NEWS From Aqua Quest International

Shark tales a plenty in Sandy's wake

Article Linkage

Thursday, December 6. 2012

By Sherri Ellington

Barnesville’s own sea captain Kelly Garrett has been on plenty of dives while recovering countless items from the bottom of the ocean – sometimes even sand from the bottom of the ocean itself. He has a few shark encounters under his belt, too. A thousand sharks at one time makes for a tall sailor’s tale, but Aqua Quest International, the marine archaeological recovery company for which Garrett works, decided to get the footage to prove what the crew saw.

“They ran us off the wreck and put us right out of business for the trip,” said Garrett. “We’ve dove that wreck before without seeing a single shark. You’re usually lucky to see a shark on the bottom. That was weird to the bone.”

In the wake of Hurricane Sandy the Aqua Quest arrived to check out the cargo it planned to salvage, only to find no one could get into the water.

“I sent Bob down into the water at 9 a.m. Ten minutes later he was up and waving me down. I thought I’d set him down off wreck. The current really rips there,” said Garrett, referring to Capt. Bob Mayne, CEO of Aqua Quest International. Garrett has worked for him off and on for 24 years. “He said there were 1,000 sharks. He caught 10 on his head camera alone.”

Separated from a salvage load of potentially millions of dollars worth of copper ore and having filled the tank with enough fuel “to buy a brand new truck,” said Garrett, the crew spent the day taking footage of ferocious-looking sand tiger sharks, their flotillas of remoras and the occasional barracuda. A friend set some of the footage to music and the crew posted it onto the company Facebook page.

Sand tiger sharks are big and have mouthfuls of sharp teeth that protrude in all directions, jutting out of their mouths, but usually attack humans only when bothered. They gulp air and float until their prey comes along, an unusual thing for sharks. They can be seen lazily floating in the video footage. Only twice does one approach and bump a camera before deciding it was not edible.

“It’s my turn to dive first next time,” said Garrett. “I’m sending a camera down first. They should be gone. There’s not enough bait fish living there to feed them long.”

Remoras are short, thick-set sucking fish. They use a disc on the top of the head to obtain rides and food from other animals.

“When you see the remoras you know there’s a shark around or maybe a sea turtle. The barracudas are always there,” he said.

“They stay in the middle and we just dive through them. The sharks though, they were all the way from the wreck to the top in all directions. We really couldn’t see all of them.”

He said he was unsure if it was the result of Hurricane Sandy or seasonal migration patterns that brought the tiger sharks to the wreck, known variously as the Ringborg, 18 Fathom Wreck and the Ore Wreck.

“We’d been blown in by Hurricane Sandy,” Garrett said. “We were headed in as the HMS Bounty was headed out. It sank. We took the intracoastal back to North Carolina to wait out the storm.”

The Bounty was the replica ship built for the 1962 movie Mutiny on the Bounty and used more recently in Pirates of the Caribbean II. Capt. Robin Walbridge went down with his ship.

Aqua Quest International is an ocean exploration and archaeological recovery corporation headquartered in Tarpon Springs, Fla. It is salvaging a steamship cargo lost in international waters off the East coast of the U.S. The vessel was originally thought to be en route from a Caribbean port to Philadelphia with a cargo of copper ore destined for manufacturing plants in the northeast U.S. It turned out to be the A/S Ringborg, a Norwegian ship of British construction. Originally the Leonis, it was yard number 673, triple expansion engine number 673. It reportedly foundered near Cape Fear, N.C., after springing a leak Oct. 1, 1924, going from Santa Lucia, Cuba, to New York, loaded with sugar cane.

“It was manifested with sugar cane but that was a lie,” said Garrett. “Most of that cargo is copper ore with probably some sugar cane on top. I suspect it was overloaded. If you’re lying about what it held, you’re lying about how much. There’s really no way to tell how much is down there.”

