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From Croatian Times

The first museum under the sea in Croatia will open in Pocukmarak Bay off the shore of little Silba Island near Zadar.

Pocukmarak Bay is an area where a team of young experts led by Professor Zdenko Brusic from Zadar University has found a sarcophagus that may be 1,500 years old.

They discovered the stone sarcophagus and two covers last autumn.

The sarcophagus is the first indication of a Roman presence on the island. But considering the specific details on the covers, it is assumed they could also date back to late antiquity (fourth to sixth centuries AD).

The daily Slobodna Dalmacija has reported the team has started a second phase of research.

They are planning to prepare a location for the museum under the sea that will be available to all who can swim.

The area is easily accessible since the water there is only three meters deep and there is no need for diving equipment.

Zadar archaeologists are planning to clean the sarcophagus and to mark its location in order to make it available to all swimmers who want to see it.

From El Mundo

La fundación Argo Maris ha notificado al Consell de Menorca el descubrimiento de los restos arqueológicos sumergidos de un galeón del siglo XVII-XVIII en la costa norte de la isla, tras el aviso dado por un pescador de Fornells.

Según informan fuentes de esta entidad privada, las primeras inspecciones realizadas mediante vehículos dirigidos por control remoto han constatado la presencia de restos evidentes de un barco naufragado a unos sesenta metros de profundidad.

Estos restos, diseminados en un radio de cuarenta metros incluyen algunas anclas de gran tamaño, cañones de hierro y maderas de la estructura del barco. La presencia de estos objetos indica que se trata de una fragata o un galeón de guerra del siglo XVII o XVIII.

Una vez realizados los primeros trabajos de prospección arqueológica, dirigidos por el equipo de arqueólogos del Ecomuseo Cap de Cavalleria, con el apoyo de la fundación Argo Maris, se ha presentado el resultado a la dirección de Patrimonio de la Conselleria de Cultura y Patrimonio del Consell de Menorca.

La presentación se ha hecho con un fotomosaico realizado a partir de las más de 2000 fotografías submarinas zenitales obtenidas.

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By Janet Zink - Tampa Bay

Casey Coy stood on a boat on the Hillsborough River two weeks ago, monitoring the breathing of divers below and watching cars cruise along the interstate above.

"The thought struck me: I'm anchored over a sunken Civil War battleship, and these people are driving to and from work and have no idea what they're driving over," he said.

Coy, the dive director at the Florida Aquarium, hopes all that will change in coming years as the aquarium maps and explores shipwrecks and other underwater archaeological treasures in the Tampa Bay area.

So far, aquarium divers have discovered two Confederate blockade runners — the Scottish Chief and the Kate Dale — sunk in the Hillsborough River, a Union ship called the Narcissus and two unidentified wrecks near Egmont Key.

Plans call for searching the Hillsborough River for a third blockade runner — the Noyes — next summer. The aquarium has three state grants of nearly $50,000 for the explorations.

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By Werner Menges - All Africa

The centuries-old shipwreck that was discovered in Namdeb's Mining Area 1 near Oranjemund in May last year has earned itself a place in the latest issue of National Geographic magazine.

The gripping story of the discovery of the remains of a ship that, loaded with a treasure of gold and silver coins, ivory, copper and other trading goods, met its end on a desert beach in one of the world's richest diamond areas close to 500 years ago, is told in an article in the October 2009 issue of National Geographic.

The article continues the international headlines that have been devoted to the shipwreck since its discovery during mining operations by Namdeb on April 1 last year.

"It is by far the oldest shipwreck ever found on the coast of sub-Saharan Africa, and the richest," it is stated in the article.

The wreck is now accepted to be the remains of a Portuguese ship that was sailing to India when it foundered on the Namibian coast after a huge storm at sea.

Portuguese maritime archaeologists have now concluded that the wreck is probably that of the Bom Jesus - the 'Good Jesus' - which was part of a fleet of trading ships sent from Portugal to India in 1533.

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Less than a mile east of the Schiavo Library in Strathmere, the wreckage of the General Slocum - which was involved in one of the most notorious maritime disasters in U.S. history - lies beneath the sea.

