16th Century Wreck filled with Jade, Coins, and History

Deep Blue Marine Underwater Recovery thinks they uncovered a wreck of the Dominican Republic that sank not long after Columbus “Discovered” America.

The wreck has been tentatively named after the Captain of the ship that found it: “Rawson’s Wreck.” Locals have secretly known Rawson’s Wreck, but it is thought that the actual discovery of this wreck by other treasure hunters was hindered by its close proximity to a sunken German Steel-Hulled wreck. Deep Blue Marine feels any previous sweeps of the area that set off magnetometers would have been attributed to the German wreck and not investigated. It wasn’t until they moved the mast of that German ship that they were able to pinpoint the artifacts under the sand with there own metal detectors.
 
It is though that most artifacts have settled deep into the sand, but Deep Blue Marine reports “simply moving the sand between the coral and rock fissures, we have found silver coins, silver discs with imprinted seals, indigenous stone figurines, small pieces of gold jewelry, and other artifacts such as stone cannon balls and small iron balls covered with lead.  Additionally, we have found a 5-link iron chain (encrusted with sulfides) that was used to support the boat rigging.  At this point we are quite certain that this ship went down sometime in the middle of the 16th century as most of the coins appear to have been minted in the original Mexico City mint prior to 1550.”

My favorite detail from this story is how they determined that the ship sank in a Hurricane. “While the prevailing winds in this area typically blow from east to west, hurricane winds are quite the opposite and blow from west to east.  The position of the ballast stones and the artifacts on this site suggest that the ship blew in from west to east, as would happen in a hurricane.”

As they search deeper into the sand, I can’t wait to hear what else they find. Hopefully they will continue to uncover treasures and stories of early European exploration. And continue to excite us all with what can be discovered as we dive under the surface of the sea.

Loggerhead Sea Turtles: the compass of the sea

I’ve got a confession to make. At times I park my car, go into a store, and when I come out I have to use my key fob to beep my way back to my car. I can’t tell you how many cars I lost before I bought a car with an electric key fob. That is why I have always been amazed at how animals can migrate thousands of miles and find there way back to the same locations months and years later.

Recently a new study from the University of North Carolina thinks it has unlocked the secret of the Loggerhead Sea Turtle’s migration.

The BBC reported “although several species of turtles are known to use magnetic cues to determine latitude, it was believed that this wasn't possible for longitude. However, the loggerhead turtles have managed to surprise researchers by developing a method that involves using the strength and angle of the Earth's magnetic field.

Nathan Putman, the lead author of the research, emphasized that "the most difficult part of open-sea navigation is determining longitude or east-west position".

 

"It took human navigators centuries to figure out how to determine longitude on their long-distance voyages."

Loggerhead hatchlings, however, are able to manage this feat as soon as they reach the sea from their nests.

On reaching the sea, the hatchlings are able to establish the correct course to the open ocean. The young loggerheads then spend several years successfully navigating complex migratory routes over thousands of miles of ocean.

To carry out the research loggerhead hatchlings from Florida were placed in circular water containers and tethered to electronic tracking systems to monitor their swimming direction. The hatchlings were then exposed to magnetic fields that replicated the fields they would come across in two locations on the same latitude but different longitude along their migratory route. The turtles reacted to each magnetic field by swimming in the directions that would, in the real location, take them along their circular migratory route. The researchers say this shows that the hatchlings are able to determine longitude-using information from the magnetic field.

Nathan Putman explains that "along the migratory route of loggerheads, nearly all regions are marked by unique combinations of intensity (field strength) and inclination angle (the angle that field lines intersect the surface of the Earth)".

"Thus, turtles can determine longitudinal position by using pairings of intensity and inclination angle as an X, Y coordinate system.”

Nathan Putman’s collogue, Dr Kenneth Lohmann said “This not only solves a long-standing mystery of animal behaviour but may also be useful in sea turtle conservation”

If you want to learn more about Loggerhead (and other) Sea Turtles, stop into Scuba Emporium and ask us about our Sea Turtle Awareness Specialty Program.

