The Shipwreck Hunter

April 16, 2018
Shipwreck hunter Mearns provides an at times riveting, at times ponderous collection of his experiences planning, funding, and executing successful searches for sunken ships. Mearns succinctly summarizes the historical contexts for each of the ships he locates, from his early search for the Lucona (which sank in 1977) to determine the innocence or guilt of the owner, accused of insurance fraud and murder, to his explorations of historically important ships lost in war, such as the HMS Hood and HMAS Sydney. The book is at its most exciting in recounting the search for the ships and relating the events that led to their sinkings, including the heroic efforts of crews to protect their ships and ensure the safety of all on board; one second mate of a hospital ship managed to rope together 50 survivors on various pieces of debris to create a “survival island.” The narrative flounders, though, when the focus shifts to the complex efforts and political maneuvers needed to secure funding from governmental bodies and the BBC to document his explorations. Mearns’s unique perspective on the art and science of locating shipwrecks makes for fascinating reading. Agent: George Lucas, InkWell Management.

Listeners may have a sinking feeling as narrator Dan Woren tells the story of the HMS HOOD. The author's recollections of a life spent searching for lost ships have the feel of the TV documentaries Mearns has been involved with. There's always the sense of the methodical work of sifting through historical records and eyewitness accounts to target the underwater searches. Woren's reading emphasizes Mearns's attention to detail yet leaves room for delight in finding a ship's hull and disappointment at the loss of a deep-sea sonar. Mearns's expeditions take listeners back to 1503 and into contemporary criminal investigations. His most personal projects have involved wartime sinkings, such as the HOOD or Australia's SYDNEY. Woren's voice reflects Mearns's concern for the sailors' families. J.A.S. � AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine