Aukland, New Zealand — An Electronic Dive Buddy built by University of Auckland engineering students could make scuba diving a much safer sport.

Anatoly Kudryashov and Jenny Xu from the Department of Mechanical Engineering’s Mechatronics Engineering specialization have designed a computerized system to automatically adjust a diver’s buoyancy if they get into trouble. The project was supervised by Associate Professor Vojislav Kecman and assisted by Technical Officer Rob Earl.

“The most important task for a diver while underwater is buoyancy control. Normally this is controlled manually by adding or releasing air in a buoyancy control device, which is worn like a jacket,” Anatoly says.

“To rise in the water, a diver adds air to the buoyancy control device. To sink, air is let out. If the buoyancy is not adjusted correctly, a diver may rise too rapidly or descend too quickly to an unsafe depth, risking serious injury or sometimes death,” Jenny says.

The Electronic Dive Buddy attaches to the buoyancy jacket and monitors the diver’s motion while underwater. It automatically adjusts buoyancy if an unsafe depth or velocity is reached. The device also has a ‘cruise control’ feature, allowing divers to automatically maintain a desired depth in the water.

Anatoly, who is in avid diver, couldn’t understand why computer control hadn’t been introduced to scuba diving and decided to tackle the problem as part of his assessment for a Bachelor of Engineering Degree. Mechatronics Engineering students work in pairs to complete a major research project in their final year of study.

The Electronic Dive Buddy prototype was tested in the laboratory and in a 4.7 metre deep swimming pool.

“Our tests so far have proven the device to work, so the next step is to look at its marketability. As far as I know, a device like this does not exist,” Anatoly says.

Anatoly and Jenny presented their findings at The Department of Mechanical Engineering project display day on Friday, 10 October 2008. The students received an IPENZ Award for the quality of their presentation and display.

Squabble over underwater treasure trove

A priceless lost treasure is due to be lifted from the bottom of the sea. Having spent over two centuries underwater off the shores of Finland, the ship “Frau Maria” along with its priceless cargo is due to be lifted from its resting place on the bottom of the Baltic Sea.

The Russian imperial riches are said to be the most important underwater discovery ever, presenting unprecedented historical and monetary value. Now the question stands of who will reap the benefits. Russia, Finland and The Netherlands all claim that the bounty should be theirs.

Its history is like an adventure novel. In 1771, the Russian Empress Catherine the Great ordered an extensive collection of art for her newly-founded Hermitage museum in St. Petersburg. The Empress was fastidious in her choices and paid for them generously, yet she never saw the result of her efforts. Leaving Amsterdam, the ship encountered a storm, ran aground and sank near what is now Finland. The crew was saved, unlike the masterpieces, which were left in the vessel’s storage. Only in 1999 did Finnish divers come across the ship.

According to records, 27 paintings were onboard the ship, including previously unseen works by Rembrandt, van Goyen and other Dutch painters of the period. Experts say that the paintings were not severely harmed after spending all those years underwater. Before shipment, the canvases were put into lead containers with wax poured over the openings. In addition to the paintings, Frau Maria dragged away dozens of bronze sculptures, hundreds of porcelain objects as well as countless gold and silver coins. Art lovers around the world consider the collection to be priceless, while antiquarians give it the tag of 500 million to 1 billion euros.

The question now stands as to which country has the strongest claim for the treasures. The Finnish government asserts that the law is on its side. Indeed, according to a Finnish law, anything which spends more than 100 years on the bottom of its sea officially becomes its property. Nevertheless, matters are further complicated by the fact that the Russian Empire signed a deed buying all of the ship’s contents. Furthermore, at the time that the deeds were signed, Finland, including the location where the sunken ship now lies, was part of the Russian Empire. The Netherlands, from their part, suggest that the riches should be reaped by them, since “Frau Maria” is a Dutch ship.

However, the countries shouldn’t count their chickens before they hatch – the ship still needs to be hauled from the seabed first. Artyom Tarasov from the Russian charity organisation “The Rescue of national cultural and historic valuables” says that exploring the ship’s bottom and the surrounding area will take up the whole of 2009. Then, a decision will have to be made on how to lift “Frau Maria” up from the seabed.

