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Historic Shipwrecks, Discovered, Protected and Investigated by Valerie Fenwick and Alison Gale
Historic Shipwrecks, Discovered, Protected and Investigated by Valerie Fenwick and Alison Gale
'Blow the facts, give us the story' is, according to legend, the favourite saying of news editors of tabloid papers.
This is not, however, a style to be adopted by the authors of books about historic shipwrecks. They have a tricky balance to keep - to retain the ordinary diver's interest without upsetting the underwater archaeologist. Go too far one way and you're a vandal, swing too far the other way and risk being a bore.
That is why I approached Historic Shipwrecks, Discovered, Protected and Investigated by Valerie Fenwick and Alison Gale with some caution. I feared that this one would be very heavy on minute archaeological detail, because Valerie Fenwick is the archaeologist Editor of the International Journal of Nautical Archaeology and Alison Gale moves in maritime heritage circles.
I was completely wrong. A pair of more accomplished tightrope-walkers would be difficult to find - they have struck an excellent balance. The result is an interesting book for both the uncommitted diver with some interest in wrecks and the dedicated underwater archaeologist, who will be able to find little fault with it.
The book covers 47 wrecks which have been designated in the 25 years of the Protection of Wrecks Act of 1973, dating from the 12th century BC scrap merchant's ship near Dover to the British experimental submarine Resurgam, lost in 1880.
Surprisingly, the ships are not listed in chronological order, but loosely under headings such as 'Untold Voyages', 'A Ship for All Seas', 'The Pirate Surprise', 'Fast Vessels' and 'Timeless Traders' - groupings which mean little and, without the first-class index, would make a particular ship difficult to find.
However, that is a small criticism, because the rest of the material about the wrecks themselves is well-presented, together with items of special interest highlighted in panels. Plans, drawings and plenty of photographs, both black and white and colour, add to the overall good impression.
You know, on reflection, I was also wrong about the balance of the book - it is nothing more than a cunning plan to lure more divers into underwater archaeology. It might succeed at that! Kendall McDonald
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| Historic Shipwrecks, Discovered, Protected and Investigated by Valerie Fenwick and Alison Gale, Tempus Publishing (01453 883300). Softback, 160pp, £14.99. |
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