" THE SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF HUMAN INTERACTION WITH THE SEA AND OTHER BODIES
OF WATER, AS IT PERTAINS TO HUMAN REMAINS, CARGOES, VESSELS,
SUBMERGED LANDSCAPES, AND OTHER ARTIFACTS OF HUMAN ORIGIN.."
OF WATER, AS IT PERTAINS TO HUMAN REMAINS, CARGOES, VESSELS,
SUBMERGED LANDSCAPES, AND OTHER ARTIFACTS OF HUMAN ORIGIN.."
MANY MODERN GHOST STORIES FIRST BEGAN WITH A THREAD OF TRUTH, BUT OVER TIME, AS WE ARE
WELL AWARE, THE RE-TELLING OF THESE STORIES HAVE MORPHED THEM SO GREATLY THAT IT'S OFTEN
IMPOSSIBLE TO SEPARATE FACT FROM FICTION. WE FIND THIS TO BE THE CASE FREQUENTLY IN REGARD TO
MARITIME LEGEND AND FOLK LORE. AND SINCE THE REMAINS OF THE TRUTH ARE OFTEN FAR BELOW THE
SEA'S SURFACE, AS LONG AS THE SHIP LIES OUT OF REACH, THE LEGENDS ARE SAFE FROM HARM...
THIS IS WHY WE HAVE A MARITIME ARCHAEOLOGY DIVISION. BECAUSE TAKING THE WORD OF SOMEONE
WHO IS RE-TELLING A RE-TOLD STORY JUST DOESN'T SEEM THE PRUDENT THING TO DO..
TAKE FOR EXAMPLE A STORY OF A SHIP THAT WAS TORPEDOED AND SANK WITH ALL HANDS ON DECK..
IS THAT THE REASON PEOPLE ARE SEEING SWIMMERS IN THE WATER THAT SEEM TO DISAPPEAR AS YOU
APPROACH? ARE THEY GHOSTS THAT WENT DOWN WITH THE SHIP?
WELL, WE ASK THOSE QUESTIONS TOO.. - BUT THEN WE GO MANY STEPS FURTHER...
THE FIRST THING WE'LL DO IS SEND IN THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL DEEP-DIVING TEAM. THEIR MISSION IS TO
BRING BACK BOTH PHOTOGRAPHIC AND PHYSICAL EVIDENCE THAT THE SHIP WAS INDEED TORPEDOED.
ARE THERE BLAST INDICATORS ON THE HULL? - AND ARE THERE RIPPED TORN PIECES OF BULKHEAD THAT
INDICATE A TORPEDO HIT? THESE ARE ALL QUESTIONS WE NEED TO
ADDRESS IN THE SEARCH FOR THE TRUTH..
OUR TEAMS SCOUR DEEP SHIPWRECKS IN A DETAILED SEARCH FOR THE
REAL REASON THAT A SHIP MAY HAVE SANK. OFTEN TIMES IT WASN'T
A TORPEDO AT ALL WHICH SENT HER TO THE BOTTOM, BUT RATHER
THE DELIBERATE INTENT OF A CREW SCUTTLING A BOAT FOR NEFARIOUS
REASONS.. IF THAT'S THE CASE WE'LL FIND THAT OUT TOO.. BECAUSE
OUR TEAMS WILL PENETRATE THE SHIPS HULL DOWN TO THE ENGINE
ROOM WHERE THEY'LL CHECK THE SHIPS RAW-WATER INTAKE VALVES
TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT THEY WERE LEFT OPEN OR CLOSED. IF FOUND
TO BE OPEN, THIS EVIDENCE IS THE DEFINITIVE SMOKING GUN
WHICH TELLS US FIRST HAND IF THE SHIP WAS INDEED SCUTTLED AND
NOT TORPEDOED AT ALL!
WELL AWARE, THE RE-TELLING OF THESE STORIES HAVE MORPHED THEM SO GREATLY THAT IT'S OFTEN
IMPOSSIBLE TO SEPARATE FACT FROM FICTION. WE FIND THIS TO BE THE CASE FREQUENTLY IN REGARD TO
MARITIME LEGEND AND FOLK LORE. AND SINCE THE REMAINS OF THE TRUTH ARE OFTEN FAR BELOW THE
SEA'S SURFACE, AS LONG AS THE SHIP LIES OUT OF REACH, THE LEGENDS ARE SAFE FROM HARM...
THIS IS WHY WE HAVE A MARITIME ARCHAEOLOGY DIVISION. BECAUSE TAKING THE WORD OF SOMEONE
WHO IS RE-TELLING A RE-TOLD STORY JUST DOESN'T SEEM THE PRUDENT THING TO DO..
TAKE FOR EXAMPLE A STORY OF A SHIP THAT WAS TORPEDOED AND SANK WITH ALL HANDS ON DECK..
IS THAT THE REASON PEOPLE ARE SEEING SWIMMERS IN THE WATER THAT SEEM TO DISAPPEAR AS YOU
APPROACH? ARE THEY GHOSTS THAT WENT DOWN WITH THE SHIP?
WELL, WE ASK THOSE QUESTIONS TOO.. - BUT THEN WE GO MANY STEPS FURTHER...
THE FIRST THING WE'LL DO IS SEND IN THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL DEEP-DIVING TEAM. THEIR MISSION IS TO
BRING BACK BOTH PHOTOGRAPHIC AND PHYSICAL EVIDENCE THAT THE SHIP WAS INDEED TORPEDOED.
ARE THERE BLAST INDICATORS ON THE HULL? - AND ARE THERE RIPPED TORN PIECES OF BULKHEAD THAT
INDICATE A TORPEDO HIT? THESE ARE ALL QUESTIONS WE NEED TO
ADDRESS IN THE SEARCH FOR THE TRUTH..
