|
Preliminary Excavation of Wreck of Royal Captian
May 5-22, 1996, South China Sea, Philippines
Sunday, May 5 1996
- Early morning flight from Manila to Puerto Princessa for part of DSD crew.
Monday, May 6 1996
- Met with customs people to lay groundwork.
- Franck Goddio and his assistant Frederic Osada, as well as two Museum representatives, Larry Alba and Eduardo Birsamira, arrived in Puerto Princessa.
Tuesday, May 7 1996
- 7am departure from hotel in Puerto Princessa for 3 hour bus ride to Quezon. Once in Quezon (10:30am), went directly to pier/coast guard station to check in. Also made contact with Museum representative (Quezon), Vivian Brown. Vivian arranged for Museum banca to keep watch out for Pacific Beaver,(a freighter which was carrying the rest of the DSD crew/equipment) which was to arrive around noon. Pacific Beaver would not be able to enter Quezon harbor, and we would have to transfer out to her. We spent all day on pier waiting for ship.
- Pacific Beaver had not arrived by nightfall. So we, plus 2 museum representatives and three customs officials spent the night in Quezon. "Hotel" was basically cardboard shacks with bed and ill-fitting blankets. Evening spent killing malaria mosquitoes and bugs on walls and in bed of room. We weren't sure which to be more afraid of: the malaria mosquitoes or the cobras — both of which "live" in Quezon.
Wednesday, May 8
- At 5am, we made radio contact with the Pacific Beaver, which had arrived around 9:30 the previous night, and was about 5 miles offshore.
- Our crew was bused to the pier by 6am to begin transfer to ship. The first to transfer by banca (one hour) was all luggage and several personnel (including 3 customs people). Second banca brought ROV cable and personnel. Third banca brought 2 Coast Guard who would be accompanying us. Customs process and other formalities seemed to go rather quickly once on board.
- Departed Quezon area by 10am. ETA on Royal Captain Shoal 5:30pm. Total crew on board is 28, including boat crew. Mission crew includes: Kent Pietsch (DSD CEO), Graham Hawkes (DSD Chief Scientist, Head of Technology), Franck Goddio (TDG Head of Archeology), Frederic Osada (Goddio's assistant), Brett Hobson (DSD Operations Manager), Dan Vasey (DSD crew/), Sterling Vorus (DSD crew), Bill Mastrude (DSD crew), Auguste Higalgo (DSD crew - mission specific, electronics engineer), Mike Hughes (DSD crew - mission specific), Knut Brekke(DSD crew/ - mission specific), Bob Whiteaker (DSD crew, database manager), Karen Hawkes (DSD crew, mission historian), plus 2 museum representatives, Larry Alba and Eduardo Birsamira, 2 coast guard and 1 customs official.
- Arrived Royal Captain Shoal 5:30pm. Two divers (Dan Vasey and Knut Brekke) were sent into the water (guided by Franck Goddio) in order to locate the anchor (which the team had located at approximately 140 feet during the last mission). After about a 50 minute search, and with waning daylight, the divers had to postpone the search for the anchor until daylight. Weather was sunny and clear. Seas slight, with winds from 3-15 knots.
- First meal aboard the Pacific Beaver. We all agree that Prison Food would be better!
- Pacific Beaver motored off the Shoal for the evening.
- 7:45pm Artifact Database Meeting. Discussed the following:
- Dimensions needed for artifacts are: height, maximum diameter, and diameter of base. For jars, also need maximum diameter of body of jar and diameter of mouth.
- General categories of artifacts to be recovered are: stoneware, porcelain, wood, organic materials, metal, glass, earthenware.
- For porcelain, glass etc., forms are: plate, dish, saucer, bowl, terrine, punch bowl, bottles, jars, ewer (pitcher), box, teapot, tray.
- For porcelain: conditions are denoted by: intact, complete (small chip), restorable (40% missing), fragment (60% missing), shard (smaller than a fragment).
- Decided that database will include: artifact number, date, type of material recovered, artifact type, condition, dimensions, layer from which artifact came, picture can be scanned in, general comments.
- For logistics and tracking and conservation of artifacts, we discussed:
- Start video record as soon as see artifact. ROV operator records basked number and lift number. We will need a video log as part of ROV dive log.
- Take still pictures.
