Trevor Jackson (diver)
Encyclopedia
Captain Trevor Jackson (born 26 November 1965) is an Australian technical diver, shipwreck
researcher
, author
and inventor. In 2002 he staged what became known as the "Centaur Dive", which subsequently led to the gazetted position of the sunken Hospital Ship
AHS Centaur
being questioned. Jackson is the inventor of the 'Sea Tiger' lost diver location system, and an author on the subject of wreck diving
.
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Jackson had doubted the accuracy of the Australian Government’s original findings for some time before he and New Zealand diver, Dr Simon Mitchell
, supported by a team of 15 back-up divers, staged a world record scuba dive to investigate the site. The dive took place near Brisbane
on 14 May 2002, after nearly a year of planning. At a depth of 584 feet (178 m), the dive was the deepest scuba dive to a wreck undertaken at the time, a world record which held for several years. A camera was taken to the bottom by Jackson but pressure related equipment difficulties meant that no usable footage was retrieved. Despite the lack of conclusive proof, the pair remained adamant for several years that the wreck they had seen on the dive was too small to be the Centaur. Jackson was quoted on the 60 minutes current affairs program: "this wasn't a wreck of the dimensions that the Centaur was which, you know, was 100m long. It was a much smaller thing".
They suspected that the wreck was a small freighter called the Kyogle, sunk in 1951 by the Royal Australian Air Force
. Eventually their insistence prompted investigations by the media and the Royal Australian Navy
. It was subsequently shown that the Centaur was not where it had been assumed. In 2009 the Queensland
Government approved funding for a renewed search for the lost hospital ship. The true resting place of the Centaur was discovered in December of that year.
. These ships included the Dutch dredger Kaptajn Nielsen, the USNS Dolphin, the SS Dover, and the SV Missie. The latter contained a vast collection of 19th century glassware and is now a declared historic shipwreck. Most of these wrecks lay in depths well beyond the normal limits for recreational scuba diving. In 2005 he won the OZTek Technical Diver of the Year award for his services to wreck exploration. Jackson's research into the exact position and depths of shipwrecks is currently being utilized by the Australian Hydrographic Office for new editions of admiralty charts for Queensland
. The Australian Hydrographic Office also removed the protected zone from around the 'old' Centaur position.
In January 2009 Jackson was involved in the Australian National Maritime Museum
's discovery and initial survey dives of the 19th century historical Australian shipwreck, the HMCS Mermaid [1829], and the Queensland Museum
's discovery of the SV Waverley [1889] near Thirsty Sound, Qld, in March later that year.
The system draws upon the 'deliberate error theory', utilized by US Navy pilots during World War II
to relocate their aircraft carriers. More significantly, it involved the development of buoys tested and weighted to exactly replicate the drift characteristics of non-swimming divers on the surface of the ocean, and the use of timed and measured vessel manoeuvres.
Shipwreck
A shipwreck is what remains of a ship that has wrecked, either sunk or beached. Whatever the cause, a sunken ship or a wrecked ship is a physical example of the event: this explains why the two concepts are often overlapping in English....
researcher
Researcher
A researcher is somebody who performs research, the search for knowledge or in general any systematic investigation to establish facts. Researchers can work in academic, industrial, government, or private institutions.-Examples of research institutions:...
, author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and inventor. In 2002 he staged what became known as the "Centaur Dive", which subsequently led to the gazetted position of the sunken Hospital Ship
Hospital ship
A hospital ship is a ship designated for primary function as a floating medical treatment facility or hospital; most are operated by the military forces of various countries, as they are intended to be used in or near war zones....
AHS Centaur
AHS Centaur
Australian Hospital Ship Centaur was a hospital ship which was attacked and sunk by a Japanese submarine off the coast of Queensland, Australia, on 14 May 1943...
being questioned. Jackson is the inventor of the 'Sea Tiger' lost diver location system, and an author on the subject of wreck diving
Wreck diving
Wreck diving is a type of recreational diving where shipwrecks are explored. Although most wreck dive sites are at shipwrecks, there is an increasing trend to scuttle retired ships to create artificial reef sites...
.
