SOS CentralThe first independently run NAS “Intro and Part 1, Foreshore and Underwater Archaeology” course was run on July 3, 4 and 5th 2009. There were thirteen enthusiastic students and four instructors (Tutors). As a new training partner of the Nautical Archaeology Society (Portsmouth, UK), Save Ontario Shipwrecks has embarked on a ambitious endeavour, training avocational divers to survey and record shipwrecks.
NAS 1 Students Hard at Work
Friday evening the students were introduced to their instructors, SOS, NAS and the course. After reviewing a case study on techniques used to survey the Southern Trail by Liquid Archaeology, the students became engrossed in a presentation and discussion on ships and ship construction. This segment brings into focus what many divers have been seeing underwater for years and prepared them to be able to accurately describe the features they would survey.
Instructor clarifies the strategy.
Saturday morning the students reconviened for more lectures and discussions focused around archaeology, search, survey, dating methods and safety to name a few. After a well deserved lunch break the students hit the lawn for dry land survey practice. Sketching, measuring and drawing up the results are the core exercises of the course and after completing the dry land exercise the students were ready to get wet.
On the lawn.
Getting down to the details
Students planning their pool survey.
Moving the survey exercise to the pool adds one more dimension to the new skills that the students have just learned. In a controlled environment where visibility, current and no decompression limits are not a concern the new surveyors matched their wits against a new survey simulation. The participants were so eager to complete their work that they pushed right through the dinner break to wrap up early. Saturday was a long but productive day.
Students under the watchful eye of the divemaster.
Bright an early the next morning, the students assembled at Confederation Park to do it all again. This time on a real shipwreck in open water. The relatively shallow wreck of the John R, is long enough to split into three sections. Each team was assigned a section to scout out and sketch for their first dive. Once all teams had a turn to see what they would be surveying, lunch was brought in and the planning sessions commenced. The participants all took time to carefully plan a method of surveying that would produce a scale version of their assigned section of the wreck.
Redraw and recharge
Plans (and slates and tapes) in hand, the divers all re entered the water to begin their first real survey. One by one the teams came out of the water will numbers dancing in their heads. Next was on to the draw up session at Baranga’s by the Beach. After a long day on the water everyone needed to refuel for the last push to complete the course. Over cold drinks and hot food the students got down to business and turned their sketches and measurements into scale survey drawings.
When all was said and done, these thirteen students worked hard and impressed their instructors. Each earning their NAS 1 certification. Congratulations to all. Well done.
SOS Hamilton NAS1 Class Photo July 2009