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March 30, 2005
The Search for the Early Submarines
If you miss this episode the first time it aired don't let it happen again.
Airing on History Television Sunday, April 3 at 7:00 AM | 6:00 PM ET check local listings
The Irish Republican Brotherhood, commonly known as "Fenians", was an Irish revolutionary secret society, founded in the United States by John O'Mahony in 1858. O'Mahony, who was a Celtic scholar, named his organization after the Fianna, the legendary band of Irish warriors led by Fionn mac Cumhail.
The submarine Fenian Ram was designed by John Philip Holland for use by the Fenian Brotherhood against the British. The Ram's construction and launching in 1881 by the Delamater Iron Company in New York was funded by the Fenians' Skirmishing Fund.
The “Sea Hunters”, working with Dr. Pete Capelloti, Chief Historian, U.S. Coast Guard, gained permission to side scan and dive on the South end of Manhattan Island, between the Whitestone and Throg’s Neck Bridges. They searched for the lost Holland designed “Model #3”. The Sea Hunters first undertook a side scan sonar survey and then dove and ground truth targets located in the search area. The side scan and dive footage was turned over to the U.S. Coast Guard and to the newly formed “Office of Homeland Security”. With the New York City skyline in the background "The Sea Hunters" dive team searched for this historic submarine while collecting underwater data which was used to make New York safer from the threat of terrorist attack.
Posted by victoria at 03:36 PM | Comments (1)
March 29, 2005
Prepare for a Flood of Video
With the Sea Hunters team well into post production more clips are showing up at Shipwreck Central Headquaters. In the coming days and weeks check Live from the Dive or get our RSS feed so that you will know when the newest clip is posted. If you have questions for the Sea Hunters team or Shipwreck Central post a comment here or in the community. We would love to hear from you.
This video is of the Team on board the Chonos being joined by some fast friends.
Posted by victoria at 12:04 PM | Comments (0)
March 23, 2005
Fresh Pictures from the Florida Keys
Take some time to look at these amazing images from the Sea Hunters trip to the Florida Keys.
Posted by victoria at 04:25 PM | Comments (0)
March 18, 2005
What'll They Come Up with Next, Those Crazy Aquanauts!
Join us in this two clip series as we explore Aquarius, the world's only underwater research facility. It's designed to allow divers to stay under much longer than possible if they had to surface. But let's let the experts form NURC (National Undersea Research Council) tell you all about it... check this fascinating video out, and learn something new!
Christine
Posted by victoria at 03:28 PM | Comments (0)
What's Not to Love About Dolphins?
Hell, we're practically related. To name but two commonalities, they're mammals (they breathe air directly into their lungs, are warm blooded and give birth to live young etc.), and inside their pectoral fins they have a skeletal structure similar to what we have in our arms and hands. They are also one of the only species besides humans to have sex for pleasure, which is exactly what the two in the beginning of the footage you're about to see are mimicking. Mimicking, fortunately, as they are a mother and her adolescent son. We were in the south, after all.
Dolphins Plus is a wonderful facility for the animals they host and for the people who visit. They pioneered the highly interactive dolphin swim program you're about to see Chris Kingston and I enjoying. Additionally, they have a specialized interactive program for autistic children, and every year children from around the globe participate. It's a beautiful thing...check it out!
Ciao!
Christine
Posted by victoria at 02:35 PM | Comments (1)
A Fishy Kiss from a Friendly Sea Lion
We've finally worked through some of that footage we shot in Key Largo, and there are some great clips coming up!
I considered it my duty to report back to you on Key Largo's attractions while Mike and Warren were diving the Queen of Nassau. For such a small place, it definitely has quite a few unique attributes....Jules Undersea Lodge, the world's only completely submerged hotel; Aquarius, the worlds only active submerged scientific research station; and Dolphins Plus, which offers the most interactive human dolphin swim experience in the US.
First, we'd like to introduce you to one very special Sea Lion. If you watch closely, you'll see that she actually smiles...she learned that from people, I really couldn't believe it. Please note too that she gives me a big kiss on the lips immediately after her trainer fed her a whole fish. It seemed like an eternity 'til that whistle blew. And for the record, I think I won the splash fight but you'll just have to watch for yourselves and decide.
