PHIL SHORT

Bio: Research Diving and Training Lead at DEEP

Phil Short has worked in diving for decades and brings a wealth of technical experience to DEEP. As a highly accredited training director and underwater researcher, he is focused on delivering equipment and methods to support subsea habitation. Phil has been a dive industry professional for over 20 years, during which time he has logged over 6000 dives with over 3000 hours on Closed Circuit Rebreathers. As an educator Phil has trained scientific groups, including US National Parks Service, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute and the Archeologists of the Chinese National Museum in Beijing. Search and Rescue Teams, such as the UK Police Strathclyde Underwater Search team, and Media teams from the BBC. Phil currently acts as a Dive Industry consultant for manufacturers such as VR Technology Ltd, Fourth Element, and is Training Director for IANTD UK.

Talk:  DEEP Project underwater environments: “How can the productivity of ship wreck study be multiplied by the use of deployable sub-sea habitats”

Countless discoveries are waiting to be made in our ocean. Knowledge that will benefit our planet and all of humanity. The challenge is access. That’s where DEEPs projects come in, starting with their small aquatic habitat Vanguard and their larger habitat Sentinel. As a direct descendent of the Glaucus habitat that was built, used and now rests in Plymouth Sound, underwater human habitation has long been a desire of humans to enable research and increase understanding of the ocean. With these new generations of underwater habitats, DEEP is leading the advancement of exploration into the underwater world, enabling the investigation of shipwreck sites and areas of human occupation now underwater. DEEPs habitats are an advancement in underwater technology which will help to investigate our shared human past and allow people to live and work underwater for longer periods unlocking new discoveries.

Peter Marsden

Bio: Dr Peter Marsden’s career has mostly been at the Museum of London, investigating London’s past. He found Roman, Saxon, medieval and later wrecks there, which he published with English Heritage. In the 1960’s nautical archaeology was not recognised in Britain, so, with others, campaigned for wrecks to be recognised and protected. He was also involved in the creation of the Nautical Archaeology Society. After leaving London he was commissioned to work on the Bronze Age boat from Dover (c. 1550 BC), and subsequently on interim publications of the Mary Rose (1545) for the Mary Rose Trust. He was involved in taking the Ministry of Defence to the High Court in London over it not protecting wartime sunken merchant ships.

Talk: Peter Marsden is a professional archaeologist who was involved with others in campaigning for the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973. He will describe how this happened. It was replaced by historic wrecks on land and in the sea when historic wrecks were included in the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. But the 1973 Act is still being used over 50 years later, and should be repealed!

Carl Allen

Bio: Carl A. Allen is an American entrepreneur, philanthropist, outdoor sportsman, and explorer. His business career began at the Heritage Bag Company in 1986. He rose to become President/CEO and eventually became the sole owner of the company in 2005, leading Heritage Bag through a sustained period of growth before selling the company to the South Carolina-based Novolex corporation in 2017. Post the sale of Heritage Bag to Novolex for an estimated $300 million, Allen ventured into investing with his firm, Allen Exploration. Allen’s diverse investment portfolio includes nature exploration, pollution research, fish migration studies, and the search for sunken ships.

​Allen is also a passionate hunter and fisherman who owns the legendary fishing destination, Walker’s Cay in the northern Bahamas, Tellico Junction, a 2,600 acre ranch in the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee, various hunting leases in his native Texas as well as a fleet of large yachts he uses to fish and search for underwater cultural artifacts in the Bahamas. Carl Allen, along with his wife Gigi, generously supports various causes in healthcare, education, and nature conservation.

Talk: Nuestra Señora de las Maravillas Our Lady of Wonders,1656;  In the early morning hours of January 6, 1656 while navigating the Northern Bahamas.  She sank very quickly with tremendous loss of life. The wreck of the Maravillas lies over 70 kilometres off the northern Bahamas. In 1972 treasure hunter Robert Marx re-discovered the supposed bow section of the wreck of the Maravillas and thousands of silver coins and bars. The Maravillas was one of the great treasure-laden Spanish galleons. It was unusual because it was transporting a double cargo: both its own consignment of silver, as well as silver salvaged from the wreck of the Jesús María de la Limpia Concepción. The majority of the treasure – an estimated 3.5 million pieces of eight – was salvaged between 1656 and the early 1990s. In 1992 the Government of The Bahamas enacted a moratorium on the issuance of licenses for shipwreck salvage. The seas stayed closed until 2019, when Carl Allen was awarded a new license to conduct exploration of a scientific and archaeological nature. As a result, the Bahamas Maritime Museum was created to display and share these wonderful artifacts with the public.  The importance of the Maravillas to Allen Exploration are the personal belongings of officers, crew and passengers that may be preserved and let the team reconstruct daily life at sea. Ceramics show how the crew and officers ate and stored foodstuffs, while shoe buckles and tobacco pipes reveal how they dressed and passed time.

