Summer Field School 2023: Antigua

The Program in Maritime Studies held its summer semester 2023 field school in English Harbour, Antigua led by Dr. Lynn Harris. Working in partnership with the Antigua & Barbuda National Parks Authority (NPA), the field school worked on a variety of sites in Nelson’s Dockyard National Park. Tasks included the documentation of two shipwreck sites, a section of the dockyard’s stone quay wall, and ship grafitti on a water catchment site. Students also conducted diver surveys for submerged heritage alongside Fort Berkeley and at the site of forthcoming mooring installations, towboard search surveys at the entrance to Freeman’s Bay, as well as terrestrial and underwater documentation of Fort Charles (ca. 1672) in Falmouth Harbour.

Additionally, to better collaborate with our research partners and discuss submerged heritage management, Dr. Harris and Dr. Raupp provided presentations on Underwater Cultural Heritage management, citizen science, and maritime heritage survey techniques at a UNESCO/NPA Maritime Heritage Workshop. Hosted by the NPA Heritage Department, workshop attendees included representatives from the Department of the Blue Economy – Antigua and Barbuda, The Development Control Authority-DCA, Antigua & Barbuda Fisheries Division, Environmental Awareness Group, NPA Yacht Services department, and NPA Environment Unit.

To view a 3D model of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) 52-foot Barnett Class Lifeboat documented in Freeman’s Bay, Antigua, click the image above.