A course will be held in August at Biscayne National Park to train sport divers how to record archaeological sites without disturbing them/SSEAS

Sport divers are invited to attend a workshop at Biscayne National Park in Florida on how to record archaeologial sites without disturbing them. The course, sponsored by the Submerged Sites Education and Archaeological Stewardship organization, is scheduled for August 20-23.

This program's mission focuses on investigating sites in NOAA’s Automated Wreck and Obstruction Information System with the goal of identifying possible historic shipwrecks and other submerged cultural sites.

SSEAS divers are trained to recognize historic shipwrecks and cultural sites, to record the site using photography and hand-drawn site plans, and to fill out Florida Master Site File recording forms. The SSEAS program consists of taking the Orientation to Underwater Archaeology for Sport Divers training course. This course includes classroom, confined water, and open water instruction.

Upon completion, participants will receive an FPAN Certificate of Training; a NAUI or PADI Specialty Certification may be possible as well. Once training is complete, SSEAS divers are able to perform all necessary tasks and are encouraged to begin investigating AWOIS sites.

To sign up for the program, head to this site.

Trained divers also are asked to monitor nearby Florida Underwater Archaeological Preserves and other known submerged sites. SSEAS divers may also participate in the Nautical Archaeological Society’s Big Anchor Project to identify isolated anchors on land and under water. (Preserve site monitoring and Big Anchor Project participation are encouraged but not necessary to participate in SSEAS.)

SSEAS is accredited as a Part 1: Introduction to Foreshore and Underwater Archaeology course through the Nautical Archaeology Society.