Diving into the past

VOLUNTEER DIVERS ARE HELPING UNCOVER WRECKS AND THE UNCOMFORTABLE HISTORICAL STORIES THEY HOLD

Over four centuries, an estimated 12.5 million Africans were enslaved and taken across the Atlantic to the Americas. A perilous journey, thousands of ships never made it. Their stories, and the stories of those on board, are largely erased from history. Until now.

Diving with a Purpose (DWP) is an international organisation which trains certified divers in marine archaeology in an effort to bring the truths buried at the bottom of our oceans to light. It was started by members of the National Association of Black Scuba Divers (NABS) who realised they had a skill that could aid archaeologists. Since 2003, they’ve trained over 500 divers to uncover and document these lost ships.

They’ve documented wrecks such as the slave ship Guerrero which ran aground off the coast of Florida in 1827, as well as vessels from the British Royal Navy, dating to before the abolition of slavery, on the shores of North America, West Africa, and as close to home as the English Channel. It’s extensive work, and time is precious. Changes to the ocean environment, both natural and man-made, can erase vital information, and shipwrecks can be subject to looting. This has led DWP to extend its work from exploring wrecks to marine conservation, educating divers in how to assess the health of the seabed through, for example, examining and recording the state of coral reefs.

For the divers, it can be incredibly emotional work, revealing the stories of people like their own ancestors, who experienced dehumanising conditions during the Atlantic crossing. But the data DWP’s teams collect is a vital resource, uncovering the past, recording what is present, and allowing a rich, and so far largely untold history to be shared for the future.