|
ARCHAEOLOGICAL S.O.S. - T-ISLAND SCREENPLAY
Maties, please use our A-Z to navigate this site or return HOME me hearties.
|
|
|
|
...
The Hispaniola carried her crew safely across the Atlantic under sail. Billy Bones and Jack Boon proved to be able deck hands. While John Long, soon mastered the galley arrangement, to produce some quite memorable dishes. His speciality for those that liked it, was a warming fish curry. Where some of the ingredients could be had fresh from the sea.
The Hispaniola continued under sail into the Caribbean, passing the Turks and Caicos islands on their starboard side, then motored along the coast of Haiti, portside, heading toward Port-au-Prince.
Captain Tremaine anchored the Hispaniola some twenty meters west of the unidentified sunken wreck, when Billy Bones, suited up with a single cylinder of air, and dived the remains of the ship using Scuba gear. There was not much to see, and no sign of any cannon. He swam the length and breadth of the sunken vessel several times. Then he surfaced to report his disappointment, his air almost gone from the exertion.
Climbing back on board, Billy gasped, "Captain, I can see no cannon, or other identifying relics." Billy Bones was still super fit from his Special Boat Services training, so must have been pushing it underwater.
"Are you certain Mr Bones. Catch your breath?"
"Aye that I am," wheezed Bones. "But for sure the wreck needs more investigation than just eyes. Don't you think?"
Lord Huntington entered the helm, catching the last of the conversation. "We'll deploy our ROV, and in metal scan mode."
This was a task for Jack Boon. John Long joined him aft, with Billy helping with the tether cables.
"Anything, Billy? Long whispered. Billy shook his head.
A light crane swung the ROV over the side, splashing it into the sea, and released. Black Jack piloted the underwater vessel, seeing through the onboard camera, with all lights ablaze. The ROV was equipped with a metal detector. John Long and Lord Huntington hovered in the background, while Black Jack executed a grid search pattern, looking for large metal objects. None were found, only rudder fittings and cutlery.
Later than evening, William Gray, John Long, Billy Bones and Black Jack held an impromptu meeting on deck. "Well lads, it looks like we've been sold a pup," said John Long.
"I'll say," exclaimed Billy. "Never have I dived a wreck so barren."
"The ROV survey bears no similarity to the satellite image Huntington showed during his Society presentation in London."
"Quite so Mr Gray. What then is going on?" John Long was openly aggrieved.
"Sad to say, I don't rightly know. But we'll get to the bottom of this. Mark my words."
In the helm cabin, another scene was unfolding, equally heated. Captain Tremaine opened with a broadside. "If you don't mind me saying so Lord Huntington, it appears that your information is more than just a little inaccurate. Would you care to explain?"
"Yes, I must admit there are some anomalies."
"Some anomalies! It's a total bust, would you not agree? And the crew are rightly just as concerned, that we've come all this way, with nothing to show for it. They are out on deck now having more than just a chinwag, I'll wager."
"I must ask you to bear with me Mr Tremaine. I have in mind asking John Storm, if he might be persuaded to render some assistance. There is a reward somewhere, we just need to keep our wits about us. Remain calm and stay focused."
"I've heard of Storm and his survey vessel Elizabeth Swann. What makes you think he'll go for it?"
"Curiosity, and his generally helpful demeanor concerning archaeology, or so I've heard. You'd better have a word to calm the crew. I'll try to connect with Mr Storm."
Lord Huntington asks John Storm if he might swing by, as he is in the Caribbean vicinity, at old Port Royal. Enticed in with the promise of a personal donation to Blue Shield .....
John is not open to bribes of any kind, but he would not stand in the way of a donation to a United Nation's endorsed anti-theft organization. It was up to Huntington to donate if he wished. The Elizabeth Swann was always available to help marine archaeologists, provided it was within John's power and Dan and Cleopatra were of a like mind.
During his sweep of the area show as a shadow in the Canale de la Gonave, Port-au-Prince, John realizes that this wreck is already on the Blue Shield data base, it is not a new find as purported, or of any great urgency for survey. He brings this to the attention of Huntington, who claims to have been fed outdated information - a mistake.
By way of apology, Huntington reveals a map, drawn from the parchment handed down to him, the duplicate leaving out the vital clues, but with just enough information to whet John's appetite. Since, the map refers directly to Henry Morgan - and John has the wooden engraving he recovered from Morgan's casket, etched in his memory.
