With our first dive just a few days away, and a flurry of activity just behind us, this seems like a good opportunity to reflect on what we have accomplished, and take a look towards what we can expect in the near future.

Wrecksploration was originally conceived to realize the adventure of new shipwreck exploration. Getting the organization off the ground has been an adventure in itself. Our first meeting was a huge success. Almost a hundred people packed the Nassau University Medical Center’s amphitheater to find out what Wrecksploration is all about. So many people from all over the state, from different walks of life, meeting to share their excitement for shipwreck exploration, all came together to support this event. Captain Dan Berg, in his engaging and entertaining style, showed us the rich history of discovery that has resulted from explorations in past years, resulting in the knowledge of most of the wrecks we dive today. His images and videos brought history to life, as we watched wreck after wreck give up her secrets, while others keep theirs well hidden. He enlightened us as to the process of exploration and discovery, suggested possibilities for our initial explorations, and gave us the wisdom that only years of experience through success and failure can teach. Most of all, he showed us the possibilities for what we can accomplish, if we focus our efforts towards achieving our goals. Everyone who attended the meeting left with a renewed sense of excitement towards shipwreck exploration.

The energy was palpable, and contagious. Membership was growing, and we were getting emails and phone calls daily. Everybody wanted in for the first dive, even though all we had was a date, and no idea what boat, depth, or cost. Then, just as the momentum started to wane, Newsday published an article about Wrecksploration and our goals, and we were launched into the fray once again. Everyone we talked to was buzzing with excitement. We have way exceeded our initial expectations, and quite frankly, I am somewhat shocked. I expected to have a tough time finding people who were willing to commit to the idea in the first place.

You see, exploration diving is nothing new. In the 70s, 80s and 90s, any local wreck diver would have jumped at the chance to dive a new set of numbers. Captains would routinely run exploration trips or investigate targets on the way to or from another site, and if promising, would drop a diver in to take a look. In more recent years, though, it seemed to me that fewer divers were interested in exploration. Most of the open exploration charters that the dive boat Captains would offer wouldn’t fill, and would get diverted to a popular site that filled the boat with paying customers. Instead, many Captains had to finance their exploration trips out of their own pockets, or work them in between dives or on the way to other dives, so exploration continued, but at a much slower pace. Although I didn’t understand the reason, it seemed to me as if exploration didn’t excite other divers the way it does me, that the sport had changed somehow. Gone were the adventurous days when divers who would do anything to dive on a virgin wreck, where the opportunity to bag up on artifacts was ripe, where the lobster had never been hunted, and where the opportunities for discovery were wide open. It seemed to me as if the modern day diver was less interested in the wreck, than in the accomplishment of diving it, that wreck diving was becoming more about a test of skill than an opportunity for discovery.

I’m quite happy to say that I was wrong. (My wife will claim that it was a long time coming.) The response we have received has overwhelmingly shown us, if nothing else, that the spirit of exploration is alive and well. There are divers out there who realize that we need to invest our time and effort if we hope to keep the sport of wreck diving alive, and that one of the best ways to do that is through exploration. By not only expanding our diving opportunities to include new wrecks, but including wreck divers in the process itself, the sport is enriched and infused with the excitement and exhilaration that accompanies the possibility of discovery. There are only a few unexplored frontiers in our world, and one of the richest is right at our doorstep, with adventure and discovery there for the taking. To me, exploration is the epitome of diving, and by starting Wrecksploration, I hoped to find a few like minded divers to go exploring with. Well, I happy to say that I found much more than I bargained for.

The momentum that has brought us this far is pushing us even farther. In the coming weeks, you will see more Wrecksploration projects beginning, including the first research team meeting, our first newsletter, and an interesting spin on the concept of shipwreck exploration that should serve to get many more people in the water diving on shipwrecks. These initiatives are designed to get people interested and involved in actual exploration projects, at a variety of levels. We are still working out the final details, so keep tuned in because the announcements will be coming shortly.

On behalf of all the Wrecksploration officers. I'd like to thank you for your continued support of Wrecksploration.

Adam Altman
President, Wrecksploration Divers Inc.