A LOOK AT WHAT’S SURFACING IN THE WORLD OF DIVING

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WRECK FROM ENGLAND’S GOLDEN AGE

Report by Charlotte Boan

A TEAM of British divers has discovered the wreck of an Elizabethan ship off Alderney in the Channel Islands. Cannon, muskets, swords, helmets and armour stamped with the monogram of Elizabeth I were among the objects found at the 400-year-old wreck, which sits at a depth of 26m to 30m. The divers found the wreck in the early 1990s, but archaeologists decided to keep its existence secret to protect the fi nd while excavation work was carried out. However, the

charity set up to oversee the work said it has now decided to go public so it can raise money to continue the work. The vessel dates back to the war with Spain under Philip II that immediately followed the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588. The wreck’s location was found in 1977 by a crab fi sherman who pulled up a musket in one of his pots. Divers were asked to search the site and excavation work began in the early 1990s. Archaeologists believe it is the most important wreck discovery in the UK since the Mary Rose.

THISTLEGORM FACELIFT

Roped in: divers clear away ropes on the Thistlegorm

‘The Elizabethan period was when England truly took to the seas, beating off the Spanish Armada and establishing a maritime empire that lasted into the 20th century,’ said excavation director Mensun Bound of St Peter’s College, Oxford. ‘The range and quality of the fi nds give us this wonderful keyhole-size view of the Elizabethans – how they lived, ate, fought, stratifi ed their society, and of course, how they designed, built and navigated their ships.’ Strong currents in the area, which at maximum tidal fl ow, reach 7.5 knots, restricts divers to excavation dives of less than an hour. A nearby sandbank also covers the wreck site. A large selection of conserved artefacts from

the wreck is on permanent exhibition at the Alderney Museum. However, the ongoing archaeological project is not eligible for support from the National Lottery fund or most other grant-giving foundations as it is in the Channel Islands. ‘Until this summer, for mainly security reasons, but also because we did not want the pressure that comes from a lot of people peering over your shoulder, we have deliberately kept our discoveries quiet, but now we require major funding for equipment and conservation, and so have been forced to go public,’ said Sir Norman Browse, president and chairman of the Alderney Maritime Trust. For more information see the project site www.alderneywreck.com.

ONE OF the most famous and popular wrecks in the world has been cleaned of old moorings and ropes to mark the 65th anniversary of its sinking. Divers from Red Sea Diving College in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt spent two dives clearing the rubbish from the Red Sea’s Thistlegorm wreck. ‘The price the Thistlegorm has paid for being so popular can clearly be seen by visitors, so a team was sent to give her a mini face lift,’ said James Tunney of Red Sea Diving College. ‘The fi rst dive was dedicated to removing all the snapped and cut ropes that are scattered among the wreckage, a reminder of the diffi cult conditions in which the guides in the Red Sea can fi nd themselves when trying to secure a boat to her remains. Staff were shocked at the amount of abandoned ropes – 14 bags’ full – that was salvaged.’ The team of divers also gathered a collection of litter from the wreck, which included a women’s bra. The rope was taken back to shore where it was recycled. The clean-up operation was organised to coincide with Red Sea Diving College’s 15th anniversary that it celebrated at a party in August this year. For more information see the website www.redseadivingcollege.com.

Countdown to win

THERE ARE only two months left for DIVE readers to win a private £20,000 Red Sea liveaboard trip for 24 diving buddies. The blue o two team has been scouring Britain’s dive sites to fi nd fi nalists for the competition, which ends in December. Once a month until December, three car registrations, will be randomly selected from those spotted by blue o two staff who will be looking for readers displaying the ‘24’ competition sticker in their cars. The fi ve fi nalists for August who each win a copy of the forthcoming DIVE Red Sea: the Ultimate Guide are Sean Williams, from Bradford, spotted at Eccleston Delph Quarry; Mandy Buckley, from Crewe, spotted at NDAC, Chepstow; David Atkins, from Wiltshire, spotted at Vobster Quay and selected from the website John Milligan from Chesham and Julie England from Lytham St Annes.

See www.blueotwo.com or check out weekly competition tip-offs at www.divemagazine.co.uk

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