Huntington reveals that he added his voice to Blue Shield's calling on John, to survey Port Royal. Not in his wildest dreams imagining what John might find. John is at least grateful for that, but angry at the Haiti deception - or so he suspects. He gives Huntington the benefit of the doubt.
Huntington contacts John Storm, asking for help with the supposed shipwreck survey - meet in the Caribbean. Asking for ES assistance as portable lab, appealing to Storm's general interest in such matters. At this stage John has no idea about the parchment Huntington has been keeping a secret, thinking he is cosher, as a BGS bigwig.
.....
PROLOGUE: ROYAL AFRICAN COMPANY - King Charles II, Royal Charter James Stuart II, transport goods from Africa: Bloody Triangle. SCENE 1. THE BATTLE OF OCRACOKE - Lt Robert Maynard, Blackbeard's curse, beheading & torturous interrogation on the Adventure SCENE 2. EARTHQUAKE JAMAICA - Present Day - An earthquake hits Port Royal, disturbing the sunken city & Palisadoes cemetery. SCENE 3. BLUE SHIELD ENGLAND - Blue Shield, Newcastle UK, UNESCO requests Storm catalogue underwater city UNEP World Heritage Site. SCENE 4. HENRY MORGAN'S DEATH - Henry Morgan has a heart attack; funeral ceremony at Palisadoes cemetery, old Port Royal. SCENE 5. SUNKEN CITY SURVEY - Present Day, Swann's sensors scan the ocean bed, revealing mausoleum former Governor of Jamaica. SCENE 6. JUNE 1692 TSUNAMI - Jamaica, June 7th, an earthquake hits Port Royal, then a tsunami washes the pirate haven under the sea. SCENE 7. HENRY MORGAN'S COFFIN - John Storm & ROV, comes face to face with Henry's skeletal remains. Finds interesting wooden engraving. SCENE
8. BBC
JILL BIRD - London. John
Storm's finds lost Henry Morgan's pirate remains. "And for those of you wondering,
there was no treasure." SCENE 10. SHIP'S COOK - William Gray helps John Long's cut-throats to crew for Huntington's Hispaniola, Long a dab hand on the galley. SCENE 11. ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOS - Huntington (BGS bigwig) asks John Storm for help with shipwreck survey - meet in the Caribbean, Haiti. SCENE 12. SKELETON ISLAND - Intrigued by map proffered by Lord Huntington, John agrees to switch attention to location, to coast of Panama. . SCENE 13. SANTA CATALINA - Colombian, Mexican, Panamanian, Nicaraguan patrols re: 'Satisfaction' & hunt for Aztec gold, Spanish Conquistadors. SCENE 14. TREASURE ISLAND - Hurricane Iota erased map clues, Isla Providencia. Longstride believes location of Blackbeard's/Morgan's treasure. SCENE 15. KIDNAP - Black Jack & Billy Bones kidnap Dan, Cleopatra - lock in Hispaniola with Tremaine. Hal alerts John to events via BioCore. SCENE 16. DOUBLE CROSS - Maynard pact with Spanish Navy to blockade Caribbean to capture John & Swann. Longstride deal Aztec Golden Skull. SCENE 17. BLACKBEARD'S CURSE - John retakes Swann, Hal immobilizes Black Jack and Billy Bones and rescues prisoners on Hispaniola. SCENE 18. MORGAN'S TREASURE SHIP - John deciphers carving code helped Dan and Cybercore Genetica. Dives to find privateer's shipwreck. SCENE 19. BILLION DOLLAR DEAL - John negotiates with Panama, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador & Blue Shield for % salvage based on wreck video. SCENE 20. BLOCKADE RUNNER - Swann navigates through Spanish Armada & Royal Navy blockade in stealth mode, invisible to radar. SCENE
21. BERMUDA TRIANGLE - Pirates
head into
Bermuda Triangle, Colombian Navy in pursuit:
BBC Sky News. Never to be seen again.
|
|
SHIPMATES DIG OUR A-Z FOR PIRATES GOLD OR PLOT A COURSE HOME YO HO HO ME HEARTIES
This website is Copyright © 2023 Cleaner Ocean Foundation & Jameson Hunter - All rights reserved, Protected internationally as per the Berne Convention.
|
