‘The survey has revealed an enormous submerged landscape with the remains of at least two major ancient settlements within a part of the Nile delta that was crisscrossed with natural and artificial waterways,’ said Dr Damian Robinson, Director of the Oxford Centre for Maritime Archaeology.

BBC News recently posted an interview with Underwater Archaeologist Franck Goddio about how his passion for missing elements of history  led to him  Discovering Cleopatra's Palace. 

In the Interview Goddio talks about the planned and much anticipated underwater museum near the site of the New   Library of Alexandria. there is a link to the interview here.

After another successful set of excavations by Underwater Archaeologist Franck Goddio's Team, the season has finished, and I've boarded a plane for Key West Florida, my home base. But I have a feeling I wont be there long. I got an email from an old friend inviting me to participate in a new adventure very soon, and just the kind I like. Any Guesses?

If you notice a somber, greyish tone to these photos of empty, sparsely populated landscapes, you have accurately perceived the ambiance on board as our underwater archaeological mission comes to an end. It will take at least 7 days for the ship to reach Malta. Hopefully these dark skies are not an indicator of a slow trip home for all of us.

WHile we have a large, comfortable ship to stay aboard during our  underwater archaeological excavations in Egypt, the little boats that we use to get around from site to site, and to carry our gear, have to be manned at night, which can be a lonely and lumpy evening.

Gaber here is waving goodnight, probably hoping somebody while ferry him over a cup of hot tea and a biscuit. 

Ok fine, Ill do it.

This Question comes from a student at the school in Lancaster, Pennsylvania that I recently spoke with from Alexandria.
At any given time aboard ship you can find a number of nationalities and languages represented. I just took an inventory and at this very moment we have the following;
8 French
3 English
3 Egyptians
1 Russian
1 Cuban
1 German
1 Maltese
A Pole
A Czech
                                                                 A Spaniard
Plus myself and 1 “Other” (who defies nationality and speaks 8 languages with an inscrutable accent) 

The principal language of the team is French, and  all meetings, reports, and etc related to the underwater archaeological work go on in French. 70%

English is the default language for communicating outside of ones mother tongue, however, Spanish is a close 3rd. Because we often work in Cuba, several of the french team members speak Spanish with a Cuban accent, which the Catalan  find very amusing,  and Arabic words are often mixed in with any conversation. The inevitable babel that ensues in any animated conversation seems unprintable, both literally and figuratively.

But don’t forget that when we are underwater, its sign language for everyone!

The question above popped into my mailbox the other day, and since I am currently onboard ship, diving on sunken cities, I'm in a good position to answer it

While on board ship we work every day of the week, providing that the sea isn’t too rough. Putting an ex on that date on the calendar marks the passage of time, but doesn’t really help tell one day from the one before., and after a while, all the days seem to run together.

 Over the years the following traditions have developed and they help to remind me what day of the week it is.

Tuesday Night;  Dinner in the Officer’s Mess, by special invitation of the Captain…

Karin sent me a couple of good questions after my last post, so here is my response;

It is a great pleasure for those of us on Franck Goddios team to perform Underwater Archaeological Surveys and Excavations in a beautiful and life-filled ocean environment, and we work hard to keep it that way.


I appreciate your concern for the denizens of the briny deep, and your worry that our work might cause them harm. Here are a few details that might put you more at ease...

A final evening in Alexandria's Eastern Port offered the opportunity of a stroll in town, and one of my favorite meals here; "Wahed Wahed" chez Mohamed Ahmed. one falafel, one fuul.

On the way in to the pier I took this picture of the fishermen s wharf in El Anfushi.