DAVID MEARNS
David Mearns is one of the World's most experienced and successful deep-sea shipwreck hunters. Over his 19-year career he has led the research and discovery of nearly 50 shipwrecks and has an overall success rate of 82%. David's most notable finds include HMS Hood, flagship of the British Royal Navy sunk in 1941 by the German battleship Bismarck (whose wreck was also rediscovered and filmed by David); the Lucona, a cargo ship sunk by a time bomb as part of an Austrian insurance fraud scheme; and Derbyshire, a British bulk carrier lost without trace and with all hands in 1980.
In both shallow and deep water David and BWR have set new standards for the location of lost ships, giving proof to the idea that anything lost in the sea - no matter how old or how deep - can be found. These wrecks include the oldest Colonial shipwreck every found: a Portuguese Nau named Esmeralda from the fleet of Vasco da Gama which sank in 1503 and was found by Blue Water 464 years later in just 3 metres of water, and the Rio Grande a German Blockade Runner sunk in WWII and found by Blue Water at a depth of 5,762 metres setting a new Guinness World Record for the deepest shipwreck ever found.
COMPANY ACTIVITIES
Since 1995 BWR has been involved in the following business areas:
- Shipwreck Historical Research
- Shipwreck Search and Identification
- Heavy Cargo Salvage
- Ancient Shipwreck Archaeology
- Broadcast Quality Underwater Filming
- Marine Accident Investigation
- Navigational Track Reconstruction
- Survey Vessel Operation
- Expedition and Project Management
- Geophysical Equipment Rental
- Cable Route Survey
COMPANY PHILOSOPHY
The deep-sea is an unforgiving and extremely expensive place to work. Because of this Blue Water Recoveries ensures that all projects in its care are meticulously researched, thoroughly planned and expertly conducted. Our focus at all times is to deliver complete success with very high standards of quality whilst avoiding overspends or delay. We are uncompromising in our research and preparation because there is no better way to guarantee results for us and our clients. In addition to this philosophy we bring unparalleled experience in the location of deep-sea shipwrecks and a proprietary archive of unique shipwreck information.