“We predict two possible scenarios. The first one is that the boat will be lifted up as a whole using special soft ropes made from artificial fibres so that the boardsides are not harmed. The second option is for divers to remove the valuables out from Frau Maria’s hold,” said Tarasov.

According to experts, unlike Jaques Yves Cousteau’s nautical missions which involved the swift lifting of objects from the bottom of the sea, the operation with “Frau Maria” needs more scientific planning. Russian representatives have said that the project should not be individualised, but rather considered pan-European and humanitarian and intended to benefit not only all the parties involved, but also, above everything else, world culture.

Russian engineers have pointed out that the Frau Maria could have been lifted as far back as nine years ago. However, intense negotiations are needed for the project to be conducted adequately. The Finnish government has even said that the Frau Maria may not see the light of day until 2018.

Sunken treasures around the world

The Caribbean is considered to be a true haven of lost treasure. Having once been the piracy capital of the world, the area is rich in sunken ships. And, whilst undoubtedly looting, the pirates still left most of the valuables onboard the sinking vessels.

It is therefore unsurprising that the most important underwater discovery of the 20th century was made in these waters.

Nuestra Señora de Atocha

A Spanish galley recovered from the ocean near Key West, Florida. The ship sank during a hurricane on September 6, 1622, bringing down with it over 40 tonnes of silver and gold: over 100,000 Spanish silver coins known as “Pieces of Eight”, gold coins, Columbian emeralds, silver and gold artifacts and over 1000 silver bars. The total value of the treasure is estimated at US$ 400 million, but it is suspected that a significant part of it still remains underwater.

Nuestra Senora de la Concepcion

This cargo galley was recovered by Bert Webber and Jim Huskins near the shores of Haiti. 32 tonnes of silver were lifted from the sea bed. They came in the shape of bars, coins, jewels and dishes.

Biggest treasure in history

In May 2007 an American company reported that it had discovered a treasure with an estimated value of over US$ 500 million. The riches lay onboard a medieval ship which found its final resting place on the bottom of the Atlantic ocean. 500,000 gold and silver coins were transported to the shore, causing concern for the British government. They were based mostly on the fact that the company refused to provide details of the treasure’s exact location. Experts have since assumed that the origin of the riches was the vessel “Merchant Royal” which crashed during a storm in 1641.

…And in Russia

Most of Russia’s underwater riches are concentrated around the Gulf of Finland - there are over 6000 vessels resting in its depths. Being a key shipping route between the capital of the Russian Empire, St Petersburg, and other territories, it was inevitable that it would become a burial ground for cargo ships and their freights.

One of the most significant finds in the Gulf of Finland was made in 1999 by a group of amateur divers. They came across a cargo ship which had been carrying an artwork collection for Catherine the Great. Its main constituents were paintings by what are considered to be Rembrandt’s pupils as well as such important Dutch artists as Paulus Potter and Gerard Dou. Apart from artwork intended for the Hermitage museum, the cargo also contained items that the Russian aristocracy had ordered for private collections. Then, much like in the case with “Frau Maria”, there were severe negotiations between the Finnish and Russian governments over who should gain rights for the treasures. Then, the rights were passed on to the country, which made the discovery - Russia.

International worry

Multiple attempts to sign a global document, defining the status and ownership of treasures recovered from the sea depths, which have culminated with a document ratified by UNESCO in 2001. The paper is an amendment to the normal UNESCO portfolio dealing with the protection of cultural heritage. It places under protection all culturally and historically valuable items which have been underwater wholly or partially for 100 years at least. Furthermore, it forbids any commercial gain to be derived from the treasures.

There is, however, still no coordinated international agreement outlining which country should become the owner of particular underwater finds. It is tacitly accepted that whichever country’s waters are located within a 24 mile radius from the site claims ownership of the treasures. In some countries, the sunken vessel belongs to private people for the first 100 years since the disaster happened.

Diver finds priceless ancient jewelery

A LOCAL diver has found a priceless piece of ancient silver jewelery whilst taking part in a search for a missing person.

