Two projects, nine students, two professors, two instructors, eleven sponsors, one common goal.
PART ONE
Word from Project Director: Tiago Miguel Fraga
My day started at 7:30 in the morning, I had 30 minutes just to myself, for one apple (shared with the campus dog), one coffee and to organize myself and the project. At 8:00 would arrive Alexandra the other professor, Chris my D.S.O. and Alan my L.O., and together we would go over any thing that we had missed in yesterday’s meeting. We had to work quickly has nine very motivated and enthusiastic students would start arriving.
From that moment on, my day would be a blur of questions, problems, and situations needing my participation. During that organized chaos I would manage to pack my equipment, a brunch, go diving and work on some of the project’ goals.
At the end of the day, after meeting with the students and the instructors to plan the next day, I would start working on the projects paperwork and recording the students’ daily evaluation. Dinner would follow when possible, then I would return to the base camp and work some more.
My company while I worked to the early hours of the morning (2 – 3am) started to be only “penguii” my trusted side-kick and the project’s key guardian, by the fourth project day “penguii” had the company of several students that would stay and work also into to the night, I rarely saw so much dedication to a project.
At 3:00am I would chase everyone out and go to our encampment (a school in Meia Praia), have a shower and get some sleep.
At 7:00 I was up again to start another day.
You ask “what was my secret motivation to endure this?” Easy in 12 days I saw:
“Butterflies” becoming divers, amateurs becoming professionals, spoiled brats becoming team members and the most important quality of all
Students becoming colleagues
From that moment on, my day would be a blur of questions, problems, and situations needing my participation. During that organized chaos I would manage to pack my equipment, a brunch, go diving and work on some of the project’ goals.
At the end of the day, after meeting with the students and the instructors to plan the next day, I would start working on the projects paperwork and recording the students’ daily evaluation. Dinner would follow when possible, then I would return to the base camp and work some more.
My company while I worked to the early hours of the morning (2 – 3am) started to be only “penguii” my trusted side-kick and the project’s key guardian, by the fourth project day “penguii” had the company of several students that would stay and work also into to the night, I rarely saw so much dedication to a project.
At 3:00am I would chase everyone out and go to our encampment (a school in Meia Praia), have a shower and get some sleep.
At 7:00 I was up again to start another day.
You ask “what was my secret motivation to endure this?” Easy in 12 days I saw:
“Butterflies” becoming divers, amateurs becoming professionals, spoiled brats becoming team members and the most important quality of all
Students becoming colleagues
Word from Scientific Coordinator: Alexandra Figueiredo
Like Hesiod’s Theogony (the origin of the gods)
After a year of classes (1st pos-graduate course in underwater archaeology) was time to go from theory to practice and place our head underwater. As I usually say “a breath of water is always good to settle ideas”…
As the pos-graduate scientific coordinator, the experience of an internship was the fulcral point for the necessary students’ education, as a team member and archaeologist was important to keep with the proposed goals of the project, were most of the most promising anomalies were under 25 to 30 meters depth.
Split between work as a teacher and work as an archaeologist, the briefings, the daily reports, tutoring, surface training, the constant why’s from the students and the stress to get myself in a suit one size bellow mine, caused by the extra pounds gained during my pregnancy of my now three month old baby, I managed a few minutes of tranquillity shared by my rrrchhhhh, rrrchhhh (sound of regulator during underwater breath) while I evaluated the technical and methodological behaviour of my survey students. They were so obsessed to record the maximum of information in the draftec that they had to be dragged back to the boat, has they would not stop scribbling, even that it look like abstract art.
After four days of the internship: DECO – we burned the PADI table.
What seemed the fall of the Babel tower at the beginning of the internship was gradually becoming into something more serene and structured, indicated by raising minutes of rest we had as the day progressed and the diminishing number of students’ questions.
As such, like Theogonia of Hesiodo, “origin of the gods”, at the beginning 4 elements ruled space – and from the relationship of those 4 emerged other elements, that in initial chaotic medium, grown and organized, doubts were solved, ideas merged, teams joined, spirits moulded, emotions conciliated, methods created and, in the end, researcher were born. The 4 initial elements rest easy in the relief of accomplishing their part and rejoice proudly of the dedication, exhaustive work and volunteering of these early gods.
However, I cannot, finish without giving my thanks to those that feed our work and were the air we breathe, allowing for the realization of this internship. As the scientific coordinator my most sincere thank you.
After a year of classes (1st pos-graduate course in underwater archaeology) was time to go from theory to practice and place our head underwater. As I usually say “a breath of water is always good to settle ideas”…
As the pos-graduate scientific coordinator, the experience of an internship was the fulcral point for the necessary students’ education, as a team member and archaeologist was important to keep with the proposed goals of the project, were most of the most promising anomalies were under 25 to 30 meters depth.
Split between work as a teacher and work as an archaeologist, the briefings, the daily reports, tutoring, surface training, the constant why’s from the students and the stress to get myself in a suit one size bellow mine, caused by the extra pounds gained during my pregnancy of my now three month old baby, I managed a few minutes of tranquillity shared by my rrrchhhhh, rrrchhhh (sound of regulator during underwater breath) while I evaluated the technical and methodological behaviour of my survey students. They were so obsessed to record the maximum of information in the draftec that they had to be dragged back to the boat, has they would not stop scribbling, even that it look like abstract art.