OUR TEAMS SCOUR DEEP SHIPWRECKS IN A DETAILED SEARCH FOR THE
REAL REASON THAT A SHIP MAY HAVE SANK. OFTEN TIMES IT WASN'T
A TORPEDO AT ALL WHICH SENT HER TO THE BOTTOM, BUT RATHER
THE DELIBERATE INTENT OF A CREW SCUTTLING A BOAT FOR NEFARIOUS
REASONS.. IF THAT'S THE CASE WE'LL FIND THAT OUT TOO.. BECAUSE
OUR TEAMS WILL PENETRATE THE SHIPS HULL DOWN TO THE ENGINE
ROOM WHERE THEY'LL CHECK THE SHIPS RAW-WATER INTAKE VALVES
TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT THEY WERE LEFT OPEN OR CLOSED. IF FOUND
TO BE OPEN, THIS EVIDENCE IS THE DEFINITIVE SMOKING GUN
WHICH TELLS US FIRST HAND IF THE SHIP WAS INDEED SCUTTLED AND
NOT TORPEDOED AT ALL!
CHECKING FOR BLAST DAMAGE
TAKE FOR EXAMPLE IF WE DO INDEED FIND THAT THERE IS NO BOMB DAMAGE.. THE NEXT QUESTION IS.. DID
ANYONE REALLY GO DOWN WITH THE SHIP? OR DID THEY ALL MAKE IT TO SAFETY IN LIFE BOATS? IN ORDER TO
DETERMINE IF ALL HANDS PERISHED ON BOARD AS THE LEGEND SUGGESTS, WE THEN NEED TO SEND IN OUR
FORENSIC TEAM TO BRING BACK EVIDENCE THAT THERE WAS AT ONE TIME A HUMAN BODY ON BOARD THE SHIP
AFTER IT SANK.
THE FORENSIC BRANCH OF THE ARCHAEOLOGY TEAM THEN SCOURS THE INTERIOR OF THE SHIP. SEARCHING FOR
BELT BUCKLES, BUTTONS, SHOELACE LOOPS, OR ANY OTHER EVIDENCE THAT HUMAN REMAINS WERE PRESENT.
IF NO REMAINS CAN BE FOUND, AND THERE IS NO LINK TO THERE EVER HAVING BEEN A CLOTHED BODY TRAPPED IN
THE DEEP PORTIONS OF THE HULL, WE THEN NEED TO RE-THINK THE "GONE DOWN WITH ALL HANDS ON DECK "
SCENARIO, WHICH IS MOST LIKELY, JUST A LEGEND..
IN OTHER INSTANCES, OUR TEAMS HAVE FOUND EVIDENCE OF STRUCTURES BURNED IN FIRES, AND HAVE
RECOVERED MANY OTHER ARTIFACTS PERTINENT TO OUR INVESTIGATIONS. IN THE CASE OF ONE BURNED HOME,
THE COUNTY REGISTRAR CLAIMED THERE WAS NEVER A BUILDING ON THE PROPERTY, AND WE THEN BROUGHT UP
THE REMAINS OF THE HOME FOR ALL TO SEE! FURTHER SOLIDIFYING THE STORY THAT THE GHOST OF A WOMAN
WHO IS REGULARLY SEEN WALKING THE LAKE'S SHORES DID INDEED DIE IN THE FIRE! VERY INTERESTING INDEED...
ANYONE REALLY GO DOWN WITH THE SHIP? OR DID THEY ALL MAKE IT TO SAFETY IN LIFE BOATS? IN ORDER TO
DETERMINE IF ALL HANDS PERISHED ON BOARD AS THE LEGEND SUGGESTS, WE THEN NEED TO SEND IN OUR
FORENSIC TEAM TO BRING BACK EVIDENCE THAT THERE WAS AT ONE TIME A HUMAN BODY ON BOARD THE SHIP
AFTER IT SANK.
THE FORENSIC BRANCH OF THE ARCHAEOLOGY TEAM THEN SCOURS THE INTERIOR OF THE SHIP. SEARCHING FOR
BELT BUCKLES, BUTTONS, SHOELACE LOOPS, OR ANY OTHER EVIDENCE THAT HUMAN REMAINS WERE PRESENT.
IF NO REMAINS CAN BE FOUND, AND THERE IS NO LINK TO THERE EVER HAVING BEEN A CLOTHED BODY TRAPPED IN
THE DEEP PORTIONS OF THE HULL, WE THEN NEED TO RE-THINK THE "GONE DOWN WITH ALL HANDS ON DECK "
SCENARIO, WHICH IS MOST LIKELY, JUST A LEGEND..
IN OTHER INSTANCES, OUR TEAMS HAVE FOUND EVIDENCE OF STRUCTURES BURNED IN FIRES, AND HAVE
RECOVERED MANY OTHER ARTIFACTS PERTINENT TO OUR INVESTIGATIONS. IN THE CASE OF ONE BURNED HOME,
THE COUNTY REGISTRAR CLAIMED THERE WAS NEVER A BUILDING ON THE PROPERTY, AND WE THEN BROUGHT UP
THE REMAINS OF THE HOME FOR ALL TO SEE! FURTHER SOLIDIFYING THE STORY THAT THE GHOST OF A WOMAN
WHO IS REGULARLY SEEN WALKING THE LAKE'S SHORES DID INDEED DIE IN THE FIRE! VERY INTERESTING INDEED...
DIGGING THROUGH LOWER DECK DEBRIS
PART OF THE BURNED HOME
A HINGE FROM THE HOME'S FRONT DOOR
WITHIN THE WRECK LIE MANY CLUES