The dolphin swim and clips of Aquarius are right behind this one, so keep checking back!
Cheerio,
Christine
Posted by victoria at 02:01 PM | Comments (0)
March 17, 2005
Sea Hunters and The Irish
It's Saint Patrick's Day again and this season the Sea Hunters searched for the Fenian Model(Hull NO.III) a submarine built for the Irish Republican Brotherhood, the Fenians. Find the sub on the map, in the east river, and watch clips about the search.
Erin Go Brath and we hope you learn something new about Irish-American heritage.
The Irish Republican Brotherhood, commonly known as "Fenians", was an Irish revolutionary secret society, founded in the United States by John O'Mahony in 1858. O'Mahony, who was a Celtic scholar, named his organization after the Fianna, the legendary band of Irish warriors led by Fionn mac Cumhail.
The submarine Fenian Ram was designed by John Philip Holland for use by the Fenian Brotherhood against the British. The Ram's construction and launching in 1881 by the Delamater Iron Company in New York was funded by the Fenians' Skirmishing Fund.
The “Sea Hunters”, working with Dr. Pete Capelloti, Chief Historian, U.S. Coast Guard, gained permission to side scan and dive on the South end of Manhattan Island, between the Whitestone and Throg’s Neck Bridges. They searched for the lost Holland designed “Model #3”. The Sea Hunters first undertook a side scan sonar survey and then dove and ground truth targets located in the search area. The side scan and dive footage was turned over to the U.S. Coast Guard and to the newly formed “Office of Homeland Security”. With the New York City skyline in the background "The Sea Hunters" dive team searched for this historic submarine while collecting underwater data which was used to make New York safer from the threat of terrorist attack.
Posted by victoria at 08:21 AM | Comments (0)
March 16, 2005
Juno Beach: The Untold Story
Join “The Sea Hunters” as they dive the beaches of Normandy and search for artifacts of the largest and most famous maritime invasion of all time. Just outside the active surf areas of Juno, Utah and Omaha beaches rest the visual remnants of “Operation Overlord”; the action which turned the tide in WWII and marked the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany in Europe.
The U.S. Navy’s Historical Center has begun a side scan sonar review of the Allied ordinance that remained in place off Omaha and Utah beaches. They have collected a massive library of images.
In the summer of 2004 “The Sea Hunters” and a team from the Canadian Navy will arrived in Normandy to start a similar survey on Juno Beach. Dr. Robert Nieland of the U.S. Naval Historical Center worked as a consultant to the Canadian team. The combined group carried out a side scan survey of Juno followed by an underwater video survey of sites at Juno, Utah and Omaha carried out by Mike and Warren Fletcher, the Sea Hunters’ team Archaeologist James Delgado and Canadian navy divers. This unique survey and exciting set of dives captured images from that fateful June morning which will transport you back in time and allow us to segue to our large selection of relevant historic footage and interviewees.
Airing on History Television Sunday, March 20 at 7:00 AM | 6:00 PM ET check local listings
For more infomation find Juno Beach on the Interactive Map and read the archived Live from the Dive Juno Beach Blog.
Posted by victoria at 08:29 AM | Comments (0)
March 09, 2005
Chris in Halifax
Hi Everyone,
This is Chris Kingston. The Sea Hunters are back in Canada at the Shipwreck Central Headquarters and I'm in the middle of editing. (surprised? didn't think so) This time though "editing" is not for the internet, it's for The Sea Hunters series. We're into the post production of Doterel (the Chile show) and the HMCS Canada show we just shot in Florida. Doterel will be a cool show. It's 50 minutes of Sea Hunter dive adventure start to finish that even keeps my short attention span. That's how I judge my work.
For anyone interested, my infected eye is doing much better. Went to see the doc and now have a sufficient amount of eye sight to keep working.It was rough times in florida. Now all is well. We'll have a first draft of Doterel done in a few days and then Florida starts up right after that. There are about 6 weeks until The Sea Hunters and Shipwreck Central travel south and bask in the warmth of Singapore. There are still clips from both Chile and Florida to be posted. Keep checking in.