- Put artifact in basket which is numbered by 16 crates (A1-16, B1-16).
- When artifact lift comes up, lift number will be assigned.
- Once artifacts out of basket, barcoded immediately, put in net bags, then soaked in water. Porcelain (especially enamel, needs 5 days to soak in water).
- Also discussed Priorities of Mission:
- Difficult mission. We have a short period of time to deploy alot of technology. Primary concern is that we get vehicles down and working. The fine points of number of pieces, archeology, etc. will be discussed once ship is deployed on station, ROVs deployed, etc. It could take 2-3 days to deploy and check equipment. By Friday morning, should have ROVs on site, etc.
- Primary focus is that we have to prove that we can do this — ie work at 1400 feet.
May 9
- Weather: Sunny and clear; winds from the W, SW at 10-12 knots; seas slight.
- Pacific Beaver back on shoal at 6am. Dive team waited for daylight to get in water. First dive team in the water at 7:15am. Difficulties finding visual reference on the anchor. Third dive team found the anchor at 9am, and marked the site with a buoy. The reef was surveyed, and reef anchor points were marked and buoyed.
- Difficulties loading the hydraulic power pack for the rock drills. Solved by hiring local fishing boat and loading power pack on boat First hole 80% drilled in approximately 15 minutes, and power pack overheated. Hydraulic power pack repaired by 4:15, and used fishing boat to re-deploy power pack and divers continued to drill. Will attempt to drill remaining three holes with 2 hours of daylight left.
- Separate problem with manipulator multiplex system on the Ultimate ROV. Was solved with the aid of satellite phone call to Deep Ocean Engineering in California.
- Problem with transponders: Batteries had shorted and leaked caustic solution in one of three positioning transponders. Cause was poor design of internal battery pack. This transponder was repaired, and the other three checked and found to be ok.
- Nighttime — The "crew" (15 young seamen) of the banca we hired came on board the Pacific Beaver and, were learning for the first time about dive masks, flares, emergency equipment, etc. Pacific Beaver boat crew gave banca crew old blankets, pots, and emergency equipment. The banca crew didn't know how to use a dive mask. They fashion their own goggles from wood and plastic, and dive (with a tube) to 60 meters (for an hour) to search for sea cucumbers.
May 10
- Weather: Sunny and clear; winds from the W, SW at 3-15 knots; slight seas.
- Crew spent the morning working on drilling holes for mooring, and filling in holes with epoxy, etc. All four holes finished, and epoxy filled in by mid-morning. Epoxy needs to dry, and can work on physically mooring the boat tomorrow.
- "Ultimate" ROV in water for test dive beginning around 1:30. Several false starts; had to rearrange ballast and fix compass and camera tilt and thrusters. The motor on the boat's crane also broke down. Started first real dive with the Ultimate ROV at approximately 4:30.
- At 733 feet, found first shard, and at approx. 900 feet found several artifacts — all of which looked new (porcelain duck, shards, timber and cannon). Surveyed this area for approximately 1 1/2 hours. Pacific Beaver had to be re-positioned several times during this survey. Transformer in Ultimate ROV blew around 7.00pm. Had to recover ROV, and replaced transformer with part from DHD2. Will be working with one ROV until spares arrive on the 14th with cameraman.
- Nighttime fishing for squid and flying fish off the deck of the Pacific Beaver — a whole throbbing sea of squid and their prey. Captain Caesar caught one flying fish and four squid with his net. The crew with fishing poles caught none! The squid changed color once caught from beautiful magenta/purple to a pearly white. It looks as if we'll be eating squid and flying fish tomorrow.
Evening Meeting:
- Primary concern right now is problems/failures with equipment. Ie winch motor broke on crane...furthering small delay in anchoring boat on reef. Also, burnt out transformer in Ultimate ROV and took parts from DHD2. But really only need one ROV now until we're moored. We can do survey with only Ultimate. Can jury rig lights if need to use two ROVs. Today, we're taking second light off Ultimate, reducing light load from 550 watts to 400.
- Dive plan for tomorrow is to go straight to 800 feet, and pick up debris trail. Will start halfway between the two buoys. We'll put clump weight over area we want to work.
- Possible weather problem — typhoon on way..
May 11
- Weather: Cloudy; Winds Variable and westerly; seas at low swells.
