Oceanic Research and Recovery Inc. is a marine salvage and exploration company currently working under contract with Kenneth Rose and the Kirby Group LLC outside of Woman Key, 12 miles southwest of Key West Florida.
In 1989 Kirby/Wells/Rose obtained a final judgment upon the original “Admiralty Arrest” they filed in1986 of approximately 20 square miles of searchable area south of Woman Key. ORR is currently working a site within the arrest area known as the “Kirby Site”, which is fifty feet below the oceans surface. In 1988 under the efforts of treasure salver Sam Kirby, a ships wooden beam approximately 10 feet long, and two period anchors were produced within the site. The wooden beam which was confirmed to be “tree nailed” was carbon dated and its origins placed near the 16th century. This information was confirmed by marine and ship archeologist Walter Zacharchuk.
Over the years only humble efforts were made to explore the area until 2005 when a full crew returned to search for identifying artifacts at the “Kirby Site.” Using sub-bottom profiling and 3d imaging a printout of the reflected bottom without the overburden shows an anomaly near the reef believed to be the remains of a shipwreck which had been encrusted over time. A piece of the crust was taken to Dr. Robert Hillman of the Battelle Research Institute and has been identified as “Teredo worm crust” (the teredo is a bivalve two-shelled mollusk that eats waterlogged wood). Using an airlift, divers dug down approximately five feet to the crust, broke through it and recovered a butternut, and small but identifiable pieces of charcoal, slag coal, and anthracite coal near the bedrock. A little silver-like container was also found in the debris field from beneath the crust. There was only a small fossilized piece remaining, measuring about 3”x 3” x 1” with no silver content remaining. In the upper middle top, there was what looks like a Spanish cross relieved in the material. Divers also found a pewter bowl which was broken in two near the area.
ORR has already begun working at the “Kirby Site.” Divers have posted several grid areas underwater, and began airlifting in June 2008 under its survey and inventory permit registered with the Florida marine Sanctuary under Kenneth Rose and the Kirby Group LLC. The ORR team consists of six skilled divers which include two Dive Masters, and two Instructors whom are also search and rescue specialists and a ships captain who has over 20 years of experience as a treasure diver. The company owns three work vessels, a 64 foot main research and dive ship, a 39 foot workboat with a compressor/airlift, and a 24 foot twin engine Mako. ORR maintains office and dock space on Stock Island (Key West) approximately 14 miles from the “Kirby Site.”
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