Several engine artifacts have been recovered over several years, each with ‘673’ on them, thus identifying the ship if not the official cargo. It is no secret the cargo is copper and concreted together from its time under water. Garrett has devised what he calls an “oredog,” basically a giant air hammer meant to break up the cargo while not damaging the popular dive spot.

“He’s a jack of all trades, expert diver, welder, boat captain and one of the funniest characters you’ll ever meet,” said Mayne about Garrett. “Boo Boo keeps the crew and guests entertained with his sharp wit and talented guitar playing and singing. He’s truly one in a million.”

According to researcher Danny Campbell, “The Ringborg sank in a 1924 storm 25 miles southeast of Cape Fear while carrying a cargo of sugar and iron ore from Cuba. Pete Manchee and I identified it in January 2007 using numbers stamped on various engine parts and comparing them to the ship building yard numbers.” The Ringborg was owned at the time of her loss by H.M.Wrangell and Company.She had been built in 1903 by William Gray and Company.

Garrett said he doubts the Aqua Quest will be doing any more beach restorations.

After Sandy, the federal government was looking at a $40 million bill just to restore the New Jersey shore. Tough economic times mean little local money for such projects – which are temporary because the next time a storm hits the sand ends up right back where it came from – the bottom of the ocean.

“It’s too expensive to do that any more,” Garrett said. 

‘Deep Sea Salvor Encounters Potentially Deadly Shark Swarm’

Aqua Quest International, Inc.

Tarpon Springs, Florida

Tarpon Springs, Florida, November 2012. Salvaging cargo from a commercial shipwreck in international waters off the Carolina Outer banks, diver Robert Mayne was suddenly surrounded by hundreds of swarming Sand Tiger Sharks. Over the past several months the Research Vessel (RV) Aqua Quest and crew divers have been engaged in the recovery of a cargo of copper ore lost off the capes in 1922.

Captain Robert Mayne has been commercial diving for thirty-five years and has encountered a ‘shark or two’ in his career, but never a school of this size and magnitude. Sand Tigers are considered an over-fished and endangered marine species! Mayne also knew that the Sand Tiger species are potentially dangerous and there have been several dozen unprovoked Sand Tiger attacks in the past.

Mayne stated that ‘he had just entered the water to descend to the shipwreck site at 120 feet when he was surprised by the sharks. ‘I was only down about twenty feet when a nine foot long ‘Sand Tiger’ shark approached me and rolled over as it swam toward my left swim fin. – When you see a potentially dangerous shark of this size, getting that close, your heart rate increases, and you know you better get out of the water.’

Mayne captured his initial shark footage on a ‘GoPro’ underwater camera affixed to the top of his dive mask. ‘I recorded the first approach by the shark and that’s my swim fin in the picture – this was truly a once in a lifetime encounter.’ Mayne’s videos are now running on YouTube and the Aqua Quest International Facebook page as well as the Aqua Quest International web site.

When the curious shark swam off Mayne decided to swim to the bottom and ‘prep’ equipment for the continuing excavation. ‘That was a mistake’ Mayne said, ‘as soon as I reached the bottom I looked around and the lone shark was now part of a growing school of Sand Tigers, then when I look up there were literally hundreds of sharks between me and the Aqua Quest.’ When another shark swam in for a ‘closer look’ Mayne fended off the shark with a swim fin, then decided to abort the dive and head for the surface. As Mayne made his way to the surface he observed that the ‘Sand Tigers’ were feeding on the schools of small fish that inhabit the shipwreck site – ‘My fear now was that one of the feeding sharks would take a bite out of me and ‘chum up’ the water – I wasn’t on the bottom long enough to need a decompression stop – but if I had a serious shark bite, I could possibly ‘bleed out’ before the Coast Guard could get a ‘chopper’ out to get me to a hospital.’

The GoPro footage shows the magnitude of the shark swarm as Mayne picked his way through the sharks to the surface. Back on board the Aqua Quest, Mayne lowered a ‘GoPro’ camera on a cable back into the water to capture more of the shark swarm on video. The four-plus hours of video shows the sharks – estimated at a thousand - swimming and feeding between the Aqua Quest and the shipwreck site. Mayne stated that ‘the sharks were acutely aware of the ‘GoPro’ camera and made countless passes at the camera, rubbing up and bumping the camera but never biting the intruder.