- Captain informed us typhoon is brewing. We may have to move off site. If typhoon doesn't change course, bad weather would be here by Wednesday the latest.
- Dive crew working on mooring. Engineers working on Ultimate ROV lights, etc. Goal is to get ROV in water and locate site we found last year. Also goal is to survey new site we found yesterday, which might, indeed, lead to a whole new area of the wreck site.
- ROV launched 12:50pm. Mission was to re-locate wreck site. Recovered ROV at 1:40 to fix a problem with the thruster.
- Boat securely moored by early end of daylight (approximately 5:30pm).
- Ultimate ROV re-launched at 6:55pm. Depth measurements have been changed to meters. At 253m, found 2 shards together with flower design; at 255m a pulley; alot of shards at 300m; stone ballast at 308m. At 300m, relocated the tumulus. Crew made efforts to record bearings and GPS once we had found the tumulus, and to determine where to position our clump weight (for the cable). ROV continued lateral survey at 283m. FG and GH making maps of site.
- ROV was recovered at 10pm.
May 12
- Weather: Cloudy; Winds from W, NW at 4-10 knots; low swells at sea.
- Captain informed us that the typhoon will miss us, but that we were probably in for some bad weather the next few days (high winds, squalls).
- Most of the daylight hours were spent testing equipment: the other ROV, DHD2, equipped for survey, was flown off the boat; the artifact lift was placed in water to test and to work out any problems; and the transponders were affixed at the bow and the sides of the ship and tested. One of the transponders flooded with sea water. The crew will probably have to devise another method of tracking.
- Transponders still not working by afternoon. Crew attempting to fix the transponders, however if they are not working by day's end, we will have to devise another positioning system. By end of day the transponders were not working, so Graham Hawkes and Franck Goddio began work on other positioning system (grid).
- DHD2 ROV launched mid-day, but electrical problems. ROV recovered, and crew worked on fixing ROV all afternoon.
- DHD2 ROV re-launched at 7:00pm to survey under tumulus and to the left. Found many shards, pig iron and bottles underneath, and at 360m, a perfectly preserved ships bell from the Royal Captain dated 1760. Ships bell created alot of excitement. The entire mission crew filed into the control van to view the bell. We spent some time surveying area around bell (which seemed to be clear), and spent time videoing bell (and taking screen photo grabs).
- ROV lost video and was recovered at 10:15pm.
May 13
- Weather: Cloudy and squallish; winds variable and westerly at 10-25 knots; slight to moderate seas. Squalls beginning in the early morning with heavy rains and lightning and winds gusting to 25 knots. Squalls throughout afternoon and into evening with winds gusting to 25 knots. Forecast not good. Captain and F. Goddio said that the SW monsoons are approaching. (The latest F. Goddio has stayed at this site was May 15).
- DHD2 launched at 6:40am to carry out survey underneath tumulus and to the left. Discovered 2 anchors and several cannons, wood and shards.
- DHD2 ROV recovered to revise cable at 9:40. Relaunched at 10:15 and survey continued until 3:15pm. During this survey, we believe we discovered new debris areas, including large site at 404m with wood planking and dark black sand (which might be part of the ship). We surveyed down to 447m under tumulus and to the left. ROV had to be recovered due to bad weather.
- Bad weather moved in, delaying any launch of the ROV. Captain began making preparations in case we had to unexpectedly leave our mooring and motor off reef.
- With down time due to weather, crew began preparing measurement sticks to be placed strategically in the tumulus.
- In the evening, the crew prepared Ultimate ROV for pre-launch distribution survey with measurement sticks. Bad weather moved in with heavy lightning. Next launch postponed until 4am tomorrow.
Meeting:
- 2 goals of this mission: 1) Recover artifacts that are representative of the wreck. 2) Know what is in the tumulus (size of tumulus and quality of artifacts) to assess the wreck and needed equipment for next mission. Also need to think about film coverage of ROV working site (untouched), etc.
- Video mosaic, using scales. ROV will go down and come up over each square on the tumulus. This can then be mapped on the computer. Basket must be near excavation site because dredge has 10m of hose.
- Weather may be a problem in the next few days. Talked with ship's captain, Caesar, regarding preparing for bad weather.
