In 2007, RPM recovered a 2,400-year-old Greek amphora or ceramic storage jar from an ancient shipwreck site off the coast of post-communist Albania. Last summer, RPM discovered a 2,250-year-old bronze ram from a Roman-age warship off the coast of Italy near the Egadi Islands. Graham and Highland Geo Solutions made several important contributions to the ram recovery project. Their team linked the ship’s navigation system to the surveying equipment so it controlled the direction of the ship’s travel, resulting in cleaner data and shorter acquisition times. They also improved the operation of the remotely operated vehicle or unmanned submarine to make it easier to locate and retrieve targets.

Nickerson was thrilled with his involvement in these discoveries. “We’re part of world history… we know we’re contributing to humankind in a tangible way that adds to our understanding of the past.” Ancient naval rams, forged from bronze and weighing from eight to 20 tons, were common in Greek and Roman battles at sea. Built as underwater extensions to the bow of the ship, they could measure up to 12 feet. Propelled by sail power and then by oarsmen, these beaks could smash holes into the sides of enemy ships. The theory goes that the rams were designed so the attacking ship could shed them. Otherwise, it might accidentally sink with the enemy ship. The ram discovered by RPM and HGS is thought to be from the First Punic War of 241 BC, the first of three wars for the supremacy of the western Mediterranean between Carthage and the Roman Republic.“We know this battle shaped world history,” Graham explains. “By finding and studying this artefact, we’re contributing to the story.”

As for the Greek amphora discovered the previous season, RPM mission leader George Robb characterized the find this way: “You’re touching something that was made before Plato was born.” The amphora is now resting in a saltwater bath at the Durres Museum on the Adriatic coast. Albanian authorities hope to see numerous benefits from such discoveries, including a boost to archaeological research, increases in tourism, protection of precious archaeological sites from looters and perhaps an underwater museum.

“It’s no coincidence we found these artefacts,” says Nickerson. “We’ve  been learning lessons over the last few years and applying this knowledge to help RPM find objects on the seabed.” In 2007, Graham and his team helped reconfigure equipment aboard the Hercules, making both hardware and software improvements in preparation for the following season. In the summer of 2009, HGS and RPM returned to Albania and Italy, adding Montenegro to their growing list of research locations. In preparation for the work, HGS put together a new hardware configuration for the submarine.

While this exciting Mediterranean work continues, Graham Nickerson is busy maintaining existing relationships and making new contacts around the world from his home base in Taymouth, New Brunswick. In a few weeks following this interview, he and his family will be off to Charleston College at the University of South Carolina where he will speak with students about the marine mapping business, highlighting his company’s work. HGS pays for the College’s annual licensing fee for an ocean mapping software program called CARIS. In exchange, some of the students will work as interns with HGS in the future. “It’s been a successful symbiosis,” says Nickerson.

Suddenly, our conversation is interrupted. Bailey, the modern day warrior, has discovered a break in his sword. His mother offers to cut it in half with the scissors, thus transforming it into two daggers. This pleases Bailey to no end. Newly armed with weapons in both hands, he mounts an all-out attack.  His father who doesn’t stand a chance. This meeting is over.