End of Year Report 2014-2015

December 28th 2014 to July 27th 2015

Presented to:
Florida Bureau of Archaeological Research
For Permit:
MB 514 Melbourne Beach Site
2014.04
Presented by:
Seafarers Quest, LLC.
Prepared By:
James J. Sinclair, MA, Primary Investigator,
Consulting Archaeologist, Seafarers Quest, LLC.
Sea Rex Inc.
15 Brigantine Ct
St Augustine, FL 32080
239-218-1622

A. General Description. - Omitted

Seafarers Quest has not made any changes or additions to the General Description provided in Seafarers
Quest 2014 Interim Report. There have been no modifications to the project description, project location
(including boundary map) or the purpose of project as well as the area of potential effect. No additional
pertinent federal, state or local laws and regulations have been changed or signed into law.
In accordance with 1A-46.001, paragraph (3) Reports states For projects of limited scope, topics that are
not applicable may be omitted when a justification for this decision is provided.

B. Archival Research. - Omitted

Seafarers Quest has not made any changes or additions to the Archival Research provided in Seafarers
Quest 2014 Interim Report. The previous report addresses past field surveys in the project area and the
relevance of the major findings to the area currently under study; pertinent data in other studies appropriate
for the research problem; pertinent historical data from records presented in a chronologically arranged
narrative of the prehistory and history of the project area and of the significant historical events or
developments (including important individuals and institutions) which are necessary to place sites and
properties in historic contexts within the project area.
In accordance with 1A-46.001, paragraph (3) Reports states For projects of limited scope, topics that are
not applicable may be omitted when a justification for this decision is provided.

C. Research Design. - Omitted

Seafarers Quest has not made any changes or additions to the Research Design provided in Seafarers
Quest 2014 Interim Report. The previous report addresses the objectives; methods; expected results; and
procedures to deal with unexpected discoveries including the discovery of human remains in accordance
with Section 872.05, F.S.
In accordance with 1A-46.001, paragraph (3) Reports states For projects of limited scope, topics that are
not applicable may be omitted when a justification for this decision is provided.

D. Archaeological Fieldwork.
Seafarers Quest LLC has been working through this report period investigating magnetic anomalies on site
MB514, a site suspected to hold the remains of an historic period shipwreck. Seafarers Quest employs 3
vessels for this effort, the main vessel of Seafarers Quest, MV Iron Maiden, the No Limit a vessel owned
by Marvin Crumbliss and the Neptune a vessel owned by Terry Tate.
This reporting period there were 41 days spent on site. The Iron Maiden is equipped to excavate utilizing
prop wash deflection technique as well as water induction dredge and is used as a base platform when
weather permits underway periods greater than 2-days. The other vessels are manned by dive teams with a
primary mission to investigate anomalies through diver reconnaissance using the circle search and hand
fanning methodologies discussed in the previous report.
We continued investigating anomalies in areas 1, 2 and 3 following a trail of targets that runs north to south
through all three areas. This is in addition to continuing investigation of anomalies on the perimeter of the
debris trail in area 1 and 2 identified earlier. Seafarers Quest has identified an additional 21 potential time

period finds. These items include numerous encrusted objects, iron pins, iron pins with wood, an additional
deadeye, numerous wooden beams / timbers, as well as small sections of wooden structures. All items have
remained in an in situ. Investigation equipment and procedures that were employed were outlined in Interim
Report 2014 and have been strictly followed and enforced as well as the conditions set forth in the permit
2014.04
Seafarers Quest has taken a methodical approach in our investigations. Once an anomaly or a group of
anomalies potentially of the historic period have been identified (sub boundaries) we start investigating
anomalies surrounding the area. This radius of the search (boundaries) is increased until it either runs into
an area we have already investigated or is void of anomalies. Additionally, weather and underwater
visibility play a major role when selecting areas to investigate.

Note: The 2015 Chart is coving periods from Dec 28 2014 to Jul 27 2015
is extensive. It requires a high processor to prevent lag. Each Target
that Seafarer has indicated as explored has extracts from Field Notes
attached as Comments giving date dived, Boat (IM=Iron Maiden,
N=Neptune, HH=Headhunter) and what was discovered.

MB514 Chart
July 2014 thru July 2015

Targets investigated during the period of this report

A complete listing including the: Date investigated, Target number, longitude / Latitude, Gamma
Strength, Dive finds, and pictures of any potentially historic Shipwreck material is provided via the link
below. Targets noted as No Find were not located using hand held metal detector. This does not
necessarily mean that theres is no anomaly; the target is most likely deeper than the hand held metal
detector can detect but is within the range of the magnetometer.

2015 Year End Dive

Spreadsheet

E. Historical Fieldwork. - Omitted

Under the current scope of the permit 2014.04 Seafarers Quest investigations in MB-514 do not fall under
the requirements of this topic. At this time no actions have been undertaken for the purpose of recovering
data about or from a building(s) or structure(s) to evaluate and determine eligibility; or to document using
the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) or Historic American Engineering Record (HAER)
standards and guidelines prior to proposed alteration or destruction.
In accordance with 1A-46.001, paragraph (3) Reports states For projects of limited scope, topics that are
not applicable may be omitted when a justification for this decision is provided.