- Will need to decide whether or not to recover ship's bell this mission or wait until next mission.
May 14
- Weather: Cloudy and squallish; winds W, WSW at 12-25 knots; moderate seas; Squalls throughout day with heavy rains and winds gusting to 30 knots. Evening occasional rain.
- Began first phase of working in shifts. Night crew (Dan Vasey, Knut Brekke, plus G. Hawkes and F. Goddio) launched Ultimate ROV at 6am. (Note: began preparations for launch at 4:00am. ROV pilots spent several hours (until midday) placing the measurement sticks (guided by FG And GH); and making a complete video survey of tumulus and a photo/video mosaic of the same. On this dive, we were able to carry out preliminary survey for video and photo mosaics. ROV in water until 4:45pm. Next task is to determine which areas of tumulus to work on.
- Air conditioner broke down in the control van. As one person commented, with 6-8 people working in the van at one time, it smelled like a locker room in there. The only slight air we had was from hoses draped through the window which intermittently spurted coolish air and dust.
- Weather still bad. Squalls appearing all day throughout the day. High winds and rains and frothy seas. Captain said that it could be problematic deploying the artifact lift if bad weather continued in this manner. Crew beginning to worry about cameraman (who is bringing needed spare parts for the equipment and fresh fruit and vegetables).
- Cameraman and banca did not show up this evening. Cecile Bernardo has had no news from Quezon regarding the banca trip.
- Late afternoon hours spent developing numbered markers to drop on specific areas of the tumulus (to use as reference for areas that we plan to excavate).
- Evening hours spent piecing together first video and photo mosaics of tumulus. Both mosaics working out beautifully. G. Hawkes, F. Goddio and B. Whiteaker working on grid map and site map.
- Boat rocked and rolled all night long due to bad weather. New concerns about mooring system. Cable was eating through rope. Divers were sent down to try and correct the situation.
- Revised crew shifts so that each crew worked 4 1/2 hours and was off 4 1/2 hours (from 5am-1am).
May 15
- Weather: Cloudy and squallish; winds W, WSW at 10-20 knots; moderate seas. Squalls throughout the day with rains and winds and rough seas. Wind gusts up to 35 knots. Evening winds from the SW at steady 20-25 knots. Squalls holding off.
- By now almost the entire crew has been through a cold, and some are on their second colds of the trip. (Perhaps due to air con blasting inside the boat and intense heat inside the control van; plus working outside in the rain and winds; and also, we keep catching the cook sneezing into his cauldron).
- Morning crew up at 5am to prepare Ultimate ROV for launch. ROV launched at7:30am. First mission of the day was to place 4 markers (numbered 1-4) on the areas we had identified for excavation. This was accomplished. Rest of morning was spent fully documenting the tumulus and the four areas for excavation.
- ROV crew surveyed bottom of tumulus and estimated accurate measurements from marker site to marker site and certain depths. During an apres-dive Steering Committee meeting, everyone agreed that the survey of tumulus was complete at this point, and we should move on to preparing for digging the first trench and recovering the first artifacts (that are uncovered near trench).
- Weather bad all day. Heavy rains, winds and frothy seas. Inclement weather did not disturb ROV work underwater. However, did stop cameraman from making it here. Several calls already to Cecile to find out status. Cecile has no news. She has not been able to get through to Quezon (the "port" where our cameraman was supposed to leave from in a banca boat).
- Deployed artifact lift several meters down to test. Small problem with artifact lift cable. Crew spent afternoon fixing cable for the lift.
- Weather still bad in the evening. Still no cameraman. Our crew is making preparations for recovering equipment if ship has to evacuate reef unexpectedly. Lingering concerns over the mooring system being able to hold out.
- Artifact lift basket test deployed down to approx. 20 meters. Weather still windy, seas moderate. No major problems, except difficult to deploy basket in this weather and with cable not working perfectly.
- 7:45pm, squall on its way. All underwater work had to be halted until morning. Squalls and bad weather lasted throughout evening. Boat came dangerously close to reef, and most of us thought there was a good chance that we would break loose from at least one of our moorings.
May 16
- Weather: Calm, patchy sun, moderate winds (15-20 knots) and moderate seas. A few squalls during the afternoon, and seas began to swell at night.