After four days of the internship: DECO – we burned the PADI table.
What seemed the fall of the Babel tower at the beginning of the internship was gradually becoming into something more serene and structured, indicated by raising minutes of rest we had as the day progressed and the diminishing number of students’ questions.
As such, like Theogonia of Hesiodo, “origin of the gods”, at the beginning 4 elements ruled space – and from the relationship of those 4 emerged other elements, that in initial chaotic medium, grown and organized, doubts were solved, ideas merged, teams joined, spirits moulded, emotions conciliated, methods created and, in the end, researcher were born. The 4 initial elements rest easy in the relief of accomplishing their part and rejoice proudly of the dedication, exhaustive work and volunteering of these early gods.
However, I cannot, finish without giving my thanks to those that feed our work and were the air we breathe, allowing for the realization of this internship. As the scientific coordinator my most sincere thank you.
Word from Logistics Officer: Alan Wilson
There always has to be something to take the stress out of any activity that is so intensive, has so many hours, so much information, and so many challenges.
Our answer was the Boo Boo Box.
The American nautical archaeologists will know exactly what I’m talking about.
Any mistakes made by anyone would cost them another entry into the “BBB”.
Doesn’t matter if it was a student, Instructor or Professor. We all had a few!
It was not so much a penalty as it was a reason to try to do a good job and do it correctly. As the two weeks progressed we saw less daily entries. In it’s funny way…it seemed to have worked. It brought humour in when it was needed.
Good moral is a very important part of any successful project. Sometimes that is not always at hand.
Now you may be asking…what was the penalty for an entry in the BBB?
Obvious…BEER…..for the end of project BBQ!
It was nice to sit back with everyone in a relaxed setting enjoying some good food, cold beer and laughter. Looking back on the last two weeks. Plan future diving together.
A nice end to this chapter…..but soon to be continued.
Our answer was the Boo Boo Box.
The American nautical archaeologists will know exactly what I’m talking about.
Any mistakes made by anyone would cost them another entry into the “BBB”.
Doesn’t matter if it was a student, Instructor or Professor. We all had a few!
It was not so much a penalty as it was a reason to try to do a good job and do it correctly. As the two weeks progressed we saw less daily entries. In it’s funny way…it seemed to have worked. It brought humour in when it was needed.
Good moral is a very important part of any successful project. Sometimes that is not always at hand.
Now you may be asking…what was the penalty for an entry in the BBB?
Obvious…BEER…..for the end of project BBQ!
It was nice to sit back with everyone in a relaxed setting enjoying some good food, cold beer and laughter. Looking back on the last two weeks. Plan future diving together.
A nice end to this chapter…..but soon to be continued.
Word from Diving Safety Officer: Christianne Kelkel
The Reel
One of the main pieces of safety equipment is the “Reel”. Whether it is a PVC or metal reel…it is the “life line”.
25 to 100m long, it is hung from the diver’s BCD and sometimes never needed or used. It can be heaven or it can be hell for students, instructors or professors.
So from the first to the last day of the project, the most asked question was… “Chris, can you help me with my reel”….at the base or under water.
It is “heaven” when used to keep in contact with the shot line or your buddy(s). It becomes your “telephone” if distance and visibility does not allow visual contact. Used to measure distance and bearing…and find your way home, avoiding free ascents…very helpful on the deeper dives.
Then there is the other side of the story…. ”Hell on Reels”.
Caused by lack of experience, not knowing how the reel works, not being careful, lack of tension, your buddy getting caught in it or the bugger becomes totally tangled! Then it goes from safety device to a “nightmare”.
So after every dive I could see “wool balls” that were suppose to be reels.
I recon that 25% of the beers in the “Boo Boo Box” came from reel screw-ups.
Proper reel training is mandatory for nautical archaeology.
If you think that experience will avoid the “beast” to fail…wrong, very wrong.
One of my own Boo Boo Box beers was due to my reel failure at 30m, after a student’s reel got tangled. My reel is one of my best friends, equipment wise.
After a while I could see that the students became familiar with it too.
What did I get from this “Heaven or Hell”, this “life line” helped avoiding greater problems and achieved my DSO goal….Zero diving accidents.
One of the main pieces of safety equipment is the “Reel”. Whether it is a PVC or metal reel…it is the “life line”.
25 to 100m long, it is hung from the diver’s BCD and sometimes never needed or used. It can be heaven or it can be hell for students, instructors or professors.
So from the first to the last day of the project, the most asked question was… “Chris, can you help me with my reel”….at the base or under water.
It is “heaven” when used to keep in contact with the shot line or your buddy(s). It becomes your “telephone” if distance and visibility does not allow visual contact. Used to measure distance and bearing…and find your way home, avoiding free ascents…very helpful on the deeper dives.
Then there is the other side of the story…. ”Hell on Reels”.
Caused by lack of experience, not knowing how the reel works, not being careful, lack of tension, your buddy getting caught in it or the bugger becomes totally tangled! Then it goes from safety device to a “nightmare”.