See you later.
Posted by livedive at 04:29 PM | Comments (2)
New Episode: The Seach for Bonhomme Richard
The Seach for Bonhomme Richard
This week join the Sea Hunters, along with Clive Cussler, as they search the North Sea for the United States Navy’s most famous vessel, Captain John Paul Jones’ Bonhomme Richard.
Airing on History Television Sunday, March 12 at 7:00 AM | 6:00 PM ET check local listings
Posted by victoria at 08:04 AM | Comments (0)
March 03, 2005
Happy Shiney People
Well, looks like the Queen of Nassau episode is in the can, so to speak. With minutes to spare, Mike and Warren squeaked in one last dive even though the currents were working against them. The solution? Drop down 220 feet almost a mile from the ship and drift into it. Here's the result, a happy Mike unloading gear from the NURC research vessel. He said Yipppeee, I heard him.
Posted by administrator at 07:37 PM | Comments (1)
A Chat with Marc Pike, Sea Hunters' Cameraman
It's hard enough to keep your balance (and stomach intact) on a ship...imagine also having to carry a heavy, expensive Betacam on your shoulders, watch the viewfinder while being tossed about, and avoid dropping your equipment into the sea.
In this clip, you see how I made the classic error of having the microphone in the corner of the frame. The fuzzy mic cover is there to block the sound of the wind, but it crept into frame and with the sun shining on the viewfinder, I didn't even notice it until we digitized the footage...doh!
Find out how Marc Pike, cinematographer for the Sea Hunters, approaches his work. Here's his video interview, and you can check out his company too, Open Road Productions.
Posted by Christine Barker at 04:13 PM | Comments (0)
Leaving Las Largo
Ahhh the weather is turning foul so we're outta here! Well, that and all of our flights are booked for tomorrow.
We're all scramblin' to make the most of our last day. Mike and Warren are busy out at sea filming a dive on the Queen of Nassau with an underwater scooter (sounds cool...is cool, you'll just have to watch the episode to see for yourself); I'm learning to edit and compress videos for those times when Chris Kingston, editor and Man About Town lives up to his M.A.T. title (like last night when he slinked away into the night); and Susan has fulfilled her mandate to sample the fare at the Tower of Pizza (very, very loosely modeled after the Leaning Tower of Pisa).
We've fallen behind, it's true, but are madly editing and will deliver much fun video to behold today...because, well, after today it's all over, and it's off to edit the Sea Hunters' Queen of Nassau episode! Our remote Key Largo high tech editing suite is pictured below. It's been a true sanctuary on this trip.
Posted by livedive at 02:57 PM | Comments (0)
March 02, 2005
Rock da Boat The Sea
Rock da Boat
The Sea Hunters left two hours ago to dive the Queen Of Nassau again. No news is good news, so we can safely assume that they'll be getting in another deep water dive today.
Susan (line producer extraordinaire) and I will be on the dangerous mission of swimming with dolphins for Shipwreck Central. If I don't become dolphin bait, you'll be seeing that footage tomorrow. Note to self; avoid perfumes or lotions that are sardine scented....
Check out our dolphin destination, Dolphins Plus.
Right after that, we'll be cutting yesterdays Aquarius dive together so check back in :)
Posted by livedive at 03:42 PM | Comments (0)
Biting (at) the hand that feeds
Watch as Warren Fletcher fearlessly feeds a 100 pound, 7.5 foot brown shark at Forrest Young's Dynasty Marine. The clash of the titans!
Posted by administrator at 03:25 PM | Comments (0)
Day of Aquarius, Aquuuuuaaaariiiuuuuuuhhhhuuuuussss
Well the much anticipated dive at Aquarius was everything it was cracked up to be.
It was but a quick glimpse into the world's only underwater research facility run as a joint collaboration between NOAA and NURC, but the weather was good to us, the underwater visibility was prime, and everybody involved enjoyed a fab dive.
