had first spotted a large anchor pointing shoreward. When 

 Ed and Captain Weems went skin diving upon the area, 

 they came upon the remains of a large ship, including two 

 more anchors, a coral-crusted, boxlike object and much 

 standing rigging, jutting out of coral formations which 

 undoubtedly concealed many other things. 



But what had excited their curiosity most was a square 

 pile of blackened, sediment-encrusted bars, the same size 

 and shape as the silver bars which had come from the Cay 

 Gorda wreck. Skin diving on them had failed to reveal 

 their composition, and it was too late in the day to bring 

 Sea Diver close enough to use the salvage equipment. 



So they had set out early the next morning in great 

 excitement to investigate their find, leaving me thoroughly 

 disgusted at having to remain behind. But even tliough I 

 was not yet in condition to join the searchers on Sea Diver, 

 I thought that perhaps I could accomplish something 

 ashore. 



I was sitting at the breakfast table, mulling over the 

 possibility of tracing the Santa Maria's wreck site by some- 

 how establishing the location of Navidad, when M. Beck 

 happened along. I asked him how I could get to Limonade 

 Bord de Mer, the site of Navidad, according to Dr. Mori- 

 son. He had never been there and said he was not even 

 sure it could be reached by road, but he promised to make 

 inquiries for me. 



I was elated when he returned to tell me that it was 

 possible to drive within a short distance of the village and 

 then to follow a footpath the remainder of the way. He 

 offered to take me there in his station wagon, along with 

 his wife and son. This was my opportunity. I stifled some 

 thoughts as to whether the trip would be too strenuous 

 for me, and what Ed would have to say about my going, 

 and told him I would be delighted. So after lunch we 

 started out. 



Search for the Santa Maria 199 