So after every dive I could see “wool balls” that were suppose to be reels.
I recon that 25% of the beers in the “Boo Boo Box” came from reel screw-ups.
Proper reel training is mandatory for nautical archaeology.
If you think that experience will avoid the “beast” to fail…wrong, very wrong.
One of my own Boo Boo Box beers was due to my reel failure at 30m, after a student’s reel got tangled. My reel is one of my best friends, equipment wise.
After a while I could see that the students became familiar with it too.
What did I get from this “Heaven or Hell”, this “life line” helped avoiding greater problems and achieved my DSO goal….Zero diving accidents.
The goals
This year’s goals were a little more complex than usually.
First we had the PCASCL project to continue, which meant verifying as much of the known 300 anomalies as possible. We in previous years had checked 43 and we intended to check 20 or 30 this year.
Second we had an unknown vessel to try to identify and to see if it was worth for a two to four year project.
Third we had the training of the pos-graduate students.
The prioritizing was easy we decided that the training of the students was more important, even that it would sacrifice most of possible work on the other two goals. The reasoning was simple, if we train good archaeologists even if the project is cancelled or fails this year and following it can later continue under the responsibility of one of the new trained archaeologists.
As such this year we decided to:
PCASCL project verify a minimum of four anomalies and give priority to student survey training
Open a new project “Canhoneira Faro”- in this we are trying to identify a sunken vessel and simultaneous use it as student training ground in excavation techniques.
First we had the PCASCL project to continue, which meant verifying as much of the known 300 anomalies as possible. We in previous years had checked 43 and we intended to check 20 or 30 this year.
Second we had an unknown vessel to try to identify and to see if it was worth for a two to four year project.
Third we had the training of the pos-graduate students.
The prioritizing was easy we decided that the training of the students was more important, even that it would sacrifice most of possible work on the other two goals. The reasoning was simple, if we train good archaeologists even if the project is cancelled or fails this year and following it can later continue under the responsibility of one of the new trained archaeologists.
As such this year we decided to:
PCASCL project verify a minimum of four anomalies and give priority to student survey training
Open a new project “Canhoneira Faro”- in this we are trying to identify a sunken vessel and simultaneous use it as student training ground in excavation techniques.
The team
I - Tiago Miguel Fraga – Project and internship director
II - Alexandra Figueiredo – Survey class professor and IPT Post-graduate studies in Underwater Archaeology Scientific coordinator
III - Alan Wilson – Logistics Officer and Instructor
IV - Christiane Kelkel – Diving Safety Officer and Instructor
1 - Angela Ferreira – Student – “An important, didactic and enriching step in our personal and professional growth for each of us”
2 - Artur Magalhães – Student – “A head dive in the world of underwater archaeology... un enriching, exhausting and full of challenges experience!!!”
3 - Brigida Baptista – Student – “A dive in history wrapped in effort, companionship, learning and extreme tiredness, which made me grow personal and professionally”
4 - Brigida Meireles - Student
5 - Claudio Monteiro – Student - “Now all we need to do is get our hands dirt and make a difference, showing professionalism and ethic in the performance of our future functions.”
6 - Diogo Pinto Martins – Student – “We received the wisdom of excellent teacher with the dignified and fabulous 2 weeks of arduous work that we students could grab and obtain the due recognition.”
7 - João Figueiredo – Student – “A unique chance to observe and comprehend “in situ” a minuscule chapter of the nautical history of that council”
8 - Sofia Carrusca – Student – “This internship was an excellent opportunity to put in practice the knowledge gained from the pos-graduate studies”.
9 - Tiago Lino – Student –“Just do it”
António Sousa – Volunteer
Virgílio Rodrigues - Volunteer
II - Alexandra Figueiredo – Survey class professor and IPT Post-graduate studies in Underwater Archaeology Scientific coordinator
III - Alan Wilson – Logistics Officer and Instructor
IV - Christiane Kelkel – Diving Safety Officer and Instructor
1 - Angela Ferreira – Student – “An important, didactic and enriching step in our personal and professional growth for each of us”
2 - Artur Magalhães – Student – “A head dive in the world of underwater archaeology... un enriching, exhausting and full of challenges experience!!!”
3 - Brigida Baptista – Student – “A dive in history wrapped in effort, companionship, learning and extreme tiredness, which made me grow personal and professionally”
4 - Brigida Meireles - Student
5 - Claudio Monteiro – Student - “Now all we need to do is get our hands dirt and make a difference, showing professionalism and ethic in the performance of our future functions.”
6 - Diogo Pinto Martins – Student – “We received the wisdom of excellent teacher with the dignified and fabulous 2 weeks of arduous work that we students could grab and obtain the due recognition.”
7 - João Figueiredo – Student – “A unique chance to observe and comprehend “in situ” a minuscule chapter of the nautical history of that council”
8 - Sofia Carrusca – Student – “This internship was an excellent opportunity to put in practice the knowledge gained from the pos-graduate studies”.
9 - Tiago Lino – Student –“Just do it”
António Sousa – Volunteer
Virgílio Rodrigues - Volunteer