rule of Cantrell Cauthen Lauderdale, IV, ‘Punk’ to all, and the Talbots, headed by Stearns Talbot, the actual power in the Lauderdale enterprises held in his trusteeship for Punk. Stearns has a son, Jester, whose early association with Punk lays the foundation of the story.

The epigraphs for each part from The Tempest, by William Shakespeare–

Oh! I haue suffered
With those that I saw suffer: A braue vessell
(Who had no doubt some noble creature in her)
Dash’d all to peeces: O the cry did knocke
Against my very heart:
–Act I.II.86-90

By:  Lisa Orkin Emmanel, Associated Press Writer

From:  The Miami Herald

OFF THE FLORIDA KEYS — About 18 feet underwater off Key Largo lies a mystery ship, one of hundreds in just these waters.

It’s cargo, name and destination are unknown. All that remains of the wreck are planks of timber, iron rods and some pieces of coal.

State underwater archaeologist Roger Smith and his team will spend about two weeks mapping the site that has become a bountiful coral reef. In time they will also try to piece together what ship this was, its voyage and whether it should be nominated for the National Register of Historic Places.

The work is part of an ongoing effort to take an inventory of Florida’s shipwrecks and artifacts, which number around 300 just off Key Largo alone.

Named the “Marker 39″ wreck for its location just two miles off the coast of Key Largo, the remains hold many clues that could help unlock its secrets. A buoy has marked the spot since 1863, which could help date the shipwreck because it could be when the ship ran aground that people realized the area was dangerous.

Iron fasteners held the wood together and from what is left, it looks like it was about 150 feet long. So far, archaeologists are hypothesizing it was a barge because of its long, flat deck. Smith predicts it dates back to the 19th century, when there was a bustling business of carrying cargo, including coal, lumber and manufactured goods, up and down Florida’s coast. It may have been a steam ship because of the iron rods and steam pipes that were found on it.

Continue reading here:  http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/AP/story/1092486.html

American treasure-hunters have been ordered to handover an estimated £250 million worth of gold and silver coins salvaged from a Spanish shipwreck in Atlantic waters.

By:  Fiona Govan in Madrid 

From:  The Telegraph UK

The Florida-based Odyssey Marine Exploration recovered 17 tons of gold and silver from a sunken vessel they code-named the “Black Swan” in March 2007. The Nasdaq-listed company refused to reveal the location of the wreck insisting that it had been found in international waters and therefore beyond the legal jurisdiction of any one country.

The Spanish government has won a two-year legal battle against commercial marine archaeologist firm Odyssey, which Spain accused of plundering its national heritage.

The Florida-based Odyssey Marine Exploration recovered 17 tons of gold and silver from a sunken vessel they code-named the “Black Swan” in March 2007. The Nasdaq-listed company refused to reveal the location of the wreck insisting that it had been found in international waters and therefore beyond the legal jurisdiction of any one country.

But when the record haul was announced Spain came to suspect the treasure had been looted from the Nuestra Senora de las Mercedes, a Spanish frigate laden with bullion from the Americas that sunk by the British off the coast of Portugal in October 1804.

Spain branded the Odyssey team “21st century pirates” and sent its navy to intercept vessels owned by Odyssey as they explored the waters around Spain. They seized equipment and records but failed to find the salvaged coins which had already been secretly flown out to a warehouse in Tampa, Florida.

In May 2007 the Spanish government launched legal proceedings with the US courts against Odyssey arguing that the wreck was protected by “sovereign immunity” which prohibits the unauthorised disturbance or commercial exploitation of state-owned naval vessels.

In a landmark ruling on Wednesday a judge at the Federal Court in Tampa found against Odyssey and ordered the treasure to be returned to Spain.

Continue reading here:  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/spain/5444134/Treasure-hunters-ordered-to-pay-Spain-350m-for-gold-coins.html

He has made millions liberating treasure from shipwrecks, and is accused of bounty hunting. But Greg Stemm says he is preserving history

From The Times UK

 Greg Stemm searching for his next wreck

These days the word conjures up images of audacious hijackings of container ships off the horn of Africa, but when, in October 2007, César Antonio Molina told reporters: “There have always been navies . . . to combat pirates”, Spain’s culture minister was referring not to Somali gangs but to the American entrepreneur Greg Stemm.

These days the word conjures up images of audacious hijackings of container ships off the horn of Africa, but when, in October 2007, César Antonio Molina told reporters: “There have always been navies . . . to combat pirates”, Spain’s culture minister was referring not to Somali gangs but to the American entrepreneur Greg Stemm.

Stemm is probably the only “pirate” to run a publicly quoted company, filing financial statements with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). These reveal that he earns $350,000 a year on top of his $6.14 million shareholding, and that his investors include the founder of Dollar Car Rental, a former Finance Minister of Bermuda and Barclays Global Investors.