Over four daylight hours and into the night the camera captured the schooling sharks and their unique behavior! The Aqua Quest crew could hear the sharks as they broke the surface and continued to feed and perhaps breed. Captain Mayne believes that the footage will be of interest to Marine Biologists, particularly to the Mote Marine Laboratory shark experts in Sarasota, Florida. Mayne believes that he and his crew observed behavior that may be unique to this shark species; the crew recorded as much information as they could in the time available – in the face of inclement weather in the wake of Hurricane Sandy the Aqua Quest was forced to break off their investigation and head for port in North Carolina. Mayne was particularly impressed with the behavior’ exhibited by the sharks” ‘They behaved almost like dolphins exhibiting ‘breaching behavior’ – coming almost full body, and half jumping out of the water. We believe that this behavior may not have been observed in this magnitude by the ‘Sand Tiger’ species!’

 Underwater Search Expert Rick Horgan Joins Aqua Quest International, Inc. Team as Executive Vice President

Press Release

TARPON SPRINGS, FL – OCT 24, 2012, Aqua Quest International, an ocean exploration and archaeological recovery company, today announced that remote sensing legend Rick Horgan has jointed the team as an Advisor for Remote Sensing.

Rick Horgan owns and operates Sonographics, Inc., a Marine Geophysical Services company specializing in oceanographic surveys and providing side scan- sonar searches and magnetometer surveys. Mr. Horgan is a pioneer in the sonar industry for over 30 years. In addition to performing sonar searches, sub-bottom profiling, side-scan surveys, and magnetometer surveys. Horgan is often contracted by the Navy to search for downed private and commercial airplanes or helicopters. Horgan is best known for finding John Kennedy Jr.'s plane off the coast of Martha's Vineyard, the wreckage of the plane carrying baseball star Roberto Clemente, and locating parts of the space shuttle Challenger.

“We are delighted to have Rick Horgan helping us locate the shipwrecks we salvage, as we believe his professional credentials and experience in this field are second to none,” said Capt. Robert Mayne, President of Aqua Quest International. “With Rick Horgan, we know we will find what we are after.” Mr. Horgan and Captain Mayne have been working together since 1994.

Rick Horgan

Mr. Horgan is a veteran of the U.S. Navy where he began his career distinguished career as a specialist in the use of magnetometers, side-scan sonar, and sub-bottom profiling systems. Following his service in the navy Rick began to perform remote sensing investigations for government agencies, and ocean engineering firms, and founded his own remote-sensing services corporation, Sonnographics Inc., Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Rick has worked in the field with Aqua Quest archaeologist Bob Baer on projects that include the S.S. Copenhagen shipwreck, and the discovery of important sunken cultural resources in the Florida Keys, National Marine Sanctuary in the Kirby’Rose Admiralty Arrest Area. Rick has also located downed satellites for NASA, and sunken ships and aircraft for the United States Navy, and United States Coast Guard. Most recently Rick has worked with Bob Mayne and DR. Robert Baer in the Bimini Islands, Bahamas, carrying out research on a sunken site associated with the famous and enigmatic Bimini Road sunken site.

About Aqua Quest International, Inc.

Aqua Quest International is an ocean exploration and archaeological recovery company headquartered in Tarpon Springs, Florida. Aqua Quest's focus is on archaeological recovery, combining the scientific method of traditional archeology with the bottom line business of shipwreck salvage. Aqua Quest's offices are located at 719 Pent Street, Tarpon Springs, Florida 34689, http://www.aquaquestinternational.com.

Media Contact:

Heidi Gillion

PR Public Relations

Heidi@PR-Publicrelations.info

Dr. Eugene Lyon Joins Board of Directors of Aqua Quest

International, Inc.

Dr. Eugene Lyon, the man whose research located the treasure ship Atocha for Mel Fisher joins the Board of Directors of Aqua Quest International, Inc.