Several miles northwest of that shipwreck, the remains of the Sindia sit under the sand of Ocean City's 17th Street beach.

They are only two of the thousands of known shipwrecks off the coast of New Jersey, which has the highest number of shipwrecks per square mile in the nation, but they are undeniably two of the most famous.

The newly opened Schiavo Library, a privately funded library at Putnam and Commonwealth avenues in memory of the late Dr. Rita C. Schiavo, unveiled a small exhibit of these shipwrecks Saturday night that is expected to be on display for most of the winter.

"Strathmere is a community whose people do a lot of boating, sport fishing, surfing and scuba diving.

They are water-type people," said Marion Ingram, a volunteer at the library.

"And since one of our main goals here is to promote New Jersey history, an exhibit of shipwrecks seemed fitting. Especially considering one of them is right off the coast from us."

By Kathryn Quinn - Romanian Times

A secret hoard of nazi diamonds worth millions may stay at the bottom of a lake forever after Austrian authorities said they're seeking a ban on all expeditions to find it.

SS general Ernst Kaltenbrunner is said to have sunk the secret loot in Toplitz Lake as Allied forces swept through Europe at the end of World War II.

Previous dives have discovered hundreds of thousands of pounds of forged British currency and boxes of top secret SS documents.

But now Austrian nature experts are to demand a 99 year ban on all future dives because the constant hunt for treasure is disturbing local wildlife.

The Bundesforste forest authority says diving expeditions have become so big that they risk losing species from the lake, near Bas Aussee.

"These Indiana Jones types are very bad news for the animals that make their home around the lake," said one expert.

Austrian-born General Kaltenbrunner was the final general in charge of SS stormtroopers as the German army fell apart and the highest ranking SS officer to be executed for war crimes.

By Jenny Fyall - News Scotsman

Historic shipwrecks that have been out of bounds to divers are to be opened up for the first time.
Currently it is illegal for scuba divers to visit eight protected sites – such as the HMS Campania in the Firth of Forth – without a license from Historic Scotland.

However, under the Scottish Marine Bill, currently going through parliament, the restrictions will be lifted.

Divers have long argued that there should be greater freedom to visit wrecks on a "look but don't touch" basis.

Wrecks where restrictions would be lifted include the remains of a warship called The Swan in the Sound of Mull, which sank in 1653 and the Kennemerland in Out Skerries, Shetland – an armed merchant vessel belonging to the Dutch East India Company that sank in 1664, while loaded with a cargo of treasure and jewels.

The eight sites are currently designated under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973, which instated a blanket ban on visiting them without a license.

However, the Scottish Marine Bill will see them turned into Historic Marine Protected Areas, and access will be permitted.

If it is deemed necessary to restrict access, Historic Scotland could slap a Marine Conservation Order on the site. However, even then there would be some flexibility to allow visitors – such as divers who had special training at dive centers.

From the Michigan News

The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation Tuesday extending the boundary of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

The expanded boundaries will include waters off Alcona, Alpena and Presque Isle Counties in Michigan and east to the international boundary with Canada. U.S. Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) introduced H.R. 905, which passed the House 286 to 107.

The bill was co-sponsored by Michigan Congressmen Dale Kildee (D-Flint), Thaddeus McCotter (R-Livonia) and Vernon Ehlers (R-Grand Rapids).

“Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary is a place dedicated to highlighting and honoring our state’s rich Great Lakes shipping history,” Stupak said.

“This expansion will help protect and preserve this Michigan treasure, while providing communities with the benefits of increased tourism, a key source of economic growth in our state. I was pleased to work with my colleagues in the House to pass this legislation and ensure continued success of the sanctuary.”

“Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary is a wonderful resource for families from across the country to learn about Michigan’s rich history.

By authorizing an expansion to the sanctuary, we will help preserve this local treasure and well as improve its draw for tourists, helping to boost our local economy.

I am committed to preserving the Great Lakes so that our families can enjoy them for years to come and I am proud to have joined my colleagues to introduce this legislation,” said Kildee, a senior member of the House Natural Resources Committee.