Scene: A wet and dreary December day — the phone rings. The caller introduces himself as a representative of a California film company interested in sending Philippe and Ashlan Cousteau to Bermuda for their Travel Channel series “Caribbean Pirate Treasure” to search for the lost wreckage of the Roanoke. There follows approximately two minutes of conversation wherein the caller assures me that this is not a crank phone call and that he’s is actually serious. Once the disbelief passed, we set out organizing dates with the Cousteaus and their film crew to continue the search for the Roanoke here in Bermuda.
Searching for the Roanoke with the Cousteaus
Weeks passed quickly, and the provisional March date arrived along with horrible winds and weather. We delayed the date, but eventually Dive Bermuda, along with Blue Water Divers, met with the Cousteaus and their production team in April to discuss the history and dive plan for the ongoing search.
Stay tuned
Happily, the weather for the chosen date turned out glorious. We conducted two dives off the east end of Bermuda in and around Five Fathom Hole where the Roanoke was scuttled during the American Civil War. I think it fair to say that the dive crews, along with the owners/operators of both dive companies, were somewhat in awe of diving with the grandson of a true legend, along with his lovely wife, and facing a bank of cameras and sound booms.
As to what we saw and found, all will be revealed on June 27th on the Cousteau’s “Caribbean Pirate Treasure.” Check your local listings for details.