Press Release Company:
Aqua Quest International, Inc.

Press Release Full Text:

TARPON SPRINGS, FL - OCT 15, 2012, Aqua Quest International, an ocean exploration and archaeological recovery company, today announced that Dr. Eugene Lyon has joined the Company on the Board of Directors.

Dr. Eugene Lyon is best known for his research in the Archives of the Indies which enabled Mel Fisher to find the famous sunken treasure ships Nuestra Senora de la Atocha and Santa Margarita.

Dr. Lyon has received the grade of Official of the Order of Isabella from King Juan Carlos of Spain ad the grade of Commendador in the order of Christopher Columbus from the President of the Dominican Republic. The City of St. Augustine has given him its highest honor, the Order of La Florida, and the Florida Historical Society has bestowed upon him the Jillian Prescott Award for lifetime service to Florida History. Dr. Lyon publications include "The Enterprise of Florida" and "The Search for the Atocha." He has written five National Geographic articles, including two cover articles. Dr. Lyon directed the St. Augustine Foundation for 14 years.

"We are honored to have Dr. Lyon guiding us with his experience and the benefit of his unparalleled research," said Aqua Quest President Captain Robert Mayne. "Dr. Lyon is another world leader in archaeological exploration and salvage and he will be invaluable to us."

Eugene Lyon, Ph.D. 

Dr. Gene Lyon is a noted and well respected shipwreck historian and archivist. Dr. Lyon received his Ph.D from the University of Florida and later published his doctoral dissertation on Pedro Menendez de Aviles with the University of Florida Press, entitled, The Enterprise of Florida: Pedro Menendez de Aviles and the Spanish Conquest of 1565-1568. 

About Aqua Quest International, Inc.

Aqua Quest International is an ocean exploration and archaeological recovery company headquartered in Tarpon Springs, Florida. Aqua Quest's focus is on archaeological recovery, combining the scientific method of traditional archeology with the bottom line business of shipwreck salvage. Aqua Quest's offices are located at 719 Pent Street, Tarpon Springs, Florida 34689

Dr. Robert H. Baer Joins Aqua Quest International, Inc. as Director of Archaeology and Cultural Resource

TARPON SPRINGS, FL  (PRBuzz.com) October 11, 2012 -- Aqua Quest International Inc., an ocean exploration and archaeological recovery company today announced that Dr. Robert H. Baer has been appointed Director of Archaeology and Cultural Resources.

At a recent presentation at Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida, Captain Robert Mayne, President of Aqua Quest said: "Working with Dr. Bob Baer, we can be sure that the archaeological methodology used on all of our shipwreck sites will be carried out to the highest standards - and our underwater investigations will be quickly and professionally published." Mayne added, "We are pleased to have Dr. Baer aiding us in our continuing field operations. Bob Baer has excellent professional credentials and experience in this field and has performed archaeological investigations in U.S. and International waters."

Dr. Baer replied, "I cannot emphasize how much I have enjoyed working with the Aqua Quest team on our two current shipwreck projects, and I encourage everyone to follow our progress at the Aqua Quest International web site. When you evaluate the combined credentials and past individual performance of this team, the more you become impressed with the potential of AQI to perform shipwreck exploration - research and archaeological recovery at the highest level."

Dr. Baer is a Registered Professional Archaeologist (RPA). He has authored books, monographs and over 150 cultural resource assessments and archaeological reports. Baer's Florida shipwreck research is documented in two of his recent books; The Last Voyage of the San Miguel de Archangel, and Anomaly 27: The Last Voyage of the S.S. Copenhagen - both available on-line at 'Amazon' - 'Barnes & Noble' - and at the AQI book store.

Bob Baer was educated at the graduate level in Professional Archaeology and Heritage Management at the University of Oxford, UK, and the University of Leicester, UK. He holds an undergraduate diploma in English Local History from Oxford University and an MA in International Studies from the University of Miami, as well as a doctorate in Public Administration from Nova Southeastern University, where he wrote his dissertation on Cultural Resource Management and Public Policy.

