Esmeralda Shipwreck - The Official Vasco da Gama Expedition

Videos that document the archaeological survey & excavation of a Portuguese East Indiamen that was wrecked off the coast of Al Hallaniyah Island in the Dhofar region of Oman.  In the spring of 1503 two Portuguese ships (called naus) were wrecked on this Island with the loss of many men, including the two commanders Vicente and Bras Sodre.  The Sodre brothers were the maternal uncles of Vasco da Gama and their naus, ESMERALDA and the SAO PEDRO, were the leading ships of a 5 ship squadron that was part of a larger 20 ship fleet commanded by Vasco da Gama.  This fleet was the 4th Portuguese voyage to India following da Gama's epic discovery of the direct sea route to India in 1498.  The recovered artefacts are believed to be from the ESMERALDA.  This underwater archaeological project is the first of its kind conducted in Oman and was jointly managed by Oman's Ministry of Heritage and Culture and David L. Mearns of Blue Water Recoveries.  For further info:  http://esmeraldashipwreck.com