The Sea Hunters shot a scene, and then I descended with Mike and Warren. The research facility itself is approximately 9 x 40 ft, and can house up to six at a time. As is the case with many man made objects (like shipwrecks!) that find themselves in the sea, this human habitat has evolved into a marine habitat.
In just one quick visit, we saw a green moray, a spotted moray, a goliath grouper (huuuge!), another enormous grouper, countless angelfish and parrotfish and then there's all the stuff I missed...suffice to say it was an awesome experience. But I can't do it justice here, you'll just have to check out the video after we cut it tomorrow!
In the meantime, here's a shot of aquanauts on the six bunk decompressing with pure oxygen...pretty sci fi hmmmm?
And a slideshow of our day, to hold you until we get a chance to post the video later tonight.
Posted by livedive at 02:41 AM | Comments (1)
March 01, 2005
Sorry! Can't Hear You, I've got Water in My Ears
Well that's what you get for diving on the tail end of a flu. But it was well worth it...I've seen many bizarre things in my last two dives.
Firstly, the visit to Jules Underwater Lodge, the only hotel in the world that is exclusively accessible by SCUBA. Yes, you really have to dive 30 feet under water and enter a wet pool before being able to breathe air. God bless America.
You really have to watch the video to really appreciate the splendor of Jules Underwater Lodge. They advertise that you can see out the porthole of your room and watch the fish swim by, but then there were many divers around when I was there, and well they can all see in too can't they? But, Pierre Trudeau stayed there, that's quite an endorsement.
The things I do to entertain you :)
And coming up after I have a little lunch, this morning's big dive to the Aquarius, the world's only underwater research station. That was truly an amazing experience, so stay tuned!
Posted by livedive at 10:05 PM | Comments (0)
Jules Underwater Lodge
Finally, a dive of a hotel worth staying at.
Posted by administrator at 09:43 PM | Comments (0)
Shur it's Funny Til Somebody loses an Eye
This blog thing may look like fun form the outside, but it's actually hard work with long hours (no, we don't want to trade jobs with you, but thanks anyway).
Chris Kingston, man about town (MAT certified), has been laboring over a 12" powberbook editing into the wee hours of the morn, and that can be hard on the eyes. His right eye, in particular, is rather red. He is seen here, soothing it with a common tea bag.
Marc Pike cameraman swears he saw him use that very bag to brew himself some tea moments after this photo was taken....
Posted by livedive at 06:33 PM | Comments (0)
Warren Fletcher: Pro shark wrangler
Hello Shipwreck Central,
Chris here. Christine has just left with the Seahunters to dive Aquarius, the underwater research station. This will be a cool scene in the Seahunters Florida show. Soon we will have the sneak peek footage for you guys.
Today I'm at the ranch editing again, on the list for today is a neat scene of Christine going to the underwater hotel, the Aquarius scene later today and a very special scene we shot yesterday at Forrest Young's Dynasty Marine.
Forrest is a fish hunter who catches the little guys and sells them to aquariums. He's a really cool guy and made for a great interview. This in itself is quite a compliment because over the years of editing the Seahunters i've seen some bad ones. People get nervous, which is understandable or (and this is worse) they believe they are movie stars and tell us what's going to happen. It never goes over well.
Back to my point, we do the Forrest interview and then we go see his fish that he's collected. Lots of cool stuff that I don't know the name of, and then...........
He takes us to this back room with a huge pool. It's dark out and you can hear the quiet sound of the water moving in the pool. And then splash! but a big splash. and then total quiet again. This is the shark tank. "do do" ( hum the theme from Jaws here)
So we've shot this great interview, the guy is cool and now he has sharks,and he says we can feed them to shoot a scene.
Don't mean to burst your bubble on the whole live documentary thing, but really people go out into the world and try to shoot something totally off the cuff, it is tough to do, plus every show out there scouts locations before shooting a scene.
Sorry for the tangents, but these things are important.