A fusion of Jacques Cousteau, Ernest Hemingway and Donald Trump, the 52-year-old is Chairman of Odyssey Marine Exploration (OME), which specialises in finding treasure-laden wrecks. Stemm has the precise handshake and manners of a Southern gentleman, but when we meet in London he is itching to get back to his diesel-smelling dive ship Odyssey Explorer in Cornwall, and what he calls “mucking about on the ocean”. And while he denies being a bounty hunter, he admits having no problem “marrying archaeology with a business model”.

In 2003, OME discovered the American Civil War-era SS Republic, 1,700 ft below sea level, 100 miles southeast of Savannah, Georgia. The 14,000 objects that were subsequently recovered from the paddlewheel steamship, along with 51,000 gold and silver coins, have so far netted more than £29 million in salvage fees and sales, one of the richest treasure hauls ever. A year earlier, Stemm signed a deal with the British Government to dive on HMS Sussex, an 80-gun English warship that was lost in 1664 off the coast of Gibraltar. OME believes that its cargo has “a potentially-substantial numismatic value”.

“The deal is this,” he tells me. “We pay for all the exploration and recovery costs, conservation and publication and then 80 per cent of the value of everything we find up to $45 million comes to Odyssey, then it’s 50-50 up to $500 million then 60 per cent in favour of the British Government above that. If they want the entire collection, then they write us a cheque. It’s a very good model. It’s not unlike if you find something with a metal detector in your backyard.” Only Stemm’s backyard is oceans considered too deep or hostile for anything ever to be found, and his detector is a torpedo-like device dragged five miles behind his ship that bathes the seafloor in sonar waves.

It was by this method that, last year, his company solved one of Britain’s greatest maritime mysteries. In April 2008, Stemm was drinking breakfast tea at his home in Tampa, Florida, when he took a call from the Odyssey Explorer in the Channel informing him of the discovery of “a very interesting shipwreck”. He was soon out on the ocean himself, alongside the marine archaeologist Dr Sean Kingsley, peering at footage from a Range Rover-sized remote operating vehicle (ROV) called Zeus as it pored over a sandbank 330 feet beneath the Explorer.

Continue reading here: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/men/article6328172.ece

Elloit Carver is an egotistical media baron. Carver has the power to reach every person on the planet through his Carver Media Group Network- except for the People’s Republic of Chinese who refuse his presence in their country. When he is tied to the disappearance of a British battleship in the South China Sea, James Bond is sent to investigate. It is in Hong Kong where Bond meets Wai Lin, a member of the People’s External Security Force of China. With and without Wai Lin’s help, Bond soon starts to uncover a plot that goes all the way back to a mission on the Russian-Kazakh Boarder, and will start a war only to feed the fire that is Carver’s ego.

Sa Skeleton wreck, makikita ang upper part ng skeleton ng barko ng mga Japanese.  Ayun sa kwento, ilang barkong Japanese ang pinalubog dito ng mga Amerikano noong WW2.

Bluish na ang kulay ng dagat at di biro ang lalim nito. Pero nakakatuwa ksi maraming isda dito at me kasama kami na nakakagat ng isda kasi me nagpakain sa kanila at napagkamalan din syang pagkain, kaya sigaw ng sigaw habang pinapapak ng isda. hehe

The remains of the Trinculo can be seen between The Honeysuckles and Golden Beach along the ninety mile beach in Victoria.

<Click

From http://oceans1.customer.netspace.net.au/vic-wrecks.html

Trinculo. Barque, wood, 231 tons. Built at Quebec, 1863. Lbd 119 x 26.3 x 11.5 ft. Captain Williams. Sailing from King George’s Sound to Newcastle, met a heavy gale off Wilsons Promontory which forced her ashore at Stockyard Hill, on the Ninety Mile Beach, 40 km west of Lakes Entrance, Victoria, 30 May 1879. A crew member managed to get a line ashore. The captain swam ashore with his sixteen month old baby on his back, but after he was ‘dumped’ in the breakers, the child was unconscious when he reached the beach. Mrs Williams was also unconscious when she reached the shore, but she and the child both recovered. The remains of the Trinculo were visible on the beach for many years. [LG],[LV - 318 tons, lbd 138.1 x 23.7 x 14.4 ft]

Odyssey, a Tampa based underwater exploration company has found the wreck of a famous British warship called HMS Victory which sank in 1744 with 900 crew and 4 tons of gold coins. I love such explorations and Odyssey is the only company that does this. My best wishes for them to find the Sussex, a British warship that sank in 1694 with coins worth billions of dollars !!

