Maritime Archaeological Certification
Maritime Archaeology with Blue Octopus Scuba
The purpose of the PADI Maritime Archaeology Distinctive Specialty course is to familiarize the diver with skills, knowledge, organization, procedures, techniques, problems, hazards and enjoyment of Maritime Archaeology. The course is intended to serve as a controlled supervised introduction to Maritime Archaeology.
Availability: Contact us for booking information
The goals of the PADI Introduction to Maritime Archaeology course are:
- Understand what is Underwater Archaeology and its associated techniques.
- Determine Site Types.
- Understand Archaeological Dating Methods.
- Understand the Laws relating to Underwater and Foreshore finds.
- Understand 2D and Site Survey techniques.
- Demonstrate techniques for drawing a site plan.
- Demonstrate the five basic survey methods.
- Demonstrate the techniques for discovering, finding and marking submerged sites.
- Demonstrate how to properly map a wreck site.
- Demonstrate how to transfer measured data to the archaeological project site draft.
- Understand the importance of team training and sharing information with teammates.
- Perform as a member of a working diver archaeological team.
The Archaeological diver's job is to collect and report information, not to reach conclusions about a site, and certainly not to move or disturb anything. For reconnaissance purposes artifacts should never be moved, disturbed, or recovered. After reviewing the reconnaissance report the SHPO will decide whether to conduct further investigation, which might or might not include site disturbance under professional supervision.
Student Diver Prerequisites:
By the start of the course, a diver must be:
- Certified as a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver or PADI Open Water Diver with the following specialties: Deep, Navigation and Wreck or have a qualifying certifications from another training organization.
- Be at least 18 years of age.
Equipment requirements:
The student must bring the following to the class:
Textbook:
Underwater Archaeology: The NAS Guide to Principles and Practice 2nd Edition, by Nautical Archaeology Society (NAS) (Author), Amanda Bowens (Editor)
Standard equipment and supplies:
- Buoyancy Compensator Device (BCD)
- Regulator/s (w/octopus or Air 2 source)
- 2 Air Cylinders
- Weights with weight belt
- Gear Bag
- Mask
- Fins
- Snorkel (optional)
- Wet Suit (with chafing gear, see below)
- Dry Suit (optional: weather/student dependent)
- Dive Boots
- Dive Knife and/or cutting tools
- Underwater Watch or independent timing device
- Gloves
Specialty equipment and supplies:
- Spare parts kit
- Extra weights in small increments for student trim
- Knife and EMT type shears
- Primary dive light with a backup light
- Jon line
- Wreck Reel
- Buoy
- Slate w/pencils and translucent Mylar sheets
- Folding ruler
- 50 or 100 foot measuring tape
About your instructor:
Greg Jolley is a dedicated diver for over 35 years and currently serves as Dive Safety Officer (DSO) for the Institute of Maritime History (IMH). He also is a Regional Training Director for the Sea Research Society and is a research/scientific diver with Cambrian Foundation. Greg has located and identified objects of significant historical importance in the Potomac River including Revolutionary War sites, War of 1812, Civil War and WW1 sites. The mapping and identifying of these WW1 sites resulted in the Wide Water ships being listed on the National Registry of Historic places and a seven square mile area of the Potomac River becoming a National Marine Sanctuary as the largest ship’s graveyard in North America. Greg is an engineer and salvage master-diver and has also participated in several recovery projects including the archeological mapping project of the CSS Hunley recovery, a recovery of an F/A 18 Jet Aircraft, several HAZMAT response to burning vessels, and performed an in water repair of a Coast Guard Cutter. He is a certified Police Diver for over 19 years and a Police Diver Instructor for over 12 years and also serves on the National Training Team for the National Academy of Police Divers. Greg is a SCUBA instructor for over 19 years and has designed and taught a multitude of unique and specialty courses.
