Shakedown & Drills

We’re away! The first dives of the expedition took place in Antikythera yesterday, with all of the team doing shakedown dives and practising drills. It’s important to test equipment in a more controlled environment than on the Antikythera shipwreck, before underwater archaeology can begin. Working at depths greater than 50 metres is serious business, so operating safely is paramount.

The next step will be for lead divers to set up moorings and lower dredging equipment near the wreck, which is expected to take place tomorrow and Tuesday, subject to weather. Everything’s going to plan, and as you can see from the web journal so far, a lot of preparation is required before excavating can begin.

Pre-dive checks
Pre-dive checks
Heading out for a shakedown dive
Heading out for a shakedown dive
Archaeologists practising drills
Archaeologists practising drills
Making sure equipment is functioning as expected
Making sure equipment is functioning as expected
Rehearsing boat procedures
Rehearsing boat procedures

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