The Expedition

In the Mediterranean you can be among the very few who have ever been in person to an ancient shipwreck site. Deep Ocean Expeditions has organized two, one-week expeditions based on shore in Marseilles and Toulon, France. Each program will be limited to only 20 participants. Your hosts and support staff will include expert lecturers in marine archaeology, oceanography and deep submersible operations. From them you will learn how wrecks are located, mapped and studied and as well how artifacts are recovered and conserved.

We have chosen three shipwreck sites to explore: a 500BC (perhaps Etruscan?) cargo ship loaded with amphorae, a 100 AD Roman 'wine tanker' also with many amphorae and a 1660's French Navy ship ("La Lune") with its cannons in place on the seafloor. Each of these wreck sites is located at a different depth ranging from about 320 feet (105 metres) down to about 1000 feet (330 metres).

Our aim is to provide participants with both a range of wreck site types and diving environments. The deep dive to 1060 feet (350 metres) will take you beyond the deepest penetration depth of ambient sunlight and into the true darkness of the abyss - powerful lights on the submersibles however provide all the light we need whenever it is required. It is, nevertheless, an exciting experience to turn off our support lights and witness complete darkness and to look for the many luminescent organisms and creatures that inhabit these little understood habitats.

As well as the archeological features of the expedition, Deep Ocean Expeditions will be emphasising the natural history features as we observe fish, marine invertebrates and other life forms that reside in our areas of exploration. Participants will see an interesting range of species and it is not unusual to come face to face (or at least submersible to face) with huge "moon fish" which frequent the locale. The sheer joy of diving in a comfortable submersible with almost unlimited viewing angles will also undoubtedly create a life long memory. This is exploration and "expeditioning" at its finest.

Each expedition participant will make a dive on all three sites and will dive in both types of submersibles (we have two "Deep Rovers" and one Remora 2000 as our underwater vehicles). Because the sites are so close to shore, we will base out of a nearby hotel and 'commute' to the dive sites daily by a shore based support vessel.

In addition to the days at the wreck sites, there will also be shore excursions to research facilities, museums and historical sites that relate to the ancient shipwrecks. At least one of the lecturers will accompany the participants at all times. Our lectures and briefings will be done at the headquarters hotels. Our lecture program will be an important feature of the overall experience.

There will be sufficient "free" time to allow you to enjoy some of the wonderful delights offered by modern and historic France. Marseilles has abundant Mediterranean charm as well as history and superb architecture. Restaurants in both Marseilles and Toulon provide all that is expected from French cuisine and wine. Shopping is obviously just at hand in these cosmopolitan cities.