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These photos were taken during July and August 1997 as
the excavation team continued with their work on the site.
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Nautilus
, the University of West Florida's new working platform
is on site and operational. To the right of the deckhouse are the diving
platform and divers' dressing station. At the opposite end of the platform,
to the left of the deckhouse, are two screening stations for sorting shell
from the excavation pumps' discharge and the artifact processing table.
Below deck are three watertight holds for overnight storage of equipment
and supplies.
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Each morning the excavation team is ferried to
Nautilus
from
a marina near to the field headquarters in the historical district. Normally
on site by 8 a.m., the team breaks out diving gear and excavation machinery
to begin the day's work.
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Divers are supplied with air from two compressors at separate diving
stations near the screens. As they descend to the site below, tenders reel
out air hoses and start the suction dredge pumps.
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Two of these circle jet units are mounted on Nautilus. Supplied
with high pressure water from small pumps, a circular venturi effect in
the jet housing creates suction through the flexible hose. Divers excavating
by hand with trowels and brushes use this suction to remove sand and shell
from their workplace. The discharge is screened through two sets of successively
smaller screens, then sorted by hand.
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Excavation of the bow area was completed in March 1998 and the site was reburied. Conservation and analysis of artifacts is continuing and reports of the work will be published in due time.
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