Millawanda at Cape Geldonya. Photograph by Ryan C. Lee
We woke up in Karaöz this morning, instead of Adrasan as we had somewhat expected when we turned in last night during the evacuation, but it was not a problem, as now there are photos to go with the name.
Morning view of Karaöz. Photograph by Ryan C. Lee
Karaöz bay, with the Virazon and Millawanda in the distance.
Close up of Virazon and Millawanda. Photograph by Ryan C. Lee
We split the group today, as some had to go into Kemer to pick up their residence permits, while the rest have to wait a couple more days until theirs are finished. Those who were diving boarded the Virazon and Millawanda, and headed back to Cape Gelidonya after unloading the empty O2 tanks to be refilled.
Haley Streuding braids Marilyn Cassedy’s hair on the ride back to Gelidonya from Karaöz. Photograph by Ryan C. Lee.
With our reduced crew, we enough had enough divers left for three dive teams, rather than our usual five. It was actually ideal, however, since we had to go all the way back to Cape Gelidonya, re-moor the two ships, and prepare to dive. The first dive team went under at 11:20, and immediately reconnected the shot line and airlift hoses. Marilyn Cassedy continued chiselling the concreted pithos base, while Dr. Pulak worked on another piece of concreted pottery further west, while Emre Savaş and Ania Kotarba-Morley carefully airlifted in their respective sections. The second dive team of John D. Littlefield, Dr. Nicolle Hirschfeld, and Haley Streuding also worked on airlifting. John discovered some very exciting-looking concretions in his area that definitely warrant further investigation. The third dive was an acclimatization dive for INA archaeologist Sheila Matthews, who arrived the day before. While she was surveying the site from approximately sixty feet, her partner Ryan Lee was gathering and bagging the old fishing lines tangled about the south end of the slope. The afternoon dives were quite similar, though Xila photographed John’s concretions, to show the other divers, and then helped Ryan sort through a large crate of large rocks and possible concretions that he began clearing from his area.
As the third dive exited the water in the evening, the STS Bodrum arrived, bringing the other half of the team, residence permits in hand.
STS Bodrum passes in front of Virazon on its trip back from Adrasan. Photograph by Ryan C. Lee
The reduced crew made for a quieter day, but the concretions in John’s area got the entire team talking excitedly over supper. We are really looking forward to seeing that area develop… but as I write this, another easterly wind has strengthened and we are evacuating again. Hopefully, it will calm down and we will get back to work at a reasonable time tomorrow.
Sunset above the wreck site. Photograph by Ryan C. Lee