Bob Baer has performed archaeological services for Mel Fisher's, Treasure Salvors, Key West, Florida, and Sea Hawk Deep Ocean Research, Tampa, Florida. Bob was the contract archaeologist for the 'Jupiter Historic Shipwreck Project', where he documented the history of the San Miguel de Archangel ship-wreck salvage. For many years Bob worked with Coastal Management and Ocean Engineering Corporations where he performed cultural resource investigations pursuant to beach and shoreline restoration projects.

About Aqua Quest International, Inc.

Aqua Quest International is an ocean exploration and archaeological recovery company headquartered in Tarpon Springs, Florida. Aqua Quest's focus is on archaeological recovery, combining the scientific method of traditional archeology with the bottom line business of shipwreck salvage. Aqua Quest's offices are located at 719 Pent Street, Tarpon Springs, Florida 34689, http://www.AquaQuestInternational.com.

Media Contact:

Heidi Gillion

PR Public Relations

Heidi@PR-Publicrelations.info

Captain Bob Mayne, Skipper of the Aqua Quest

A Personal Message from AQI President

Ladies and Gentleman:

The Aqua Quest Team believes that conventional ‘Treasure Hunting’ is a dysfunctional business model.

While experienced treasure hunters may discover and recover valuables beneath the sea, the history and significance of these cultural resources are often destroyed when standard archaeological guidelines are ignored. Also, the profitability of shipwreck salvage is enhanced when ‘cultural considerations’ - publications, museum, displays and education - are part of corporate philosophy.    

Aqua Quest International has developed a unique business model. We have developed five different profit centers that are designed to protect and enhance archaeological heritage, yet generate economic reward, the foundation of our ‘free market’ economy:

First, we will salvage modern cargo ships. We are presently working on a shipwreck in 118 feet of water lost in the early twentieth century while transporting a cargo of high grade copper ore. We believe that there may be 4,000 tons of ore with a current market value of $1,300 per ton. We have recovered around 8,000 pounds and have filed a Federal Admiralty claim on the site. We have also located several other valuable shipwreck sites.

Second, we intend to research and film the history of these ship-wrecks for the purpose of producing documentary films. We have a combined list of about twenty, ‘Age of Steam’ shipwrecks, as well as shipwrecks from the ‘Age of Sail’. Also, in keeping with our dedication to historic preservation, archaeologist, Dr. Robert Baer will produce a monograph or book that will document the archaeology and history of each site.  

Third, we will conduct educational programs and sponsor programs in cultural tourism. Dr. Baer and our remote sensing specialist Mr. Rick Horgan will conduct archaeological field schools that will take students into the ‘field environment’ where they will learn the basic principles of underwater archaeology, artifact conservation, and principles of remote sensing. Field courses will also be offered for qualified divers as a ‘cultural tourism’ program.

Fourth, we support and encourage education. We have formed a cooperative alliance with Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) in Melbourne, Florida. Aqua Quest personnel and instructors from FIT's Ocean Engineering Program will deploy and test student designed and operated remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) on board the RV Aqua Quest. Aqua Quest International has been approached to design and teach an advanced ‘archaeological diver’ course to graduate commercial divers.

Fifth, we will develop museum displays for both ‘private’ and ‘public’ sector clients. We are now finalizing an agreement with the Government of The Republic of Honduras to locate and excavate shipwrecks in Trujillo Bay, Honduras. The law in Honduras does not allow private ownership of historic artifacts; however they will allow AQI to retain 75% of excavated artifacts for museum and to be used in the production of documentary films. A Tarpon Springs ship-builder has constructed a replica ‘Galleon’ that is currently being used in the ‘cultural tourism’ industry. AQI and a team of investors have commissioned blueprints, from the Florida based ship-builder, for a 120-foot replica Galleon designed as a traveling museum under joint sponsorship of Aqua Quest and Honduran Cultural Agencies.