Michael Pateman

Bio: Michael Pateman Phd has a rich background in history, museum curation, archaeology, and cultural studies, he is deeply committed to uncovering and sharing the complex historical narratives of The Bahamas, particularly focusing on the Lucayans, the Transatlantic Slave Trade, and the diverse cultural activities of islanders. Michael is an accomplished researcher. His expertise has allowed him to lead significant archaeological projects, direct laboratory research, and curate compelling museum exhibits that resonate with both local and international audiences. As his role as Ambassador at Large for The Bahamas in Culture, History, and Museology,  his focus is on linking Bahamian history and culture with the world, promoting understanding and appreciation through various initiatives and collaborations. Michael currently works at the Bahamas Maritime Museum and is the curator of the Maravillas collection.

Talk: Nuestra Señora de las Maravillas Our Lady of Wonders,1656;  In the early morning hours of January 6, 1656 while navigating the Northern Bahamas.  She sank very quickly with tremendous loss of life. The wreck of the Maravillas lies over 70 kilometres off the northern Bahamas. In 1972 treasure hunter Robert Marx re-discovered the supposed bow section of the wreck of the Maravillas and thousands of silver coins and bars. The Maravillas was one of the great treasure-laden Spanish galleons. It was unusual because it was transporting a double cargo: both its own consignment of silver, as well as silver salvaged from the wreck of the Jesús María de la Limpia Concepción. The majority of the treasure – an estimated 3.5 million pieces of eight – was salvaged between 1656 and the early 1990s. In 1992 the Government of The Bahamas enacted a moratorium on the issuance of licenses for shipwreck salvage. The seas stayed closed until 2019, when Carl Allen was awarded a new license to conduct exploration of a scientific and archaeological nature. As a result, the Bahamas Maritime Museum was created to display and share these wonderful artifacts with the public.  The importance of the Maravillas to Allen Exploration are the personal belongings of officers, crew and passengers that may be preserved and let the team reconstruct daily life at sea. Ceramics show how the crew and officers ate and stored foodstuffs, while shoe buckles and tobacco pipes reveal how they dressed and passed time.

James Sinclair, MA

Bio: James Sinclair, MA, is a marine archaeologist and ocean explorer who started his career in 1981 working with the famous shipwreck hunter Mel Fisher in his quest for the Nuestra Senora de Atocha and the Santa Margarita, 1622, as well as the 1715 Plate Fleet. As co-director of archaeology and of the laboratories charged with the conservation of over a half million objects. In 2000, Mr Sinclair became the first professional archaeologist to visit the wreck site of the RMS Titanic in 1912. In 2001, Sinclair was the lead archaeologist on a historic period shipwreck that was discovered in 16,300 feet of water in the Blake Basin in the Mid-Atlantic. To date, the deepest archaeological recovery of historic period shipwreck treasures known as the Coconut wreck circa 1810. In 2013 Jim was once again an archaeologist working with Odyssey Marine Exploration on the wreck of the Central America, 1857. Presently, Sinclair is the director of Archaeology for Allen Exploration, working in a private/public partnership with the Government of the Bahamas to recover at-risk underwater cultural heritage, including the historic treasures of the Nuestra Senora de las Maravillas, 1656.

“A Lifetime of Discovery from Columbus to Titanic”

Talk: James Sinclair’s career started in 1981 when he began working with Mel Fisher while in search of de Atocha. With the discovery of the wreck Jim was put its in charge of the conservation of the half a million finds recovered by the Mel Fisher team. From here, he went on to find the Flor de la Mar 1511, and the Nuestra Senora del Pilar,1691. He has worked on “Viscyana”, one of the earliest ships of exploration. Jim was the first professional archaeologist to visit the wreck site of the RMS Titanic, 1912 and has worked on the deepest archaeological recovery from over 16,000 feet. He has also been part of the amazing tale of the Central America and that’s only the beginning. This is a tale of a lifetime of discovery and daring do.

Sean Kingsley

Bio: Dr Sean Kingsley is a marine archaeologist, explorer and writer focused on sharing the sunken world with everyone in a popular way. He’s the founder of Wreckwatch magazine (www.wreckwatchmag.com), read in 73 countries, and co-director of Wreckwatch TV. Sean’s written 16 books, most recently The Pirate King about Henry Avery and birth of the golden age of piracy, and the novel Finders Keepers about the battle for sunken Spanish treasure.

“Watching Wrecks. Deep Down, Who Cares?”  

Talk: With the world of underwater exploration increasingly tied up in red tape, rules and politics, Wreckwatch magazine seeks to turn back the clock and share the beauty, wonders and fascination of the sunken world with everyone. What adventures would you like to see brought to life?