Centaur dive
Simon Mitchell
Simon Mitchell is a New Zealand physician specializing in occupational medicine, hyperbaric medicine and anesthesiology. Trained in medicine, Dr Mitchell was awarded a PhD for his work on neuroprotection from embolic brain injury. Mitchell has also published more than 45 research and review...
, supported by a team of 15 back-up divers, staged a world record scuba dive to investigate the site. The dive took place near Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
on 14 May 2002, after nearly a year of planning. At a depth of 584 feet (178 m), the dive was the deepest scuba dive to a wreck undertaken at the time, a world record which held for several years. A camera was taken to the bottom by Jackson but pressure related equipment difficulties meant that no usable footage was retrieved. Despite the lack of conclusive proof, the pair remained adamant for several years that the wreck they had seen on the dive was too small to be the Centaur. Jackson was quoted on the 60 minutes current affairs program: "this wasn't a wreck of the dimensions that the Centaur was which, you know, was 100m long. It was a much smaller thing".
They suspected that the wreck was a small freighter called the Kyogle, sunk in 1951 by the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
. Eventually their insistence prompted investigations by the media and the Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
. It was subsequently shown that the Centaur was not where it had been assumed. In 2009 the Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
Government approved funding for a renewed search for the lost hospital ship. The true resting place of the Centaur was discovered in December of that year.
Shipwreck discoveries
Between 1998 and 2004 Jackson was directly responsible for the initial discovery of at least 19 shipwrecks in the Coral SeaCoral Sea
The Coral Sea is a marginal sea off the northeast coast of Australia. It is bounded in the west by the east coast of Queensland, thereby including the Great Barrier Reef, in the east by Vanuatu and by New Caledonia, and in the north approximately by the southern extremity of the Solomon Islands...
. These ships included the Dutch dredger Kaptajn Nielsen, the USNS Dolphin, the SS Dover, and the SV Missie. The latter contained a vast collection of 19th century glassware and is now a declared historic shipwreck. Most of these wrecks lay in depths well beyond the normal limits for recreational scuba diving. In 2005 he won the OZTek Technical Diver of the Year award for his services to wreck exploration. Jackson's research into the exact position and depths of shipwrecks is currently being utilized by the Australian Hydrographic Office for new editions of admiralty charts for Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
. The Australian Hydrographic Office also removed the protected zone from around the 'old' Centaur position.
In January 2009 Jackson was involved in the Australian National Maritime Museum
Australian National Maritime Museum
The Australian National Maritime Museum is a federally-operated maritime museum located in Darling Harbour, Sydney. After consideration of the idea to establish a maritime museum, the Federal government announced that a national maritime museum would be constructed at Darling Harbour, tied into...
's discovery and initial survey dives of the 19th century historical Australian shipwreck, the HMCS Mermaid [1829], and the Queensland Museum
Queensland Museum
The Queensland Museum is the state museum of Queensland. The museum currently operates four separate campuses; at South Brisbane, Ipswich, Toowoomba and Townsville.The museum is funded by the State Government of Queensland.-History:...
's discovery of the SV Waverley [1889] near Thirsty Sound, Qld, in March later that year.
Author
Captain Jackson is the author of two books on the subject of wreck diving: Wreck Diving in Southern Queensland and Diveabout: Wrecks in Northern Queensland. He is an active writer for several dive publications and websites.Lost diver buoys
During 2009, Jackson patented a system of using specially designed buoys to locate divers lost on the surface. The system has been adopted by dive operators in the USA, New Zealand and Australia.The system draws upon the 'deliberate error theory', utilized by US Navy pilots during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
to relocate their aircraft carriers. More significantly, it involved the development of buoys tested and weighted to exactly replicate the drift characteristics of non-swimming divers on the surface of the ocean, and the use of timed and measured vessel manoeuvres.
External links
- http://www.diveoztek.com.au/speakers.html
- http://www.undercurrent.org/UCnow/articles/FindLostDivers200905.shtml
- http://www.diveoz.com.au/regular_articles/author.asp?author=3
- http://www.trimixdivers.com/Navigate.do?tableName=main&code=articles
- http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,24186666-5017790,00.html