The five AQI profit centers are designed to enhance and complement our corporate philosophy and goals. We have a ‘world class team’ and I believe we will revolutionize Historic Shipwreck Salvage.

Very truly yours,

John Lux, investment management consultant for Aqua Quest International is interviewed by Opportunist magazine

Dateline: 9/26/2012

Securities attorney John Lux talks with the Opportunist’s Managing Editor Leslie Stone about his career, the fundamentals of finding undervalued stocks and why he believes small businesses just might revive the U.S. economy.

Dr. Robert Baer to Talk on Underwater Archaeology

Dr. Robert Baer, Registered Professional Archaeologist, talks on Underwater Archaeology - Application to Ocean Engineering and Coastal Zone Management on Wednesday, September 26,



Press Release Full Text:

Dr. Robert Baer,  Registered Professional Archeologist, will talk on Underwater Archeology -  Application to Ocean Engineering and Coastal Zone Management Wednesday, September 26, 2012 .

Dr. Baer's talk is presented by the Florida Institute of Technology, College of Engineering and is part of the Weekly Seminar Series of the Department of Marine  & Environmental Systems. The talk will be given from 4:00 to 5:00 PM at the Evans Library Pavilion Auditorium, Room P-133.

Dr. Baer is Director of Archeology for Aqua Quest International, Inc. (www.aquaquestinternational.com) a Florida-based firm that specializes in the archeological investigation and recovery of shipwreck cargos. He was educated at the graduate level at the University of Oxford and University of Leicester, U.K. He also holds a Doctorate in Public Administration from Nova Southeastern University.  Dr. Baer has authored numerous books on maritime archeology and participated in over 200 archeological projects in the last 10 years. 

For public release - 9/15/2012

Aqua Quest International Inc.

Aqua Quest International Inc., (AQI) is a Tarpon Springs Florida based Ocean Exploration and Archaeological Recovery Corporation. AQI has been incorporated as a general ‘marine resources’ firm for twenty years, but is now solely dedicated to the archaeological salvage-recovery of shipwrecks from the ‘Age of Sail, and ‘Age of Steam’.

Aqua Quest is presently salvaging two early twentieth century steam ships with valuable cargos - estimated value to be between 6 - 10 million dollars.  One of these current projects is the salvage of a copper-ore cargo with an estimated value of 3 to 5 million dollars. Aqua Quest is also engaged in the excavation of what is believed to be a seventeenth century shipwreck in the area of the Marquesas Keys, southwest of Key West, Florida. This site has yielded two seventeenth century type anchors, coins, cannon balls and ships ballast.

Aqua Quest is working, and has worked internationally in the Dominican Republic; Republic of Honduras; and the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. Aqua Quest is capable of working in the SCUBA accessible waters of the Continental Shelf, as well as deeper waters utilizing saturation diving, and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs).

The Aqua Quest Team has accumulated years of successful shipwreck investigation and archaeological recovery experience. Captain Robert Mayne, the President of the corporation, and Master of the vessel RV Aqua Quest has over twenty years of ocean salvage experience, in general marine contracting, as well as historic shipwreck recovery. Dr. Robert H. Baer, the Director of Archaeological Operations, has over twenty-five years of experience in historic shipwreck recovery, and holds graduate degrees in Archaeology from the University of Oxford, UK, and the University of Leicester, UK. He is the author of a number of books documenting the archaeological recovery of historic shipwrecks. His latest shipwreck study was titled ‘The Last Voyage of the San Miguel de Archangel, a Spanish (1659) shipwreck discovered near Jupiter Inlet, Florida in 1987. Mr. Rick Horgan is an internationally recognized expert in remote sensing techniques (proton magnetometer - side scan sonar - and sub bottom profile systems) and has located shipwreck and downed aircraft targets for private sector firms and government agencies such as NASA. Dr. Eugene Lyon is a noted shipwreck historian and archivist who has researched extensively in the Archives of the Indies in Seville, Spain. Gene Lyon is credited with guiding the legendary treasure hunter Mel Fisher to the Spanish shipwrecks, Atocha and Santa Margarita. This search and treasure recovery was documented in Lyon’s well respected book, ‘The Search for the Atocha.’

