UKDIVING
Kitting-up on board ‘ Our W ’
As is often the case with older wrecks , most of it is buried under a mound of sand which frequently shifts at the whim of nature , covering or uncovering the site . We dived it with quite a high sand level , but this didn ’ t detract from the experience and I was stunned by how much there was to see in such a small area . For those who are that way inclined , we also saw small lobsters , female edible crabs , a scallop nursery , schools of young fish and lots of other things my lack of knowledge means I can ’ t identify !
We descended onto a pile of large iron cannon which were probably part of the main armament located on the lower decks . My buddy , Jon Parlour , has dived the wreck many times , so guided me round , taking the time to show me where we were on the map and pointing out the important features . This included the 2-3m long marble blocks that were probably part of the cargo and would have been located in the lowest part of the ship for stability .
We also saw the rows of stacked tiles that were likely to have been used to decorate wealthy houses in Amsterdam , but proved important in identifying the wreck . Analysis of the tiles shows that they originated in Italy , which is where the Klein Hollandia was returning from when it was sunk .
It is easy to get overwhelmed by the stunning bronze cannon that were used as secondary armament and would have been carried higher in the ship . They ’ re still in immaculate condition with all the features you ’ d expect , such as lifting dolphins , ornate castings , maker ’ s name and heraldic crests . Just to explain the terminology , the lifting handles on cannon are called ‘ dolphin ’ and are often represented as such , although they can take a variety of shapes and forms .
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One of the beautiful bronze cannons
Base of the copper cauldron