BONHOMME RICHARD
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PODCAST BELOW
EPISODE 1
In 2015 we embarked on a decade long journey which has led us to one of the most important discoveries in maritime history. The Bonhomme Richard, the infamous galleon commanded by the legendary John Paul Jones, come with us and explore this extraordinary find.
EPISODE 2
Over the course of almost a decade, following the arduous work of Timothy Akers and the team at Merlin Burrows, we have accumulated a large amount of materials which originated from the wreck of the Bonhomme Richard, maybe the most important wreck ever found.
EPISODE 3
Join us on a meticulous examination of the materials recovered at the wreck site. Explore for the first time in history, since the Bonnie Dick sank, pieces of this infamous shipwreck, which we are now showing the world since it’s destruction.
PODCAST PREVIEW
In this preview podcast, Michael Donnellan describes some of the details of the upcoming podcast regarding the discovery of the Bonhomme Richard, with the collaboration of Bruce Blackburn and John Hart. Podcast airs May 2024.
PODCAST 1
This podcast features Chris Heapy, expedition assistant, Bruce Blackburn, CEO of Merlin Burrows, John Hart, Operations Director at Merlin Burrows, Tim Yarrow and Rich Keyes, Divemasters, Timothy Akers, Head of Research and finder of the wreck.
PODCAST 2
This continuation of the podcast details the original work conducted by the team, and Michael Donnellan, along with Chris Heapy, describe the irony of this infamous shipwreck ultimately being first touched by an Anglo-American research team.
EXAMINING THE MATERIALS
Over the course of several years, our team conducted dozens of dives at the site, each time recovering materials from the ocean floor. The site has been registeres with the receiver of wrecks, and the artifacts recovered are consistent with the Bonhomme Richard, which was reputedly burned beyond repair as it was sinking. Signs of fire are prevalent in the recovered pieces of material, along with an abundance of brass rivets and bolts, consistent with a French-built galleon of that era. These and other artifacts attest to the grand battle that occurred in these waters off the coast of Filey on September 25th, 1779.
ALMOST A DECADE OF RESEARCH
Since Timothy Akers first located the possible wreck site, using patented Merlin Burrows SatScan™ technologies, our team has dived at the site dozens of times. The site would end up having its own complications, due partially to the icy waters of the North Sea and partly due to the awkward location of the wreck site. Our team recognized quickly that the ship must have been caught up in a tremendous battle, due to the state of the site and the artifacts recovered.
FOLLOWING PROTOCOL
Each country has strict guidelines to recovering and studying archaeological sites. In this case, the Bonhomme Richard was immediately registered with the Receiver of Wrecks, making us the first team to successfully find and register the remains of the Bonhomme Richard. These remains have been meticulously studied and stored in prime conditions for their preservation, so that future generations may learn about this wreck and its historical importance.
WATCH THE PODCAST
As this is an ongoing discovery, we have created a series of podcasts in which we explain many of the elements which have gone into the find, as well as the series which documents the discovery, “Finding the Bonnie Dick”. Stay updated with this series of podcasts all about the Bonhomme Richard!