”The World’s Most Fascinating Woman”

As a little kid I grew up watching National Geographic specials and the series Bold Journey.  On a daily basis I went on expeditions into the swamps near my childhood home in New Jersey.  Back in the 1950’s and 60’s I never imagined someday I would be a scientist working with an international marine archeology expedition in Egypt.  That would all change when I received a phone call from the Smithsonian’s Nile River Delta expert Dr. Jean Daniel Stanley.  He invited Aqua Survey to provide high-resolution sediment coring services in, of all places, Egypt.  Stanley told us our cores would be used to try to determine why Cleopatra’s recently found, long-lost palace was now submerged under the murky water of the Mediterranean.  We mobilized people and equipment to Alexandria; collected dozens of sediment vibracores and then packed the samples for shipment to the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. It was fascinating to watch The Discovery Channel film crew capture our amazing adventure on film.

This June, Philadelphia’s Franklin Institute will be featuring an exhibit on Cleopatra’s palace and possibly reveal what forces sent the palace to its watery grave.  The last time I held some of the artifacts to be displayed, they were neatly organized in large bins soaking in freshwater (the first step in curation).  No doubt, I won’t be allowed to touch them again in Philadelphia.

Aqua Survey would like to encourage you to visit the exhibit this summer.  We are planning an Aqua Survey reception at the Franklin Institute to celebrate the exhibit.  On-hand to interpret the exhibit will be Eric Smith (archaeological diver from Franck Goddio’s team and now ASI employee) and me.  We look forward to sharing our personal experiences in Egypt.  Goddio has often referred to Cleopatra as being the most fascinating woman to ever live.  Visit Franck Goddio’s website or visit the Franklin Institute to see if you agree. Visit Aqua Survey’s website to find out more about how we are currently using geophysical tools to locate cultural artifacts.  Let us know if you would like more information on the reception at the Franklin Institute.

Ken Hayes
President and Founder
Aqua Survey , Inc