Finding a sunken ship with cannons for the first time in 200 years. In late 1990 my wife had left our catamaran to go to hospital to undergo a back surgery, so it left me and Ryan Donnelly on board our catamaran. Both lonely souls. Anyway we decided to explore the eastern side of Martinique which has a big "do not go here" cross marked all over this uncharted area. Now I know why, there are some very aggressive cracks which go down 300 feet and back up to 5 feet within 50 feet and there are many like this with coral growing on the surface just below the water line. It is very dangerous to cruise in especially for sailing yachts and power boats so few people go there if any. Ryan and I slowly crept into a good anchorage for the evening and went to bed. The next morning we awoke to go snorkeling, I was snorkeling on a ledge 12 feet below the surface when I realized I was looking at a war cannon, these war cannons are far larger than normal (roughly 12 feet long). This cannon was covered with 6 inches of hard tight coral but you could make out that it was a cannon, I could dive down to the nose of the cannon and look 5 inches down her blocked barrel, when I got to the surface I noticed a second cannon 20 feet away then another and another, so I knew I had found part of the side of a 17 century war ship where all her cannons had come to rest on the top of this ridge and had sat here for these past 200 years. I then decided to see what was down the cliff section which faced the open ocean.

I could easily snorkel down 60 feet but the water was not clear. I went down 40 feet and followed the major anchor chain which just disappeared into oblivion, next to this anchor chain were 2 others, smaller in size and both had 7 foot anchors which had dug into the hard cliff face.

Ryan and I admired our find and forgot about it. When I left Martinique I went to customs to clear out, which is common practice and mentioned that I had found cannons under water to the customs agent, he went and made a telephone call, then asked me if I could wait to speak to his boss? I said sure.

A gentleman in a suit and brief case arrived and asked me to explain what I saw. So I told him. He asked if it were possible to show him these cannons and asked if I could delay my exit for one day, I said sure. Meet me at 7 am here at customs the next day, OK.

The next day Ryan and I walked to Customs and noticed 7 white customs vehicles with flashing lights parked outside the office, we walked in late 7.15. The gentleman said Captain Andrew please join me in the front vehicle. It was then I noticed a large truck with flashing lights carrying an open speed boat and he said to me "tell me where to go". "Okay, head for the other side of the island" I marked his map with a soft pencil and he said something to the driver and off we went lights flashing sirens blowing and 8 vehicles moving like a silk worm moving towards the soft part of the leaf.

As soon as we were out of the town area sirens and flashing lights were switched off. Through valleys, up hills and eventually to a small coconut palmed area where they could launch their speed boat. Mask flippers tossed into the boat loaded 6 of us then sped off towards our sunken pirate ship. Their eyes were on me for direction and I just kept pointing.

Eventually we reached the point where I said "drop your anchor here" and I flipped over the side of the boat into the water. I was on top of the first cannon, only the customs gentleman followed and I pointed one cannon to him and the second, then he went back to his boat, he had seen enough. I asked him what he does now and if there is treasure could I enjoy some of the spoils? He said we do nothing except mark this location with an x on a map and write ship wreck, nothing else.

So our ship wreck find was closed for everyone, we left the next day for Guadeloupe and then Antigua.

I do not have pictures of this just memories.

P.S. I am not sure he could swim too well, he seemed uncomfortable when in the water