Mensun Bound

Bio: Born in the Falkland Islands, Mensun Bound was the Triton Fellow in Maritime Archaeology at St Peter’s College, Oxford, and the director of the first academic unit for underwater archaeology in England.  Known as the ‘Indiana Jones of the Deep’, Bound has conducted wreck surveys and excavations all over the world in a career that spanned 40 years.  During that time, he excavated one of the oldest known shipwrecks (600 BC) and, in 1997, he used saturation diving methods to carry out the deepest shipwreck excavation there has ever been.  Twelve museums around the globe hold permanent displays of artefacts raised by Bound. His work has been the focus of numerous documentaries including a 4-part series by the Discovery Channel entitled ‘Lost Ships’.  In 2019 Bound stunned the world with his discovery of Admiral von Spee’s flagship, Scharnhorst which had been lost in battle during World War One.  That same year Bound was Director of Exploration for the first search to find Shackleton’s Endurance which ended in disaster when their Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV) imploded from pressure and their principal search vehicle, a Hugin-class Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) disappeared without trace.  In 2022 the search resumed under the auspices of the Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust with Bound in the same role.  On 5 March the Endurance was found and, as predicted by Bound, it was upright, largely intact, proud of the seabed and in an excellent state of preservation.

Talk: “The construction, deconstruction and archaeology of Shackleton’s Endurance”

RICHARD LARN OBE

Bio: Richard Larn taught himself to dive in 1947, using a German-made Dräger U-boat escape set in the River Thames. He then joined the Merchant Navy where he served his apprenticeship as a deck-officer with the South American Saint Line and eventually became 2nd Mate. In 1957 he became a BSAC member, and served as BSAC Deputy Diving Officer in 1961 and 1962. Larn was also among the instigating members of NACSAC, the Royal Navy Sub-Aqua Club, which was established in the early 1960s. n 1976 he established the Charlestown Shipwreck and Heritage Centre which grew out of his own collection of sea artifacts and which he ran until 1998.

 After retiring from the shipwreck centre Larn and his wife Bridget moved to the Isles of Scilly in 1998, where they had first lived from 1986 to 1991 when they set up and ran the Longstone Heritage Centre

Together with his wife he has written over 56 books and countless articles on maritime history and archaeology, shipwrecks and the sea. Their ‘Shipwreck Index of the British Isles’, a work with 45,000 ship details for the Lloyd’s Register of Shipping, was used by the Royal Commission for Historic Monuments to establish the National Maritime Record,

2023 – 40 years of IMASS – a look back at the longest running conference of its kind

2025 – Retiring President, thoughts over 42 years of IMASS, presidential handover.

Alex Hildred

Bio: Dr Alex Hildred is Head of Research and Curator of Ordnance and Human Remains at the Mary Rose Trust. As a new archaeology graduate, she joined the project as a volunteer diver in 1979. One of the archaeological supervisors before the raising, she directed the site monitoring, survey and recovery projects on the Mary Rose since 1983; including the excavations resulting in the finding and recovery of the stem between 2003 and 2005.

She was responsible for researching and publishing the armaments of the ship as a volume within the five-part series ‘The Archaeology of the Mary Rose. Since 1982, she has been part of a small team responsible for evolving and delivering displays within the Mary Rose Museums.

Alex has extensive experience on other underwater sites and has directed multi-season projects in England, Malta and Holland. She has held posts as Chairman of the Institute of Field Archaeologists Maritime Affairs Group, ordnance advisor on the Government Advisory Committee on Historic Wreck Sites, and nominated archaeologist for 7 of the 54 protected wreck sites in England. Affiliations include the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists and the Society of Antiquaries of London

2025 Talk – Introducing our new IMASS President, presidential handover

Stefan Panis

Bio: Stefan started diving at the age of 6 through his father. In 1992 he did his first “official” course. Since than he moved on doing courses like nitrox and trimix, and he started diving an Inspiration rebreather in 2009, and Started photographing in 2013.

Meanwhile he developed a great interest in wrecks and researching the history of the wrecks in the archives.

He did many dives on wrecks in the North Sea, the English channel, and abroad in Sardinia, Portugal and Lithuania just to name a few. He was involved in different successful expeditions searching for new wrecks, like the identification of the 1852 “Josephine Willis”.

In 2014 he also obtained his full cave ccr certificate, and he also loves to dive, explore and document the many old mine sites in Belgium.

Stefan writes articles for several international (Tek) diving magazines, and wrote 4 books. He recently published his newest book: “Shipwrecks of the Dover Straits”.

In 2020, Stefan became member of the Explorers Club in New York.

2025 Talk: “Shipwrecks of the Dover Straits” – For more than 10 years Stefan has been diving and Photo documenting the many shipwrecks that litter the Dover Straits. He was lucky to connect with some local specialists that have located and identified many virgin wrecks! Finally this lead to the publication of his book.