Thursday, May 19, 2011

7th - 8th May - Part 1 Certificate in Foreshore & Underwater Archaeology

After a couple of months without any courses the start of May was a chance to get back into the NAS training programme with a trip down to Vobster Quay in Somerset.

The weekend was for a select group of just six trainees which included several familiar faces from the Intro course in January as well as a opportunity for some of the trainee tutors we met at the same event event to try out their skills with support from some of the more experienced tutors. We were in Dave Johnston, Matt Cass and Richard Rowley's hands for the next two days. It was also a chance to meet the new NAS training officer, Rachel Quirk and renew acquaintances with Mary.

An early planned start had a us battling the queues to get in for 8:30am but at least the sun was out.

The Saturday morning gave us a chance to learn about project logistics and safety as well as search methods - you can't survey a site if you can't find it! We also got the chance to consider a case study.

The afternoon was back into survey methods, revising the techniques for 2 dimensional survey and seeing what would need to be changed for conversion into a 3D survey. Luckily the sun was still shining so we got to practice outside.

After the obligatory dive brief it was on with our scuba gear and into the water to get our first look at our wreck site to be surveyed. In order to help us prepare our detailed survey plan for the Sunday we all were tasked to sketch the site, no easy task underwater with neoprene gloves on, especially if your graphic skills are on a par with mine!


Then came the difficult bit, planning for the next day - fortunately we could do that down the pub in the congenial setting of the bar of George Hotel in Frome. After a lot of discussion and scaling back of our overly ambitious initial plans after input from the tutors we had what appeared to be a workable proposition to try out the next day.

The Sunday was equally sunny though a little colder and it was back in classroom for a session on what to do with archaeological finds and then a chance to refine our plans from the night before and present them to our tutors.

Following a few more amendments to take account of new observations we were ready to get wet.

With six trainees we went in three waves Dave and Phaz to set the control points, Denise and Terry to measure them and Brian and myself to determine the detail point measurements. Dave and Phaz were also our back up for any second dive that was needed.

Due to good planning, quick execution and luck we managed to get all the necessary data ready to plot it in the afternoon.

The afternoon saw us saw trying out Site Recorder the preferred computer based survey recording tool of the NAS and here we saw just how important accurate measurements were with just one incorrect distance throwing off our painstakingly constructed picture of the site. Once the problem was identified however it started to fit together.

The final session of the day was on post fieldwork activity and publishing our findings to the wider world. Then back home through the newly arrived driving rain.

Again a great course and highly recommended to all.

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