Pat Treanor a member of the Boyne Fishermans Rescue and Recovery Service (BFRRS) found what is believed to be a Viking artifact dating back up to 2,000 years during a search of the River Lee.

It is currently being examined by the National Museum of Ireland but is believed to be at least 1,500 years old.

The piece, which is circular with a bulbous end and is thought to be either a bracelet or brooch, was found on the river bed sitting on top of stones in ten feet of water.

He originally thought the silver trinket, which was discoloured and blackened, was an ordinary piece of women’s jewellery.

‘When I took it out it was black and it was only when I cleaned it off that I realized it was actually silver,’ said Pat, who lives in Castlebellingham. ‘It was at that stage I realized it wasn’t an ordinary piece of jewellery. It was quite heavy but there was no stamp on it, and there was a lot of wear and lots of imperfections on it, you’d know it wasn’t recent.’

He described the piece as circular in shape, like a bangle, with a split and a bulbous end on one side.

Mr Treanor said the jewelery also has a design of small crosses on

it.

Initial indications suggest the piece could be up to 2,000 years old and it is now in the hands of the National Museum who will try and pinpoint and exact date for the bangle.

‘They are saying it is over 1,500 years old but we are waiting on the people in Dublin to confirm that,’ said Mr Treanor, who has worked with the BFRRS for the past seven years. ‘I was shocked when I found out it could be that old. I thought it was just a modern piece of jewellery until I cleaned it up and saw there was no stamp on it and then I went to find out more about it.’ If the piece of jewellery is identified as an ancient artefact, it will become state property and Mr Treanor will receive a finders fee.

HUDSON — The swimming hole at School Sink is no bigger than the average backyard pool. The water is tea-colored from tannic acid and full of silt. Down at the bottom is a hole into a tunnel, one person wide, that snakes down about 45 feet to a web of passages stretching out thousands of feet.

If a diver takes his eyes off the yellow guide line along the surface of the rock, he could become hopelessly lost in an instant.

Two men went on a cave dive here in northwest Pasco County this week and died in the dark waters. Joseph Christian Hartranft, a 52-year-old retired Navy man from Brandon, and Yessic Cozay Spencer, 42, a Marine from Gainesville who was stationed at MacDill Air Force Base, were found by a recovery team Wednesday evening.

One of them was floating less than 50 feet from the surface; the other was farther down inside a tunnel, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office said.

Authorities are still investigating the deaths, which are considered accidental.

Paul Heinerth, a veteran diver who organized the recovery effort Wednesday, said School Sink is considered an advanced cave because visibility is so limited. The nonprofit group that owns the property, the National Speleological Society, requires divers to have 100 safe dives logged.

Spencer, his father said, was a dive instructor. Beyond that, it’s not clear what credentials and training he and Hartranft had.

But Heinerth, the School Sink property manager, said the men got the combination to the locked gate at the property under the pretense they were going to look around and empty the garbage.

“They weren’t supposed to dive there,” Heinerth said. “I guess the call of the wild was too much to ignore.”

• • •

Hartranft grew up in the Atlanta area. He spent most of a 20-year career in the Navy as a communications specialist, retiring in 1995.

In retirement, he worked for U.S. Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base and for a Virginia software company.

He liked to baby his 1999 Land Rover Discovery, cleaning the dashboard and side panels with grease cleaner and a toothbrush, family members said.

He was a devoted father to daughters Abigail, 10, and Jacquelyn, 8. He was also an avid Pittsburgh Steelers fan.

He enjoyed computers and Tom Clancy novels. But nothing, it seemed, could take the place of diving. He explored the Oriskany, an 888-foot aircraft carrier sunk two years ago off the coast of Pensacola. Family members said he told his son it was one of his most enjoyable dives.

• • •

Spencer’s father, Yessic Spencer Jr. of North Carolina, said he last spoke to his son on the phone a week ago.

“He was cheerful,” the elder Spencer said. “He was always in a good mood. He had his head screwed on right.”

