The Background

John Paul Jones and Filey Bay

Local Historical Advisor Legal Consultant Cultural Resource Management

Michael Fearon M.Sc. James Hodgson Donald G Shomette

Bonhomme Richard Survey 2002 - Project Bethany

The Filey Bay Project team Profiles

On this page we welcome our international guests and include some information about their experience in Underwater Archaeology.

John Adams is the Leader of the Filey Underwater Research Unit, a former sport diver, commercial diver and fisherman who has had over thirty years experience either on the sea or below it. It was John who originally discovered the wooden wreck whilst recovering trawl gear for Brian Cox and then entered into half a lifetime's research into the Bonhomme Richard and her loss.

Until recently he was backed by a dedicated Project Manager Tony Green, who was the architect of the Filey Bay Project for over a 15 year period and brought it to to its current stage. Diving with his three sons and other members of his family and a close friend, he continues his work to date.

The Filey Underwater Research Unit has formed a joint co operation with the Filey Town Council in the Filey Bay Initiative.

Daniel Lenihan has been diving as Park Ranger and archaeologist for the National Park Service (NPS) since 1972.

In 1976,l he developed the only federal underwater archaeological team in the U.\S. and, in 1980, was appointed the first chief as the Submerged Cultural Resources Unit (SCRU).

Over the last 25 years, Dan and the SCRU team have been the subject of national media stories and may TV documentaries on CBS, ABC,BBC,CNN,PBS The Discovery and History Channels, and National Geographic. He has written frequently for Natural History, and co authored with Gene Hackman the well known sea adventure novel, Wake of the Perdido Star. His latest book Submerged is now available and is an interesting account of some of his work with America's most elite underwater archaeology team. A native New Yorker and former school teacher he lives with his family in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Donald G Shomette is featured elsewhere on this site, however as the principle architect of this latest initiative, he has worked closely with FURU over the past few years and provided valuable information on the work that has been completed by FURU. As an underwater archaeologist he has been involved in many ground breaking projects and as well as a prolific lecturer, he is an accomplished author who has written his own books on maritime archaeological subjects and for prestigious publications.
Some of his achievements are:

The first underwater survey of an entire riverine system in America

The first systematic use of robotic technology for underwater archaeology

The survey of the largest fleet of shipwrecks in one place

The survey of the oldest shipwreck fleet in America discovery of the earliest Euro-American small craft wreck in the U.S. and co-founder of the first public historic shipwreck preserve in Maryland.

Professor V R Switsur of Environmental Sciences Research Centre, Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory, Anglia University, East Road Cambridge has provided pivotal information about the wreck site and continues to support the Project, Professor Switsur is an invaluable member of the Team.

Martin Dean is the Director of the Archaeological Dive Unit since 1986 and he is based at St Andrews University, before that he was the underwater archaeologist of the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich. He was a former sport diver who trained as a land archaeologist for ten years and has been responsible for the excavation of a variety of shipwrecks from the bronze age up until present times. The notable vessels that he has worked on have been the Mary Rose and the Stirling Castle.