- Ultimate ROV ready to launch by 6:30am, however problem with the manipulator. ROV launched at 8:45am (with pail for artifacts). Once on site, began trench on pre-determined area, and began uncovering artifacts. Uncovered 10 artifacts, including porcelain (intact and a few shards), wood, and glass bottles. All of these were moved aside for safety, and eventually will be placed in the pail (which had been lost on the way down, but found several hours later). and/or artifact lift baskets. Continued to uncover more artifacts.
- All artifacts were mapped out on computer grid, noting original positions before the artifacts were moved.
- Artifact lift was deployed, and after several attempts, was strategically placed near the site. Squall came in and damaged lift basket, but it is still usable. Dredge is not working because hose was lost.
- First 9 artifacts were placed in pail. Rest of artifacts uncovered today (20, including the 9 in the pail) were placed in artifact lift (approximately 3 artifacts in each individual "basket." This process went very smoothly until attempted to close lid of artifact lift with manipulator and bungee cord broke. Spent several hours trying to fashion another way to close the lid or to devise a safe way of bringing the lift up without damaging artifacts.
- 9pm large squall came in. It was decided to empty artifact lift of individual baskets and leave these filled baskets on the bottom. The artifact lift was pulled up to the ship's deck, and will have to be repaired tonight.
- After squall, ROV continued operations on trench area. Uncovered artifacts 21-34, which were placed in baskets (to be lifted tomorrow). ROV was recover at midnight.
- Evening was stormy and boat was rolling violently from side to side all night. Frequently heard crashes from the galley was glasses and plates fell and broke on the floor.
- We now have two 2-hour tapes of surveys of tumulus, including video of the 4 marker points. Survey is completed for now. We are now ready to deploy lift basket and test other equipment (suction dredge, etc). Also need to start trenching.
- First area to trench is to the left of the "China Shop" (Area #2). China Shop is area #3, and bottles is area #1. We will need to measure depth and height of "rhino nose."
- The wood we found on the tumulus: if it is ribs, that means only 1.5cm before porcelain. If bridge, that means something fell on top of the porcelain and the porcelain may be buried. So, we need to know sediment depth of drift opposite the rhino nose.
- We will make a photo mosaic of area we excavate before we touch the site so we will know how to position artifacts on site map when they are brought up.
- When ROV surfaces, priority is to get ROV tape and look for area we will begin to excavate and make photo mosaic. Next, we will deploy artifact lift and have run-through of dredge, etc.
May 17
- Weather: Cloudy, seas choppy; squalls throughout the day. Winds SW 10-20 knots; moderate seas to swells.
- Cameraman Jeff Farrell arrived (4 days late) on a fishing boat — having spent 4 harrowing days on the open seas. He arrived with spares for DHD2, so we will be able to use both ROVs.
- Ultimate ROV was launched at 7am. Failure of blowing system. ROV recovered, along with pail of artifacts. Squalls occurred throughout the day, however, ROV continued to work. Uncovered artifacts 35-46 (porcelain beaker, teacups, bowls, jar rim, glass bottles, saucer, beer mug. These artifacts were placed in baskets on the site for recovery later. During a squall, one of these baskets was overturned by ROV cable — however artifacts were later found unharmed. The ROV was recovered at 4pm due to problems with tilt on ROV. Crew spent afternoon fixing ROV. ROV was re-launched at 7pm, however still tilt problems, and was recovered at 8:00pm for full repairs.
- Evening windy. Boat rocking violently from side to side.
- We have three working days left. FG went over site map of main tumulus. Made test trench from Markers 1-2. Quickly found plankings coming from tea or porcelain, Other wood which could be structural. Under this, the ribs and below this, the outside planking. There was few scattered private trade here. Company cargo not here. Nor is tea. Two alternatives: main cargo went through bottom or went to main area (by main rock — below where we were testing). FG confident that what he found was the bottom of the wreck.
- FG believes we need to move survey site to base of the rock (North China shop), and make another test trench. Need another marker (Marker #5).
May 18
- Weather: partly sunny, seas choppy, winds from the SW. Winds got calmer into late afternoon and evening. Day free of squalls. First fairly clear day in about 5 days.
- Launched ROV and artifact lift 7am. Placed marker 5 opposite marker 3 and carried out survey of datum 5.