He said Spencer was a diving instructor in Tampa and had a black belt in karate. The decorated Marine, a lieutenant colonel, had served in Iraq and was working at U.S. Central Command at MacDill.

Above all, Spencer was a family man, his dad said. His wife, Sherolyn, and two kids, 13-year-old Yvonne and 9-year-old Yessic IV, were his life. He served as an assistant cub master for his son’s Pack 127.

A woman who answered the family’s phone in Gainesville said Sherolyn Spencer wasn’t ready to comment.

Spencer Jr. said his son called him every week just to chat as he drove from MacDill back to his home in Gainesville.

No more calls will be tough to get used to.

“We’re going to really miss him,” Spencer Jr. said. “We were just knocked off our feet.”

• • •

In August, a 45-year-old woman who had been drinking went for a swim and drowned at School Sink, which is also known among divers as Wayne’s World. Heinerth said there’s an ongoing problem with people using the spot for swimming and drinking.

But he said the area is fenced off with a combination lock on the gate, and numerous “no trespassing” signs are posted.

“How do you keep someone that really wants to go in there out?” he said.

Dangerous as the cave is, it also holds great rewards. The system stretches west toward the Gulf of Mexico and east under the six lanes of U.S. 19, a busy hospital and golf course community. Animal bones millions of years old hide in the crevices, Heinerth said.

“It’s art made by Mother Nature,” he said.

He doesn’t know what went wrong for Hartranft and Spencer.

“I suspect that there were some rules broken here,” he said. “I’d be surprised if they were finished with their training.”

OUCH! Diver spears himself in groin

OUCH!

Mooloolah carpenter Greg Robertson is recuperating in Nambour hospital after a sickening accident in which he speared himself in the groin area with a speargun at Coolum yesterday.

The drama unfolded off the rocks at Point Perry about 3.30pm when the 25 year old was pushed onto the speargun, which had been washed out of his hands by a wave.

The two metre long spear pierced his inside upper thigh, just millimetres from his genitals and femoral artery, and lodged several centimetres under the skin.

The first time spear fisherman had been enjoying a day at the beach with his girlfriend Jacinta Fisher and mates Casey Jensen and her fiance, who unscrewed the spear from the gun when the accident happened.

It remained lodged in place and sticking out from his body as paramedics gave pain relief and packed around the wound.

“A big wave knocked him into the rocks, he lost his spear and the spear rebounded off one of the rocks and got him right near the groin,” Casey said.

“The spear’s barbed on the end, so it’s locked in there. He got up and said ‘It’s in me, it’s in me!

“He’s ok now. He’s still conscious and talking.

“He’ll probably have a laugh about it in a week. We joked about it…we told them to not spear themselves and mistake themselves for a fish and then it actually happened.”

Brisbane holidaymakers Doug and Richard saw the accident happen and called triple 0.

“The girlfriend was holding him and we were all quite anxious because he was walking around the rocks and slipping and sliding with this spear hanging out and we’re yelling out, ‘Stop, don’t move, the ambulance is coming’,” Doug said.

Richard communicated with the two couples from the headland above.

“He seemed to be ok, but he was in shock,” he said.

“He was very close to being in real trouble.”

The Energex Community Rescue Helicopter dropped off two crew on the nearby rocks and then performed a winch rescue in front of hundreds of onlookers who had gathered for the spectacle.

Those who had stationed themselves right on the Point Perry lookout tower had the best view, as the chopper hovered right at their eyeline for the winch.

“The challenge for the crew was how to remove the two metre long spear to something that was manageable,” Energex crew member Dan King said.

“They stabilised the bit that was lodged in his leg and unscrewed the long pole so there was only six or seven inches sticking out.

“He certainly could have come off a lot worse than he did. Initially he did say that he thought he got washed into another rock, but when the wave drew back he realised, ‘Oh dear, there’s a big metal thing stuck in my leg’.

“Hopefully he’ll make a full recovery.

“And I asked him if he caught any fish and he didn’t. But if you are going to have one bump a year, you may as well get it out of the way of the first day of the year.”

Mr Robertson had surgery to remove the spear last night.