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* STAY INFORMED ON THE MOST RECENT SPECTACULAR OR SIGNIFICANT NAUTICAL AND SHIPWRECK DISCOVERIES *
the 18/12/2007 at 15:33 :
Resort at Batavia's wrecks to go ahead
by Elizabeth Gosch
NINE years after he first proposed a resort on the remote Abrolhos Islands, Geraldton developer Barry Humfrey has entered the home stretch for approval of the project.
Green groups have criticised plans for the $27 million resort on the ecologically sensitive islands 60km off the West Australian coast but the state's Environmental Protection Authority recommended approval of the proposal earlier this year.
The Abrolhos Islands, site of the 1629 Batavia shipwreck and the resulting massacre of 125 men, women and children, are a group of 122 low-lying islands and reefs spread over 100km of ocean on the edge of the continental shelf.
They are the most southerly coral structures in the world and feature a rare mingling of tropical and temperate marine life, as well as being home to a number of endangered species, including sea birds.
After years of negotiations, Mr Humfrey is entering the final stages of discussions with the WA Department of Planning and Infrastructure for the resort, which will include a waste-water treatment plant, a desalination plant and boardwalks around the island to protect the habitat.
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the 16/12/2007 at 05:23 :
 Captain Kidd, the reluctant pirate
by Nick Britten
Captain William Kidd has split academic opinion as to whether he was a pirate or privateer, but his story and reputation are the stuff of legend.
Born in Greenock, Scotland, in 1645, to a reputable family, he moved to New York as a child. As he grew up, he built a strong reputation as a skilled privateer - a bounty hunter paid to capture pirates.
In 1695 he was tasked by the Earl of Bellomont, the Governor of New York and the King of England, William III, to travel the world capturing its most notorious pirates, as well as any French enemy ships.
Setting sail on the Adventure Galley, he soon ran into difficulty. His ship sprang leaks, a third of his crew died from cholera and he failed to find any of the pirates he was being paid by some of England's most noble Lords to imprison.
As his expedition began to fail, and in desperate need to cover his costs, Kidd turned to piracy, attacking a Mughal Empire convoy.
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the 16/12/2007 at 04:34 :
 Looking Back: A treasure ship runs ashore in Ocean City
by Joe Ryan
On Dec. 15, 1901, a four-masted ship heading for New York Harbor with $1 million in silk, porcelain and a rumored golden Buddha got lost in a blizzard and ran ashore in Ocean City, where it sank into the sand and left generations dreaming of sunken treasure.
The Sindia was on the last leg of a voyage from Kobe, Japan, when she beached at 17th Street shortly after midnight. Rumors that the crew was drunk quickly spread and were later debunked as the ship vanished under the shifting sands.
In the decades since, powerful tides have sometimes revealed Sindia's masts, tiller post, hull, or capstan. Each ghostly re-appearance has left beachgoers wondering.
Does the Sindia's hull hide the rumored statue of Buddha cast in gold and other priceless artifacts said to have been looted from temples in China during the chaotic aftermath of the Boxer Rebellion ?
A handful of attempts to excavate the ship have failed. The state dedicated its sandy grave as a historical site in 1969. And on Christmas Eve, 1970, the last surviving member of her crew, David Jackson, died in Philadelphia at the age of 90.
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the 14/12/2007 at 16:45 :
 Indiana University Discovers 1699 Captain Kidd Shipwreck
from Newswise
Resting in less than 10 feet of Caribbean seawater, the wreckage of Quedagh Merchant, the ship abandoned by the scandalous 17th century pirate Captain William Kidd as he raced to New York in an ill-fated attempt to clear his name, has escaped discovery -- until now.
An underwater archaeology team from Indiana University announced today (Dec. 13) the discovery of the remnants. IU marine protection authority Charles Beeker said his team has been licensed to study the wreckage and to convert the site into an underwater preserve, where it will be accessible to the public.
Beeker, director of Academic Diving and Underwater Science Programs in IU Bloomington's School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, said it is remarkable that the wreck has remained undiscovered all these years given its location, just 70 feet off the coast of Catalina Island in the Dominican Republic, and because it has been sought actively by treasure hunters.
"I've been on literally thousands of shipwrecks in my career," Beeker said. "This is one of the first sites I've been on where I haven't seen any looting. We've got a shipwreck in crystal clear, pristine water that's amazingly untouched. We want to keep it that way, so we made the announcement now to ensure the site's protection from looters."
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the 10/12/2007 at 01:32 :
Roman barge under Cologne to reveal shipping history
from Earth times.com
Cologne, Germany - Excited archaeologists are raising part of a Roman barge that sank near the wharf nearly 2,000 years ago in the German riverside city of Cologne. Cologne, which derives its modern name from the town's Latin name, Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium, is full of Roman remains including a largely intact aqueduct.
But the oaken boat, found 12 metres below the surface during excavations a few days ago for an underground mass-transit line, is something special, offering scientists a new window into life in this cold northern Roman province.
A piece of the vessel's flat bottom, about 8 square metres in size, with huge iron nails poking out of it, is still in the mud between modern building machinery and materials.
"We archaeologists are sparing with the word 'sensational'," said the city's top official for subsurface history, Gerd Hellenkemper, as he showed it to the media. "Let's just say everyone wants to know more about this.