Sharks are Showing their Worth Again

Photograph by Antonio Busiello

Off the coast of Honduras the Caribbean Reef sharks are being fed Lionfish in hopes of giving them a taste for the new invasive species. The Lionfish population is growing fast, and until the local predators learn to eat the exotic visitors, the Lionfish will continue to consume the reef’s population of small fish; which are needed to help keep the reef clean and healthy.

Photograph by Antonio Busiello

Unfortunately the oceans shark population is disappearing fast, and if we don’t stop over-fishing them for fins, food, and trophies we may loose there help forever.




If you want to help make a change click on over to Project Aware’s webpage and sign the petition to Help Give Sharks a Fighting Chance.

What's Hard, Black, and Ready for Action...The New SeaLife Mini II

After months of waiting he new SeaLife Mini II has arrived at Scuba Emporium!!! The long awaited return of this Amazing little camera has had Underwater Photographers jumping out of their dive boots in joy. This feature rich, ultra tough little camera is priced perfect for the entry-level underwater photographer, and loved as a back up camera by even the most experienced of shooters.

• Waterproof to 130ft / 40m
• Shockproof 6ft / 2m
• Fully Rubber-Armored
• Large, wide spread 3-button operation for easy operation
• Easy Set-up mode 1-2-3 graphic on-screen guide for setting camera mode – no complicated menus.

• Land Auto mode for action land pictures & videos in extreme conditions
• Dive and Snorkel modes for underwater exposure control and color correction – no more blue pictures
• External Flash mode for integration with external flash to enhance color and brightness underwater.                                                                             

   

• Video mode at 30fps with Sound
• Soft Rubber grip design for sure grip.
• Spy Mode – The camera automatically shoots continuous pictures at set time intervals.
• Compact, Slim design (pocket size)
• 2x AAA batteries Alkaline(included), NiMH rechargeable or Energizer Ultimate lithium batteries.
• Self-contained dive camera (no housing)
• 9 megapixels for sharp, high-resolution pictures.
• Large 2.4" TFT Color LCD for easy on-camera viewing
• Instant focus lens from 2 ft to infinity
• SD and SDHC card compatible (8GB recommended). 

So stop by Scuba Emporium and check out this little beauty in person; or click on over to Scuba Emporium’s Website.

One Month until we start Diving Lake Michigan!!!

The Best Wrecks in the Mid-West are lying just under Lake Michigan’s surface and waiting to be explored. There are beginner’s wrecks in just 15 feet of water, and more advanced and challenging wrecks lying in water over 100 feet deep. You can get over 70 feet of visibility in the right conditions, and the cool fresh water keep these historic wrecks preserved in incredible condition.

Scuba Emporium and Windy City Diving have joined together again to offer twelve great day trips to the best wreck in our area. We’ll be checking out wrecks such as:

Thomas Hume The schooner Thomas Hume, which was operating in the busy lumber industry hauling lumber from Muskegon to Chicago, went missing with six men aboard during a squall on Lake Michigan on May 21, 1891.

Buccaneer Chicago’s newest dive site is ready. Built in 1925 as an Ice Breaker, the M/V Buccaneer is resting upright on the bottom of Lake Michigan, 10 miles off Chicago in 70FFW. Straits of Mackinac Intentionally sunk in 2003, this 204′ car ferry offers something for every diver. Sitting upright in 82 feet of water with her main deck just over 45′ down, the “Straits” has become Chicago’s premier dive site. Wells Burt Sitting in only 40 feet of water, this three masted schooner was built in 1873. Though she sank in 1883, she is considered by many to be one of the best shipwrecks in Illinois waters. St. Mary This 120’ wooden schooner sits in 105 feet of water. Although the wreck has collapsed on itself all the pieces are there including the ship’s wheel, anchors and more. Rotarian A 147’ side-wheel paddle steamer that was intentionally sunk in 1937. Today she sits in 85 feet of water. Illinois & Holly Barge At the time of her sinking in 1907, the Illinois was the largest hydraulic dredge on the Lake. Today she rests in 35 feet of water near another dive site, the Holly Barge, Chicago’s first intentional shipwreck. Wings of Wind Built in 1855 this 130’ wooden schooner sank as a result of a collision in 1866. In salvaging her cargo of coal the stern section of this wreck was destroyed. Resting in 40 feet of water, today you can dive her 65’ bow section with bowsprit and windlass. Many excellent photo opportunities exist. Tacoma Sunk in 1929 this 72’ wooden tug sits upright on the bottom in 35 feet of water. The large propeller offers great photos Material Service Barge This 239’ self-loading barge was built in 1929. Her unique design allowed her to navigate under the bridges of Chicago without them being raised. She sank during a storm in 1936. Today she sits upright in 30 feet of water. So come by the store and sign up while we still have room. …and here is GREAT article to check out about Diving into Adventure in the Windy City from the Dive News Network

