Latest Opportunities from Jobs in Maritime – Nautical Archaeology Society –

Latest Opportunities from Jobs in Maritime – Nautical Archaeology Society – Protecting our maritime past for the future – Feb 2019

Out of these, only 75 are currently protected under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973; protecting a restricted area around the wreck from uncontrolled interference.

Modern development practices, such as dredging or gravel extraction, can be naturally damaging to the seabed, which means that certain zones need to be safeguarded.

Even when protected, these wrecks are still prone to erosion, corrosion and decomposition, erasing parts of our history with them.

The Nautical Archaeology Society is an international charity that has been engaging members of the public in the awareness of the world’s nautical heritage through education, training, research and publication since 1986.

We believe that now, more than ever, there is a need to preserve nautical heritage in the UK due to reduced government funding, and increased threats to our heritage from both natural and human actions.

We aim to involve everyone in our mission to Protect, Record and Research all forms of nautical heritage whilst maintaining the highest ethical standards, through three core areas of activity:

International Training Partner Tutor Training
Start: 11 April 2019

Photogrammetry of Archaeological Finds
Start: 18 May 2019

Holland No.5 and Normans’ Bay Protected Wrecks Day
Start: 24 June 2019

Historic Wooden Boat and Ship Construction
Start: 12 October 2019

Hidden at the bottom of the Thames Estuary, lies the wreck of a 17th century warship, The London. Mentioned in Samuel Pepys Diary, this ill-fated ship was fully laden with supplies and ready to embark for battle in the Second Anglo-Dutch War, but as families climbed aboard to see their loved ones off she suddenly, and tragically, exploded.

Located just off the main shipping channel in the Thames The London is designated under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973 restricting the area around the wreck from uncontrolled interference. However, strong tides and the constant turbulence from shipping is now rapidly destroying this site and the many irreplaceable artefacts.

Similarly to the Mary Rose, wrecks like The London can hold valuable artefacts and information about the ship, and the lives of the sailors and passengers; providing a unique time capsule of society at that time. Unbelievably, all the incredible recovery work currently being undertaken on the London is by a small team of experienced local divers, funded solely through their own efforts and the support of organisations like NAS. These artefacts are being exhibited for public display in Southend Museum. Without raising further funds to expand these activities now, the artefacts aboard this historic wreck will disappear within the next few years. That is why ‘The London’ has been adopted into the NAS fundraising appeal: ‘Help Us Save The London‘

For more information about the London, read the full article written by NAS CEO Mark Beattie-Edwards on our website here.

If you’d like to learn more about The London and its importance, we would like to invite you to come and meet the team braving the treacherous waters to dive the London, as well as NAS CEO Mark at Southend-on-Sea at his talk ‘Protecting the London’.

The talk will take place on March 28th 2019 – 19:00 to 20:30 GMT Tickets cost £10, and can be booked here

As well as offering a multitude of events and courses across the UK and the world, we also advocate and fundraise for prominent archaeological causes, such as supporting The London Shipwreck Trust trying to save The London.

Strong Global Partnerships

The National Archaeology Society is a UK based charity with strong links to other organisations around the world who work together collectively to promote the cause on a global scale.

Current knowledge reflects only a fraction of what lies beneath the waves. It is vital that new discoveries are fully recorded and assessed so that our rich marine heritage is managed appropriately for future generations to enjoy. We are delighted to be members of UK’s maritime business engagement group, National Maritime. Together we are working to protect our past for the future.