"There's a genuine possibility this could turn out to be the oldest Roman transport vessel left in central Europe.
"It's an exciting find that will tell us a lot about the history of boatbuilding and transport."
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the 06/12/2007 at 01:34 :
Charting Spain's sunken treasures
by Álvaro de Cozar
For many years, archaeologists and academics have complained about Spain’s lack of interest in its sunken heritage. New plans to protect the country’s claims on historical shipwrecks show a turnaround in attitude.
Spain has taken the first step toward making an inventory of its sunken vessels scattered across the bottom of the world's oceans. A new map, prepared by underwater archaeology specialists Nerea Arqueología Subacuática (NAS) on behalf of the Culture Ministry, locates ships lost when Spain was still a major naval power, and is a key move by the Spanish government to protect this part of the country's heritage from treasure hunters.
But the map is far from complete. Much of the ocean is still inaccessible, and thousands of other wrecks lie undiscovered, many likely to contain valuable cargos of gold and silver, while others could offer vital historical information. The value of such treasure could amount to more than EUR 100 billion, some experts say, while others believe that the true figure is incalculable.
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the 01/12/2007 at 03:03 :
 Rescuing Turkish shipwreck
fromTurkish Daily News
A survey and inventory was undertaken for the first time in the area where the frigate sank and a detailed map was prepared as the first phase of the project. In the second stage, the frigate will be completely lifted to the surface
The Culture and Tourism Ministry will support a project aimed at bringing the Turkish frigate Ertuğrul, which sank off the coast of Japan in 1890 in a severe typhoon, to the surface.
The voyage of the Ertuğrul was planned as a goodwill trip to Japan in response to a Japanese delegation visit in 1887. However, the Ertuğrul sank on Sept. 15, 1890 on its way back from Japan on the rocks of Kashinozaki, off the coast of Ooshima Island. A total of 533 sailors died in the accident and the Japanese rescued 69.
A survey and inventory was undertaken for the first time in the area where the warship sank and a detailed map was prepared as the first phase of the project. In the second stage, the ship will be completely brought to the surface and exhibited in the museum next to the “Ertuğrul Monument” built on the coast.
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the 17/11/2007 at 03:05 :
 Odyssey claims 5 million dollars compensation from Spain
from Panorama
The American treasure hunters, Odyssey marine exploration, have put in a claim of $5 million in compensation from Spain, for the monetary damage allegedly caused by the Spanish authorities in interfering with the work and operations of its vessels.
This has been submitted by the company to the judge at Tampa, Florida, who is hearing the case.
They claim damages resulting from the inability of its vessels to proceed with their work due to the Spanish action, and also from material damage caused by the Spanish who diverted two of the Odyssey ships to Algeciras for searching. Other claims are listed in great detail for the judge's consideration.
It has emerged that the company has left behind valuable equipment, stored in Gibraltar, which are in a state of deterioration due to the Spanish attitude.
Odyssey claims false allegations by the Spanish authorities over the treasure found in what has been named the 'Black Swan'.
The company also accuses Spain of detaining its vessels in international waters off Gibraltar.
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the 16/11/2007 at 01:52 :
 300-year treasure riddle to be solved ?
from Russia Today
A mystery dating back to Catherine the Great’s time will hopefully be cleared up this week when Russian and Finnish officials gather to discuss the fate of an 18th century ship. The Virgin Mary sank near Finland while carrying treasures, including a Rembrandt, to the Russian Empress.
The ship was discovered in 1999 by Finnish divers, but it's thought any rescue operation will cost $US 40 million.
Russia's Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, and his Finnish counterpart Ilkka Kanerva have met in the Finnish city of Rovaniemi to discuss who owns the treasure.
“Experts have met and discussed the issue. We are satisfied with the results of their meeting. They have agreed to continue working and find a neutrally acceptable solution. I am confident that this will happen,” Lavrov said.
The ministers’ meeting is part of the Barents Euro-Arctic Council (BEAC) forum which deals with regional economic and environmental issues in the Barents region.
Speaking at the forum, the Russian Foreign Minister also said international observers will definitely be invited to the country's Presidential Election in 2008.
The BEAC will also cover environmental and trade issues, along with planned joint training exercises for rescue services.
Established in 1993, the BEAC meets at Foreign Ministers level in the chairmanship country at the end of term of office. The chairmanship rotates every second year, between Norway, Finland, Russia and Sweden. Finland took over the chair from Norway in November 2005 for the period 2005-2007, and will be followed by Russia 2007-2009.
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the 09/11/2007 at 02:54 :
Italians seek friends of satyr in sea
from United Press International
Italian researchers are scouring the sea off Sicily for artifacts related to a 2,400-year-old bronze statue that was pulled from the water in 1998.
A research ship began scanning the seabed Wednesday with sensitive sonar equipment that is designed to locate small objects, ANSA reported Wednesday.
The Dancing Satyr, which was pulled from the sea off Sicily in March 1998, is considered the country's second most important marine archaeological find, after the famed Riace Bronzes.
Maritime culture officials in Sicily have said they believe similar objects to the bronze satyr may have been left on the floor of the sea by the sinking of the ship that had carried the statue.
The bronze figure is believed by experts to be part of a set of statues that included Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and fertility, and other satyrs, fauns and mythological creatures.
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