One of the most legendary Golden-Era Pirates was Henry Morgan, and his most famous battle was his siege of Panama City. At the time Panama City was the second largest city in the Western Hemisphere.

Now historians think they have found six cannons off Captain Morgan’s flagship Satisfaction. Satisfaction sunk in 1671 after being run head-on into Lajas reef five days after Morgan burned Panama City to the ground.

By the time the pirate ships arrived, Panama City had already fallen to Captain Morgan’s advance team, which he sent over land. Still, the pirate armada was still a welcome site as they pulled into the mouth of the Rio Chagres; that is until the Satisfaction, and three other ships, ran up onto the shallow water reef Lajas. Much like the sinking off the ships, the burning of Panama City was a careless accident. However, when you burn the second largest city to the ground oops doesn’t seem to cut it, and a year later Captain Morgan was arrested in Jamaica and sent back to England to be tried for piracy.

Henry Morgan’s life reads like a Hollywood script, and just as no Hollywood hero’s life could end at the end of a noose, neither did Captain Morgan. This man born on a farm in Wales, shanghaied and sold into indentured servitude in Barbados, released years later penniless he turned to piracy. He excelled, and quickly became the most successful of the Golden Era Pirate Captains. At his trial he was treated as a romantic hero, and when England’s relations with Spain soured again Henry Morgan was sent back to Jamaica as Lieutenant Governor.

While this is not one of the Pirate ships that sank with chests overflowing treasure, fueling dreams of instant wealth. The Satisfaction’s cannons provide a tangible connection to a romanticized history that fuels the equally valuable dreams of the Golden Age of Piracy, and all the stories that make up the cultural history of paradise.

  
Click here to read more about Captain Morgan’s campaign against Panama City

Click here to read more about the discovery and raising of Satisfaction’s Cannons

Instructor Development Course (Orland Park, IL)

Go PRO —Scuba Diving Careers

Love Your Job
      Your Lifestyle
            and Your Freedom

Get a life worth living:
   Become a PADI Professional

You’ll do things others only dream of. Whether you work in a local dive shop at a dive resort or on a live-aboard dive boat, the adventure of a lifetime is yours for the taking. Imagine a job where you actually look forward to work in the morning. Sailing into incredible sunsets could be the rule, not the exception, especially if you work in a tropical dive destination. The commute to work could be as easy as a ten-minute boat ride and work becomes an adventure in itself.

If you are up for the challenge…you are in luck!

This month Scuba Emporium is starting an IDC. The Instructor Development Course (IDC) combines the Assistant Instructor (AI) class and Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI) class into one comprehensive course that will prepare you to take the Instructor Exam (IE) with PADI…and start your Diving Career.

The IDC is traditionally an seven-day course, but here at Scuba Emporium we also have a three-weekend version.

The Three-weekend IDC starts this month: March 25th, 26th, 27th; continues April 16th and 17th; and concludes May 19th and 20th.  

Our Seven-Day IDCs are: May 14th – 20th, June 23th - 29th, and October 1st  - 7th.

For more information check out our web site,
Call us at (708) 226-1614,
or email us at sales@scubaemporium.com.

Already done one of our many IDCs...
...help the new-guys decide and write about your experiences in the comments box.