The Far Side Of The World
A Trip Report of the NAS International Expedition to
Argentina by Clive Field
At the NAS conference of 2003, Dr
Dolores Elkin of the National Institute of Anthropology,
Argentina, gave us all a fascinating talk about HMS Swift,
a British sloop of war, that had sank in Argentine waters in
1770. At the conference, she kindly invited NAS members to
participate in the next season's survey work. The expedition took
place in the last 2 weeks of November 2004.
The History
HMS Swift was a British sloop of war, that sank, with
the loss of three lives, on the 13th March 1770 at Puerto
Deseado, Patagonia in Southern Argentina. She was armed with 14
six pounder guns and had a crew of about 90 men.
She was based at the Falkland Islands/Islas Malvinas and was
on a cartography voyage, when she hit a large submerged rock at
the mouth of Puerto Deseado estuary in bad weather and started to
take on water. She entered the estuary for safety and to pump the
ship out and hit another submerged rock within the current
harbour area and sank.
The Wreck
Discovered in 1982 by local divers, she now lies 50 m from the
shore, near to the large fishing fleet in Puerto Deseado. She is
lying on her port side at an angle of about 60-degrees, with her
stern in about 20-m of water, while her bow is in about 10 m of
water. She is in one piece and it about 2/3 intact, with many
exposed beams, making her spatially, a very three-dimensional
wreck.
On the site, many of the timbers can be seen, as well as many
of her cannon, her capstan and 2 anchors. Many small artefacts
have been raised and conserved and can be seen in the local
museum, which was our expedition base for the diving
operations.
The Team
This being an invitation of a lifetime, the other members and
myself jumped at the chance to dive on such a well-preserved and
important shipwreck. For the whole team and myself I would like
to thank Dolores for her vision inviting NAS to dive the
site.
The members of the team, 18 strong included NAS tutors,
archaeologists and divers from all around the world. The true
international mix of members included 8 from the UK, 4 from
Argentina, 2 from Australia, 1 from Colombia, 1 from Switzerland,
1 from Canada and 1 from Ireland. Institutes participating
included the National Institute of Anthropology, Argentina, The
Western Australia Maritime Museum and Parks Canada Archaeological
Services.
Argentina
The whole team met up in the Argentina capital of Buenos
Aires, a few not with their bags! We all jetted in on different
days and flights and this must have been an organiser's
nightmare. But thanks to Dolores, we all arrived safely at the
wreck site in spite of numerous flights, coaches, hotel's, all
about a 48 hrs of travelling, after leaving home. This is
definitely not for the novice traveller.
The trip being based in a non-English speaking country
(Spanish) did throw up a few problems, but the friendly easy
going nature of our hosts got us over these few problems. Well
done to Pancho who had to suffer my hand gestures and " pidgin
Spanish" whilst fixing the compressor!
Why we were there
The survey work to be carried out was mainly in the bow area
and the measured data needed to be inputted into "Site Surveyor".
We managed in difficult conditions a total of about 200
measurements.
The challenging dive conditions included low visibility
(average was 1m) and strong currents being an estuary. You don't
as such see the wreck as feel it and the low vis diving is not
for the faint hearted. The UK the diving would have been
cancelled, due to poor visibility; here in Argentina, we were
there to do a job of work. One comment about the conditions from
a team member was "This is not underwater archaeology. This is a
survival course!"
Also carried out were drawings of the bow area, an identity
survey of loose ship timbers and finally the raising of a plate,
in need of rescue - due to being uncovered and therefore at risk
of breakage.
Marc-Andre Bernier, our Canadian team member introduced us all
to an anchor project that he and other Canadian maritime
archaeologist have been working on and we went around Puerto
Deseado looking at and measuring anchors (you do such strange
things when you away from home).
Not all work
The trip included many activities of the non-archaeological
type. These included wildlife trips to see dolphins, sea lions,
penguins and other sea birds. Also we did sea kayaking, walking,
4x4 treks (thanks to Marcos Oliva Day), lectures at the local
library and meals out.
While the rest of the party (including yours truly) flew back
to Buenos Aires from Comodoro Rivadavia, a small group travelled
by bus to the prosperous coastal town of Puerto Madryn, the
gateway to the Peninsula Valdes.
Here before heading north for Buenos Aires and home, they
spent a few further days having close encounters with southern
right whales, seeing guanacos and rhea (relatives of camels and emus)
and diving on a purposely-sunk wreck (and being able to see
it!).
A little advice for those contemplating a visit to Argentina.
It must be the biggest meat-eating country in the world - steaks
to die for and they're very cheap, but if you're a vegetarian you
will struggle (ask Karin!). The wine was also great value and
better than the cheaper French wines found over here.
The Future
I do hope future trips don't turn into rescue expeditions, as
the shipping and development within the area of the Puerto
Deseado harbour are potentially threatening the wreck by
stripping away it's protective layer of silt thus exposing its
artefacts.
HMS Swift must rank along side the Mary Rose and the
Batavia as one of the most important and best preserved
archaeological sites in the world. Not only is it important on a
global scale, but it is the birthplace of Argentine marine
archaeology.
Will I be going back? If invited, damm right I will. This
isn't any old wreck. Where else can you dive on a wooden British
shipwreck of this period in such superb condition.
Also a big thank you to the team members, who were passionate,
friendly, committed and just about the nicest people you could
wish to meet anywhere. To them, thank you all and keep it
touch.
The End
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