by Iain Grant

18 September 2016

Since the last blog the weather has frustrated us, with either windy conditions from the south west, or big swells which have meant rather dangerous launching conditions! However we did manage to get out to the site today, vis was not that good, but workable.

Nearly had diver overload! Seven team members available, what to do with them all? Need a bigger boat, in the event two had to drop out at the last minute & so saved the day!

The plan was to clean off the timbers (by hand fanning) at the break in the hull, forward as far as the start of the area where the barrels & what appear to be the stores in the main hold are situated, then film & plan the area. Wrong! the tide turned, brought all the silt back & reduced the visibility so no filming!

Plan B, check the hull area for uncovered artefacts,  Andy had found a turned timber object close to the side of one of the barrels, “the captains telescope in a wooden case” (his words), in the event it turned out not to be, after measuring in & recovering to the boat we have a turned object approximately 550mm long made of very hard heavy well preserved wood, any ideas anyone!

The next thing observed, measured in & recovered, alongside the north east frames was a pewter spoon handle, this one similar to others found in the past.

With the vis deteriorating still further & the day wearing on, we moved the boat to the area of new cannon, found in 2014, there seems to be some seabed movement here too! Part of a lead scupper & what may be a gun apron were found close to the guns & recovered.

A number of what may be bar shot were also seen, one will be recovered next visit for ex-ray examination, if we get a good October!