Aqua Quest International is one of just a few companies engaged in Archaeological Recovery of historic shipwrecks. This means that AQI will utilize standard archeological techniques to recover shipwreck cargos from all shipwrecks selected for salvage. All shipwreck investigations will be described in appropriate length publications, and when appropriate, documentary films. Aqua Quest is currently involved in the production of a film and monograph documenting an important cultural discovery in Bahamian waters. Aqua Quest has formed an association with the Ocean Engineering Program at Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Florida, and will be training graduate students in remote sensing techniques and underwater archaeology. Another association has been made with Minelab Americas, an Illinois company that manufactures high-tech metal detecting equipment. Aqua Quest has been chosen to test Minelab technology in the field environment.

The business plan is clear for Aqua Quest International. Seventy percent of the world is covered by water! It is estimated that three thousand years of seafaring has deposited gold, silver, and cultural treasures, in the world’s seas and oceans, the value of which might exceed the total value of the world’s currencies as they exist today. Shipwreck resources are considered non-renewable cultural resources, and an emerging body of laws and regulations have been passed that protect these resources from indiscriminate salvage. Aqua Quest International acquires Admiralty Arrest protection in appropriate legal venues and works closely with other international governments, agencies and organizations. When a foreign government lays claim to an historic shipwreck, Aqua Quest International will negotiate a fair and equitable share of recovery costs against the value of a cargo. It has been proven by a few pioneering underwater exploration corporations that shipwreck investigations utilizing principles of archaeological recovery and free-market profit are compatible, and that publications, films and museum displays of historic artifacts enhance the profitability of these projects.  

Aqua Quest International Contact Information

Information on shipwrecks and current projects: Dr. Robert Baer (954) 560-6417 and E-mail: robertbaer@comcast.net

Information on investment in Aqua Quest International contact AQI Securities Attorney, Mr. John Lux: 727-656-5504 and E-mail: lux.investor@gmail.com

         The FKNMS Boundary Map fo Kirby Rose

An Aqua Quest diver on deck with recovered cannon ball

Filed, AP, UPS - 6/12/2012

Captain Robert Mayne, CEO of Aqua Quest International is pleased to announce the signing of a contract, with Mr. Kenny Rose, the Lease Holder of the Kirby Shipwreck Site located in the Marquesas Keys area, southwest of Key West, in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS). The site was awarded to Mr. Rose and Mr. Kirby, (now deceased) by the U.S. Federal Court through an Admiralty Action. The awarding of the site to Kirby and Rose predates the establishment of the (FKNMS); however the Kirby/Rose Group has always chosen to work closely with sanctuary officials. Rose says, ‘It makes our work easier, and we share all of our discoveries with our sanctuary partners, and follow standard archaeological guidelines’. The project archaeologist, Dr. Robert Baer has recently joined Aqua Quest as a consultant and spokesperson. Previous to the formation of Aqua Quest, Mayne and Baer worked together along the north coast of the Dominican Republic for a Dominican based group – North Caribbean Research. Baer says that Captain Mayne was ‘instrumental in the locating and recovering of experimental eighteenth century artillery pieces that now reside in Dominican cultural centers’. During the 2012 salvage season Aqua Quest divers will investigate what the team’s remote sensing specialist Mr. Rick Horgan has identified as a large portion of an historical period shipwreck in 50 feet of water. Preliminary lab results confirm Mr. Horgans sub-bottom profile investigation of the site. Dr. Baer agrees with Horgan that the sub-bottom profile data ‘speaks shipwreck’ as does an analysis of ‘toredo crust’ that covers the site – ‘toredo crust’ marks the remains of wood boring shipworms that devoured wooden hulled sailing ships. Captain Mayne, in a short interview stated that ‘All the indicators are there - the Kirby site holds as much potential as any site that I have ever seen’.

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