Oceans Discovery and an international science team consisting of some of the world’s leading experts in marine related sciences are interested in working to establish the various wreck sites at Isle A’Vache as an International Marine Heritage Park and possibly a World Heritage Site. All the wreck sites are in pristine condition and have been virtually undisturbed for Centuries. Some experts believe that this find could be one of the most significant discoveries of this century. We would like to thank the experts and scientists listed below. They have either actively participated and/or assisted us with vital information for our research and the various documentaries we are producing or are involved with.

Dr. Ralf G. Jahn MA
Historian & Genealogist

Born: 1965

Nationality: German

Scientific studies in “Alte Geschichte” (Ancient History), “Klassische Archäologie” (Classical Archaeology) and “Philosophie” (Philosophy) in Bonn. Jahn is an expert in the research of history concerning, the European nobility and the genealogy of important families and persons. He is the editor of series of books to be published in “Progenies. Genealogische Forschungen zu prominenten Familien und Personen” (Progenies. Genealogical Studies Concerning Prominent Families And Persons).

Homepage: www.adel-genealogie.de

The Quest for the OXFORD
An international exploration team headed by Sylvia Krüger and Rick Haupt of Oceans Discovery and Bruce Leeming of Ocean Dreams started a major filming expedition on March 1st 2004. The team left Port Royal on a historical journey retracing Captain Morgan's quest 335 years earlier and discovering some of his lost war ships near Isle A’Vache. In the documentary emphasis is given to develop the means to protect this site and subsequently to apply for World Heritage Status at UNESCO. Forensic and archeological research on small artifacts taken from around the fossilized ship, the design specifications of anchors and cannons, indicate this significant find is most likely the warship which blew up in 1669 on the night before Morgan’s most daring raid on the South American Port of Maracaibo.

Prof. Ken Pye is a forensic mineralogist at London University and will able to help with identifying and dating anything, which could have occurred during the explosion on board the Oxford. He is also an expert on coral and its colonization of wood and metal. He is geared up to identify any cladding that may be found assuming timbers have rotted. This will of course help with dating the vessels - an easy mistake to make without the right expertise. Prof. Ken Pye, who has sampled some of the small items found at the scene said: “These are certainly what I would have expected to find at the site from the Oxford and I believe a careful detailed examination is now vital”.

Peter Goodwin, curator of Nelson’s flagship HMS Victory, our cladding expert and a specialist in17-19th Century European ships examined pictures of the anchors found at the dive site said. “The design of those found at the site indicates they are British Naval Warship anchors of that period. The Oxford would have been about two-thirds the size of HMS Victory and these appear to be in proportion.”

Oceanography
Oceanographers are scientists who apply physics, chemistry, biology and geology to the study of the world ocean - its currents, tides and circulation; the creatures which live in the oceans; the rocks that lie underneath the ocean; and the places where the ocean meets the atmosphere and the coast. Understanding these things helps governments to look after the oceans properly - for example by controlling pollution, ensuring that fishing boats don't catch all of the young fish before they have a chance to grow, and making sure that the beaches you visit on your holidays are clean and safe to use. A very important job for oceanographers is climate research. The ocean has a great effect on the world's climate because the sea stores so much heat - oceanographers can help to predict future changes in the temperature of the planet, and also to give warning of sea level changes, which could devastate low lying countries and coral reefs. The main types of oceanographers are physical oceanographers, who look at temperature, density, saltiness, tides, currents and waves; chemical oceanographers, who investigate the chemical properties of sea water, the chemistry of living systems, behaviour of pollutants and the age of the sea water; marine biologists who study marine animals and plants; geological oceanographers who examine the rocks, minerals and processes that are at the bottom of the sea; and computer modellers who use the data collected by their colleagues to produce graphical simulations of the way the oceans flow and change around the world.

Coastal Marine Sciences
The coastal seas and estuaries of the world are home to a great variety of plants and animals. Most of the world's fish for food are caught in coastal seas. Deep in the underlying rocks there can be rich deposits of oil, gas and coal. The coastal zone is where the ocean comes into direct contact with humankind. Globally, more and more people live near the coast. There are a number of reasons for this. In wealthy countries, the coast is often the favourite place to buy a home or spend weekends at leisure - after all the coast is a very beautiful place. In countries which are still industrialising, country folk move to the great cities which often are sea ports. Year after year, the human population of the coastal regions steadily increases. Their sewage flows into the sea, often without any treatment. To feed these people, and those inland, fishing boats comb coastal waters with nets so efficient that whole shoals can be caught at once. Without careful management, fishing vessels may catch even the juvenile fish needed to restock the adult population.Meanwhile factories built on the coast use the sea water for cooling machinery and carrying away wastes. Great ships carrying products and raw materials from all over the world travel through coastal waters on their way to and from harbours.

Coastal Marine Sciences continues.... Usually these vessels pass by harmlessly, but every now and then a ship is caught in a storm, or hits rocks, or is involved in a collision, and the ship's precious cargo can turn into a deadly one, especially if the cargo is crude oil or noxious chemicals. The coast is where most of us go for our holidays. We swim, snorkel, sail, fish, dive and surf in coastal waters. We sun-bathe on the beaches, and eat and drink in the beach-side bars and hotels. Here the conflicting uses we impose on the coastal sea become noticeable. No-one wants to swim where the water is polluted, or visit a beach covered in industrial waste. Yet our very presence puts pressure on the adjacent sea - when you flushed the toilet at the beach side bar, where do you think the waste went? If your family hired a car, what happened to the oil that drips from the engine? If you flew to a beach abroad, was the kerosene in the airliner's fuel tank obtained from wells deep under the ocean? With so much at stake, marine sciences are very important. By learning how the coastal zone operates, what types of creatures live there, what kind of habitats they need, how the coastal currents flow, what kind of sediments lie on the seabed, how the ocean dilutes pollutants and so on, scientists can advise industry and government how best we can live with the sea, without wrecking it for ourselves and future generations.

www.unesco.org
www.icomos.org
www.utt.edu.tt
www.trinidadandtobagofilm.com
www.archives.ca
www.icom.org
www.itv-wales.com
www.padi.com
www.divedacor.com
www.theshiplist.com
www.data-wales.co.ukwww.ortlieb.com
www.nlc-bnc.ca
www.iccrom.org/eng/news/iccrom.htm
www.ifla.org/blueshield.htm
www.pc.gc.ca/index_e.asp
www.BuccooReefUSA.org
www.BuccooReef.org
www.saildiveadventures.de

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