Google have just announced the latest upgrade to their Google Earth program.  Now it is possible explore under the oceans and visit ship wrecks, volcanoes etc.  Check out the following links:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7865519.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7865407.stm

I expect that it will be possible to visit the Titanic and other such documented wrecks in a 3-D environment.  The mid-Atlantic trench and undersea vents would be good places to explore plate tectonics.

They have also improved the 3D quality of their Google Mars data and in addition  have added some other really cool utilities to the existing land data for Google Earth, including timelapse images to see change over time for certain areas of the planet.

Apart from global domination, what is next on the horizon for Google?  I know what I am off to do, upgrade my copy of Google Earth…

As the expedition winds down for 2009 the weather has been winding up – the wind and the seas have been gradually increasing over the last three days. Whilst its still possible to dive on Endeavour Reef an expected wind shift to the south and east will making diving on the HMB Endeavour stranding site very difficult.

The first dive teams were in the water quite early this morning trying to finish off the Endeavour Reef research prior to the wind shift.

Nigel had tracked down archival information on the early salvage work on the site. This information indicated that the early salvor’s had recovered most of the stone ballast from an area 26 meters at 080 degrees from the tripod. The records also indicated that most of the iron kentledge was recovered from an area 28 meters at 105 degrees from the tripod.

The stone ballast team consisting of Peter, Nigel, Lee and Warren and the kentledge ballast team, consisting of Xanthe, Ed, Grant and myself located the railway iron tripod and ran out tapes on the designated bearings. Luckily for us the salvor’s information proved accurate and the two teams quickly located the areas.

Visual surveys of the two areas indicated that the reef areas still showed signs of the explosives with a large depression 10 meters in diameter and 1 meter deep marking the area where the kentledge had been recovered. This depression, devoid of any coral, was stripped back to bare coral rock. A metal detector survey of this area produced no magnetic anomalies however Ed Slaughter did locate a significant anomaly about 14 meters away from the tripod.

The stone ballast team did not see evidence of blasting but did not locate several other ballast stones and more lead sheathing.

Following this dive the decision was taken to close down the work on the Endeavour Reef and prepare to head down the coast in Spoilsport to Flora Reef and the team from Nimrod / Silentworld.

Nigel Erskine, ANMM, inspecting possible HMB Endeavour ballast on Endeavour

Dr. Nigel Erskine , ANMM, surveying a cluster of anchor chain on site.

I hope you have been following Alice and Megan’s blogs on the 2009 Mermaid Project over the last six days. Over the last couple of days the dive team have made a number of significant discoveries on Flora Reef. Two days ago during a magnetometer survey on the southern side of the reef the team picked up a small but impressive magnetometer signal about 150 meters offshore from what was then Flora Reef Unidentified shipwreck No 2. A team of divers were sent in and after only a short search located a 5 foot long, wrought iron kedge anchor sitting on top of a coral bommie in 7 meters of water. We know from historical accounts of the wreck that the crew of the Mermaid dropped a small kedge anchor about half a cable length from the stern of the vessel in an attempt to kedge (pull) the Mermaid off the reef. Their attempt failed and the kedge anchor and its coirfibre cable were abandoned.

Lee Graham from the Museum's Fleet section next to the Mermaid's anchor.

Paul Hundley, ANMM surveying in the schooner's pump.

In itself the discovery of the anchor did not proove that that the wrecksite was HMCS Mermaid and the team continued to survey the site looking for additional information. Yesterday a metal detector survey uncovered a series of anomlies scattered amongst coral rubble on the southern side of the site. These anomlies have now been identified as being casement or cannister shot (packets of ball bearings contained within a small canvas bag of small wooden cannister) the team have also found fragments of copper sheathing, sheathing nails, ship’s fastenings, lead patches and several large magnetic anomalies on the wrecksite. This information along with the position of the wreck and the size of its remains has meant that we are now quite positive that the site is that of HMCS Mermaid wrecked off the Frankland Islands in 1829.

Archaeologists, scientific divers and volunteers divers and snorkellers ar continuing their investigation of the site hoping to reveal more information about this fascinating vessel.

This is the blog of a 25-year-old bookmark. I proudly boast my own Hallmark serial number, 95 HBM 80-1. You’ll probably want to read all about me and my Travelling Companion (the TC) .

Today’s travel notes

Me and the TC have been on Fraser Island for a week. I told you about it in my last post: Fraser Island – prehistoric beauty. One of the fun things about a holiday on an island is getting there, and getting about once you’re there.

Fraser Island is a bit rough and ready. To get there, you must first find your way to Hervey Bay on the mainland, in Queensland, Australia. There’s a small airport, so we flew in by Virgin Blue Airlines from Sydney.

Next you need to hire a 4wd vehicle and put it on a barge for the short crossing to the island’s west coast. Then you start driving.

My impressions? 4wd travel is fun and gets you to places you’d not see otherwise.

