Submerging the Public: Perspectives on Developing Guided Archaeological Shipwreck Tours

Summary

Community interest in archaeological shipwreck sites is increasingly profound in Florida. Though laws protecting these submerged cultural resources in state waters have been in place for nearly 30 years, many people are still unaware of the importance of these resources as heritage tourism destinations, foci of archaeological research, and representatives of community identity. After award of a grant to explore the 16th-century Spanish Emanuel Point II shipwreck in 2014, the University of West Florida (UWF) Division of Anthropology and Archaeology began considering new avenues for providing public engagement built around a preservation message. This paper explores the recent development of the “PAST (Public Archaeological Shipwreck Tours)” diving program. PAST allows FPAN and UWF archaeologists to offer local recreational divers an opportunity to learn more about shipwreck sites (like the Emanuel Point shipwrecks) and participate in guided dive tours. Reflections on the program include a discussion of the successes of initial PAST events, participant feedback, and plans for the future.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)   •
• My Best (and Worst) Day at FPAN: Celebrating 10 Years of Florida Public Archaeology Network Program Highlights and Continuing Challenges

Keywords

Spatial Coverage