Back to the sharks. Forrest gets out a couple of good sized fish, ties them to a string and lets Warren have at 'er. To my disappointment, these were not great whites or any of the others that truly instill fear. It was a brown shark, which may not sound impressive but it was 100 pounds, 7.5 feet long and would have made you scream like a little girl if you were out in the water with one of them.
Warren, showing no sign of concern for his fingers, takes the five inch piece of rope with the fish on it and dangles it in the water. Seconds later the sharks (there are 5 or more in the tank) start circling,and faster than you would have thought possible one of them goes for it, In fractions of a second and with a huge splash, half of the fish is missing and warren still has all his fingers.
That's the other clip I'm working on today. Hopefully it can be posted at some point in the day.
Goodbye until the next cool thing happens.
Your "man about town"
Chris
Posted by livedive at 12:43 PM | Comments (1)
Can anyone help us blog in Singapore/Malaysia?
We interrupt our regular blogramming with an appeal for help from anyone in Singapore/Malaysia. (I read the visitor logs, I know you are out there.) The Sea Hunters next trip is to Singapore and Malaysia in late April/early May. Our plans are to stay on a boat for most of the trip, in water off of Singapore. that makes video blogging difficult.
Can anyone who knows the area help us figure out how we can best connect to Shipwreck Central from there? I'm thinking that a data connection fast enough to upload movies might be difficult, but perhaps we'll be in range of a cell service that would allows us to moblog, using SMS text messaging along with pictures and video taken with the phone. Luckily Singapore seems like a pretty wired place, now how about wireless?
Is there anyone out there who can help us navigate these waters for our next trip? You can use the comment form below, or stop in to our discussion forums and leave us a note there.
(Click "continue reading" below to read all about the HMS “Prince of Wales” & HMS “Repulse”.)
Season V Episode 3. Vessel(s): HMS “Prince of Wales” & HMS “Repulse”
Location: Outside of Singapore in 240 ft of water
History: HMS Prince of Wales, a 35,000-ton King George V class battleship built Birkenhead, England, was completed in March 1941. In late May, while still not fully operational, she was sent into action with the German battleship Bismarck and received significant damage from heavy gunfire. Following repairs, Prince of Wales carried Prime Minister Winston Churchill across the Atlantic to Newfoundland. There, on 9-12 August, Churchill joined U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt for the Atlantic Charter conference, the first meeting between the two English-speaking leaders of what was emerging as the "Grand Alliance" against the Axis powers. Following her return to British waters, Prince of Wales went to the Mediterranean, where she successfully engaged Italian planes off Malta in late September. Sent to the Far East with the battle cruiser HMS Repulse to counter the swiftly developing Japanese threat in the region, she arrived on 2 December 1941. On 8 December, the day of the Pearl Harbor raid on the other side of the International Date Line, the Japanese landed in northern Malaya. Prince of Wales, Repulse and four destroyers were sent to attack the invasion force. After finding no targets, the British ships were returning to Singapore when, late in the morning of 10 December, they were attacked by a strong force of Japanese high-level bombers and torpedo planes. With no friendly planes to protect them, both heavy ships were hit several times. Repulse sank at about 1230. Prince of Wales capsized and followed her to the bottom less than an hour later. They were the first capital ships to be sunk by air attack while operating on the high seas. Their loss further shocked a naval world already stunned by the events at Pearl Harbor only a few days earlier. The sinking of the Prince of Wales and Repulse sent shock waves through the British Admiralty in the same way Pearl Harbor totally disrupted Washington. Inexpensive little planes with cheap little torpedoes where destroying capital ships with near total impunity. The rules of naval warfare were being rewritten and aircraft and the concept of the carrier fleet were moving to the forefront.
The loss the “Prince of Wales” and “Repulse” started a process which rewrote the rules of naval warfare. No longer were “capital” ships, the pride of the British and all other modern navies able to move with impunity over the oceans of the world. Aircraft carriers would soon become the central part of any active fleet and naval battles would now be first fought in the air prior to any direct engagement of enemy fleets. This new style of naval warfare was born in the death throws of “Prince of Wales” and “Repulse”.
Posted by administrator at 11:38 AM | Comments (0)
