(October 3, 2007) — In collaboration with Ships of Discovery and the Turks & Caicos National Museum, the Waitt Institute for Discovery will be conducting a detailed survey of the H.M.S. Endymion wreck site, as well as exploring the area surrounding Endymion Rock off the shores of Turks & Caicos. Designing and directing the expedition as Principle Investigator is Dr. Donald H. Keith, the Lead Nautical Archaeologist with Ship of Discovery the and trustee of the Turks and Caicos National Museum.

During the 18th century, many French and British ships leaving Hispañola bound for Europe were required to navigate the treacherous Turks Island Passage. A number of ships, like the H.M.S. Endymion, failed to clear a hidden reef south of Salt Cay, which guards the entrance to the passage. Though the Endymion came to rest in the shallows of the isolated reef, other vessels may have gone down in deeper, un-surveyed waters after striking the reef near Endymion Rock, so-named after the vessel that was first discovered there.

The Waitt Institute for Discovery will lead a two-week expedition in late November to document the current state of the H.M.S Endymion, as well as search the site for other shipwrecks. The research team will dive the site to closely document the Endymion, creating a record of the current state of the site for future comparison, while also providing deeper insight into the history of the region. The Waitt Institute for Discovery will perform a side-scan sonar and magnetometer survey of the area near the reef in an effort to locate any additional lost ships, as the possibility for discovery of unknown wrecks is also high.

Dr. Donald Keith has directed field research from the Bahamas to Panama and has participated in shipwreck investigations in more than a dozen foreign countries. He directed the excavation, analysis and conservation of the Molasses Reef wreck, the oldest shipwreck discovered in the Americas, which necessitated the establishment of the Turks & Caicos National Museum in 1991. He has since served as a trustee of the museum.

Dr. Keith has also spearheaded a multi-year and multi-national research effort to find the slave ship Trouvadore – a significant wreck in the cultural history of Turks and Caicos. He has led two previous Trouvadore expeditions, and is currently the Principal Investigator for the 2008 Search for the Trouvadore Expedition.

Ships of Discovery was established 1989 and Dr. Keith serves as its president. The organization’s mission is to “shed light on the ships that have made our planet one world – from the first truly transoceanic ships the world had ever seen, the ships of the Age of Columbus, to this, the Age of Discovery. “

About the Waitt Institute for Discovery
The Waitt Institute for Discovery is a non-profit research organization that serves as an exploration catalyst, enabling scientific pioneers to transform the ways in which discoveries are made. The Waitt Institute for Discovery implements innovative technologies in the field through collaborations with world-renowned scientific institutions, synthesizing global expertise and accelerating groundbreaking research. Founded in 2005 by Ted Waitt, the Waitt Institute for Discovery seeks to advance human understanding of the past and secure promise of a better future through exploration and discovery. The Waitt Institute for Discoveryis supported by Ted Waitt and the Waitt Family Foundation.