AAS: How did you get started in archaeology?
MBE: I went to the University of Southampton in the early 1990s, not really knowing what I wanted to do with my life. I chose archaeology because it was new, something different, involved travel and also being outdoors. And of course I wanted to be Indiana Jones… with my own whip. In 1999, I went back to university to study for a Master’s Degree in Maritime Archaeology, got my commercial diving qualification and have worked in the sector ever since.
AAS: What does nautical archaeology involve?
MBE: We study past civilisations – the people from the past – we study how they lived and look for any lessons we can learn that might impact our future. Nautical or maritime archaeologists primarily choose to study the past through people’s interaction with water, and especially the use of watercraft – from log boats to submarines.
AAS: What does the Nautical Archaeology Society do?
MBE: We are a charity that since the mid-1970s has been researching, recording and protecting our threatened underwater and coastal heritage for the benefit of everyone. We do this through three core missions – Education, Research and Publication. We are perhaps most famous for our Education Programme that trains members of the public to become skilled and knowledgeable citizen scientists.
AAS: How long have you been involved with the Society?
MBE: I was an instructor for the Society back in 1999 whilst studying at university, but then became a full time employee in 2001. I started off as an administrator and weekend instructor before slowly working my way up to CEO.
AAS: The Nautical Archaeology Society’s Klein Hollandia project has been nominated for Research Project of the Year – can you tell us more about this wreck?
MBE: The wreck was found in 2019 by recreational divers and a dive boat skipper who invited us to help document and identify the ship. The cannons and the cargo being carried by the ship prove that it can only be the Klein Hollandia, a Dutch warship that was escorting a merchant fleet back to the Netherlands from the Mediterranean in March 1672. It sank following an engagement with an English squadron who wanted to capture as many ships as possible while off the Sussex coast.
AAS: What other significant wrecks is the Society working on?
MBE: Since 2019, we have been trying to help the volunteer team working on the wreck of the London that sank in the Thames in 1665. This was one of the ships that brought Charles II back to England in 1660 to restore the monarchy, before it tragically blew up in a gunpowder accident. The objects and the remains of the ship are eroding out of the seabed and are at risk of washing away forever. Our campaign to #SaveTheLondon is raising funds to help support the volunteer divers and the conservation of any objects that can be saved for display in Southend Museum.
AAS: For anyone interested, how can they get started in nautical archaeology?
MBE: We offer online eLearning courses for anyone interested in learning more about what is involved in underwater or coastal and foreshore archaeology. These courses can be done at your own pace and can then be followed up with practical weekend skills events where you can practice archaeological survey skills with the support of experienced instructors.
AAS: Do you have to be a scuba diver to be involved with nautical archaeology?
MBE: Not at all. Diving is only one small part – so much more time is spent on dry land researching, recording and publishing the results of investigations. We also work around the coast, on the foreshore studying nautical remains and maritime structures. With increasing storms causing coastal erosion these sites are often under threat and need to be examined while they still can be.
AAS: What are the benefits of membership to the Nautical Archaeology Society?
MBE: Our members help to support our efforts to record, research and protect our non-renewable archaeological heritage. In return, we offer them a quarterly newsletter, a bi-annual academic journal, a weekly email with information and news, as well as access to discounts on nearly all our activities including member-only events.
AAS: If you could dive on any shipwreck, which would it be and why?
MBE: That is a tricky question. Probably HMS Erebus or HMS Terror, two shipwrecks from Sir John Franklin’s legendary 1845 arctic expedition. The amazing story of these pioneering explorers, the condition of the ships themselves, the rugged beauty of their location in northern Canada, as well as the gorgeous condition of the artefacts makes this a must for every nautical archaeologist.
Further info:
www.nauticalarchaeologysociety.org
