Hey everyone. If you’ve found this you might have heard an interview with Kieran Hosty our team leader. Or maybe saw an article in the newspaper. Welcome to our project. This is actually the second trip to Frederick Reef for the ANMM. Nigel Erskine and I did a reconnaissance trip in October 2010 with Silentworld Foundation. Here are a couple of images from that trip.
Paul and Nigel at work. Looking for remains.
We found a number of areas that had ship material scattered on the reef. This project will go back to those areas for a closer look, as well as do a magnetometer survey around the entire southern reef system.
We are looking for the remains of the Royal Charlotte, convict ship that wrecked in 1825. Here is an image of the Borrowdale, another convict transport. It is a bit smaller and older than the Royal Charlotte, but it will give an idea of what it looked like. You can read a brief history here.
We are currently sitting in Brisbane airport waiting for our flight to Gladstone where we are meeting the rest of the team and the two boats. We will be on the Kanimbla. The other part of the team will be on Silentworld II, which is part of the Silentworld Foundation.
I know this is short, but I wanted to get something out to you quickly…. and we need to board our flight now!
We will write again tonight once we know when we will be leaving port. Stay tuned! We will be sending posts back regularly…. with images and video clips too!!
Cheers Paul Hundley (Sr. Curator and archaeologist)