- Lowered artifact lift to strategic position near site. Lift 1 brought up 60 artifacts — many of which looks like private trade. Lift 1 brought up several glass (gin) bottles, porcelain teacups, and a teapot, 2 beer mugs (one with a beautiful dragon handle), s statue of 2 Chinese figures, saucers, vases, a beaker, several pieces that had enamel eroded off, and more.
- Once the artifact lift was pulled up onto the deck and emptied, catalogues, etc, the crew re-initiated survey of tumulus. Work concentrated on area between markers 3 and 5, where a small trench was made, and several artifacts (numbers 61-65) were uncovered and put aside in baskets. for recovery later. This trench revealed alot of private trade, as well as alot of wood (perhaps the cargo of precious wood). After surveying this area, it was determined that the tumulus was not big or deep enough to hold the main cargo of the Royal Captain. Of utmost importance now is to locate the company cargo of the Royal Captain. Crew will search above and below tumulus.
- Crew worked shifts and kept ROV in water until 7:30am Sunday. Mission is to locate company cargo. Crew shifts ran sweeping lateral surveys from 295m and up to 230, and later below tumulus to about 320m. Bulk of company cargo not located and ROV was recovered the next morning.
May 19
- Weather: Clear, sunny, became partly cloudy in the afternoon. No squalls. Seas moderate. Winds 15 knots.
- Ultimate ROV in water from night before — continuing sweeping survey for company cargo. ROV recovered 7:30am and prepared for a re-launch.
- Crew re-grouped to discuss possibilities of where company cargo might be. Two immediate alternatives for search: 1) above cave, or 2) deep (below 400m). Decided to drop one mooring to enable both shallow and very deep search. Ran shallow survey to 56m, and went back down to 360m, but did not locate bulk of company cargo. Ship had great difficulty holding position on one mooring. Recovered ROV at 3am.
- We went over the general patterns of what could have happened to the Royal Captain: 1) could have split up at cave. Stern came to rest on tumulus, and rest could be to left of cave. 2) Ship could have stayed intact below cave and came down onto the rhino nose which sheared off the stern onto the tumulus. FG thinks this theory is more likely. So, bulk could be in two areas: to left of the cave and below 375m. Need to survey 75m to 200m.
May 20
- Weather: Partly sunny, low winds, moderate seas. Perhaps best weather we had in 8 days.
- Ship being re-positioned in the morning to accomplish very deep dive. Second mooring will be released, and dive will be carried out "live boat."
- Departed Royal Captain Shoal 8:30pm. Had closing meeting. Arrived Quezon outskirts harbor 3:30am.
Evening Meeting:
- It has proven problematic for ship to hold position off its mooring. Technically, we have one hour left on the bottom, and so we need to concentrate on 1 area.
- The probability is that we are not going to find the bulk cargo this expedition. We discussed extending the mission, however, it was agreed that this would be a waste of time. A search is systematic, and takes time. The bulk may very well be buried, or deeper (where there is more sediment). For a good survey, need a working positioning system.
- Franck thinks that we have not covered every area. Although we have covered quite alot.
- We discussed mystery of not finding one single crate of company trade.
- Franck compared the Royal Captain to the Griffin, where they found whole crates. RC similar to the Griffin because of the debris trails. Franck now believes that it would be surprising if wreck much deeper than where we looked (because debris trails calm down so much as we go deeper). Graham suggested that as ship came down reef, created an avalanche. Kent suggested that we may be looking at or over the bulk of the wreck , but it is hidden and/or we don't recognize it. Possibility is that if we come back next time to excavate private trade, we will clean out debris areas and discover the rest of the cargo.
- In regards to not extending the mission, it was agreed that we achieved our goal of surveying the tumulus. We did the best we could considering our resources and the weather. The weather is supposed to get worse, we do not have a positioning system. We will not extend mission.
May 21
- Picked up by 3 bancas at 6am. Transfer to Quezon very smooth. Manila-bound crew loaded on bus, and spent evening in Puerto Princessa.
Wednesday May 22, 1996
- 11am flight to Manila. Arrived Manila 1:30. DSD crew traveling to U.S. tomorrow. Graham and Karen Hawkes and Kent Pietsch staying in Manila for an extra day to meet with Father Casal of the National Museum.
Back to top
|