Travel tip

Take your comfort zone with you, be it chocolate, coffee or a friend.

Recommended 4wd rental

Aussie Trax in Hervey Bay on the mainland.

The TC hired a Land Rover Defender. A good, sturdy, feel-the-ground, low-comfort but no-nonsense vehicle. Just what the TC ordered.

Aussie Trax also supplied useful information about driving on Fraser Island, maps and a suggested itinerary. The vehicle gave no trouble whatsoever, which indicates that it is well maintained. A great 4wd experience.

The book I’m in

Creation in Death, by J.D. Robb aka Nora Roberts.

Lieutenant Eve Dallas, New York cop, investigates a series of murders. A good read.

The photos

Me at the Maheno shipwreck, on the east coast of Fraser Island:

Getting about on Fraser Island

The Maheno got into trouble during a cyclone in 1935 and was beached a couple of days later. Luckily there were very few people on board, since the ship was on its way to being scrapped:

Getting about on Fraser Island

This is the Land Rover Defender we hired, on the barge crossing from River Heads to the island:

Getting about on Fraser Island

Here’s a rare shot of the TC, not too steady on her pins in this one. This is just because the ferry ride is a bit bumpy, she’d hasten to assure me:

Getting about on Fraser Island

Driving on a sand road through the forest on Fraser Island. I have to take my hat off to the TC. She got right into the four-by-four driving thing. But I also have to add that it takes more guts to be a passenger than the driver:

Getting about on Fraser Island

We did get stuck a few times. But getting unstuck was quite easy, with some reversing and putting the vehicle into low range for the very soft sand.

On the east coast of the island is Seventy-Five Mile Beach, also called the 4wd highway:

Getting about on Fraser Island

You’re apt to be chased by a small aeroplane, landing on or taking off from the same stretch of hard sand you’re driving on. Take a closer look at the shot above. Can’t see it? Here’s a zoomed-in section of the same photo:

Getting about on Fraser Island

Bus, plane and another 4×4 all comin’ at ya. That’s a mighty narrow strip of hard sand. Take a look through our windscreen:

Getting about on Fraser Island

Yup, sometimes I was glad I was cosily tucked into my book in the TC’s travel bag, along with Peg and the Trail Bars. But it all turned out well in the end:

Getting about on Fraser Island

Here’s a movie so that you can have a full-on virtual experience of driving a Land Rover Defender on Fraser Island. We’re heading east along Cornwells Break Road and driving onto the soft sand of Seventy-Five Mile Beach. You can hear the revs rise when the vehicle starts driving through the soft sand at the top of the beach:

The TC says that driving along Seventy Five Mile Beach is fun, beautiful and just a bit scary. The soft white sand squeals as you drive over it. The darker sand looks hard, but it may just be wet and slushy. The normal rules of the road apply, but not everyone follows them. You have to be aware of the tide and cannot drive on the beach at high tide or for two hours either side of it. There’s a movie of driving along the beach itself on my YouTube playlist.

Here’s a short movie of us driving over a washout on the beach. A washout is where a creek runs down over the beach into the sea:

Driving through the forest is different and even more fun. It really is all sand:

When the TC got back home and drove her little Holden Barina again, she described it as “freaky. I can’t feel the engine rumbling. Is it even running? The clutch is too smooth. And where’s the ground? I can’t feel it at all. It’s just wrong.” That’s the TC for you. Effusive at times, but at least you know where she’s at.

Want to know more about Fraser Island? Try my YouTube playlist for more videos. And stay tuned to this blog for more posts about the island’s lakes and creeks, its creatures and the deadly dangers you are sure to encounter. And, of course, it’s all about the sand.

That’s all for today dudes.

It happened that a new French expedition in the ASTROLABE, under the command of Dumont-D’Urville, was in the southern hemisphere at this time. While he lay at Hobart on his way to New Zealand, the captain heard of Dillon’s discoveries, and, at once changing his plans, sailed for the Santa Cruz Islands.
Anchors, chains, guns, bullets in clear water: He arrived there in February, 1828, and made some valuable finds to supplement those of the English captain. At the bottom of the sea, in perfectly clear water, he saw lying, encrusted with coral, some remains of
Now in Marine Museum at the Louvre in Paris:  He found anchors, chains, guns, bullets, and other objects which had clearly belonged to the ships of Laperouse. One of his artists made a drawing of them on the spot. They were recovered, and, together with Dillon’s collection, are now exhibited in a pyramid at the Marine Museum at the Louvre in Paris, in memory of the ill-fated commander and crew who perished, martyrs in the great cause of discovery, a century and a quarter ago.

Laperouse, SCOTT, Ernest, 1868-1939 Publisher Sydney : Angus & Robertson, 1912 ; Printer W.C. Penfold.