F. Archaeological Results and Conclusions.

There are currently 2 theoretical historical anomalies trails, one which is in the
center of area A2 leading south west into area A1. The other runs north to southsoutheast in the eastern quadrant of areas A3, A2, and A1. The north south trail has
been more difficult to confirm during our investigation. The anomalies in the
southern area of A1 were easier to locate and identify than those in other areas. In
this area the seabed is mostly shell rubble and the objects were very close to the
surface as well as better visibility. As we moved north we started to have more Historic Ship Debris
reports of No Find than findings and of visibility decreasing to almost zero. This
was primarily due to seabed becoming more of a mud / silt combination that can be anywhere from 6-inches
to 2 or more feet thick. The different types of permits (Exploration and Dig and Identify) have hindered
Seafarers Quest dramatically, as have the restrictions of Prop Wash Deflection by the State. The
management of the different types of permits within an area of operations has become a burden on the entire
operation and has delayed daily operations while the divers reconfirm the requirements of their current
location. The inability to provide the divers with clear water has limited us in preparing drawings or
providing pictures to the State as well as being able to report, without a doubt, the identification of object(s)
found during the dive.
The majority of the MB514 area seabed is a collection of mud, slit, or muck. This is primarily due to the
land topography of the area. The Gulf Stream which travels up the coast of Florida provides a continued
flow of water providing sometimes limitless visibility and the shell rubble seabed which is apparent south
of the Sebastian Inlet.
In the Melbourne beach areas, the Gulf Stream is driven to the east by the extension of
land of the Cape Canaveral area. This causes a low-flow area which provides a dumping
area for all sediment and material traveling with the Gulf Stream in the MB514 area. This
is both an obstacle to overcome and a benefit. This same sediment has encapsulated any
wreck material, sealing it from both air and saltwater, which is apparent with the large
collection of wood features discovered to date.

Recommendations for the remainder of the season are to continue investigations focused on the apparent
track lines of dispersal. This would be done through diver reconnaissance as well as focused excavation on
those areas where targets are unreachable by unassisted means. Seafarers Quest will be requesting, from
the State of Florida, release from the restriction placed on prop wash deflectors in Permit 2014.04, page 3,
Topic Requirement & Conditions, paragraph 3.c. The use of propwash deflectors, clamshell dredges,
cutterhead dredges, and explosives is prohibited for this permit. In accordance with 1A-31.060
Requirements for All Permits, paragraph (13) states, Notice that the use of clamshell dredges, cutterhead
dredges, explosives and suction dredges greater than 10 inches in diameter is prohibited. Propwash
deflectors are not addressed in this paragraph. However, paragraph (14) Notice the conditions under which
the use of propwash deflectors is allowed. This does allows this operation as long as a procedure provides
guidance for its use. Seafarers Quest is providing our procedure for the States review of this operation
as well as the report Prop wash deflection excavation on Historic Shipwreck Sites.

Propeller Wash Deflector

Operational Procedures

Prop Wash Deflection

excavation on Historic
Shipwreck Sites

Until the use of Propeller Wash Deflector Operational Procedures are approved, only the minimum
excavation to identify any targets will be undertaken and set forth by the requirements and restrictions of
the permit 2014.04.
With the increased finding of wooden material we will be taking small wood samples for genealogy testing
during the next reporting period. Both a listing of recommended targets at this time and the process we will
follow are linked below.

Wood Sampling
Target List

Wood Sampling
Procedures

G. Florida Master Site File (FMSF) Requirements:

a. FMSF Survey Log Sheets (Form HR6E06610-97, effective 9-1-97). Not Applicable, per
permit 2014.04, Topic Requirements & Conditions sub-pargraph 4 states to submit
Daily Field Note and Activity Logs (Form HR6E067, Revsed 06/08) monthly.
b. FMSF archaeological site forms (Form HR6E06401-97, effective 3-1-97). Based on the scope
of our current project this is Not Applicable for underwater Archaeological fieldwork.
c. FMSF historical structure forms (Form HR6E06308-96, effective 11-1-96). Based on the scope
of our current project this is Not Applicable for underwater Archaeological fieldwork.
d. FMSF historical bridge forms (Form HR6E06510-97, effective 10-1-97). Based on the scope
of our current project this is Not Applicable for underwater Archaeological fieldwork.
e. FMSF historical cemetery forms (Form HR6E04806-92, effective 8-1-98). Based on the scope
of our current project this is Not Applicable for underwater Archaeological fieldwork.
f. FMSF shipwreck forms (Form HR6E05006-92, effective 7-1-92). Based on the scope of our
current project this is Not Applicable but may become revelant if the main portion of hull
is found.
g. FMSF archaeological short form (Form HR6E04906-92, effective 12-1-95). Based on the scope
of our current project this is Not Applicable for underwater Archaeological fieldwork.
h. FMSF resource group forms (Form HR6E05711-01, effective 7-1-00). Based on the scope of
our current project this is Not Applicable for underwater Archaeological fieldwork.
i. An original or photocopy portion of U.S. Geological Survey (1:24,000) Based on the scope of
our current project this is Not Applicable, topographical maps for off shore are not available.