31 August 2012

Maritime Mysteries Explorers - Miri, Day 1


After a 2 hour flight delay, we were picked up a Miri Airport by Hans Berekoven, one of the subjects of our shoot.  On our way out to the marina, Hans drove us by the house they were lobbying to get for the maritime museum that would house all the artefacts they were bring up from the Viscount Melbourne wreck.  Once we arrive at the Southern Sun, the Berekoven's 19 meter Ketch we will be spending the next week on, we are introduced to the rest of the crew, Roze, Hans' wife, self-made archaeologist and resident expert on the Viscount Melbourne; Tristan, their son on holiday here to help out; and Phil, a fellow diver and marina resident.  After a quick meeting, it was decided we would be leaving around 2 or 3 in the afternoon for the overnight trip out to the reef.  The morning would be used to make arrangements for food and taking care of a few last minute items.  We were also expecting a Skype call early morning with Frank Joseph Hoff.  FJH is an author and researcher of ancient mysteries as well as editor-in-chief of Ancient American magazine.  He has worked promoting the late Professor Arysio Santos book, Atlantis, the Lost Continent Finally Found, that claims that the legendary continent was based on the Sunda Self in Southeast Asia.  The book was a major hit in Indonesia when it was translated into Bahasa Indonesia and was one of the reasons that they hosted an INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON NATURE, PHILOSOPHY AND CULTURE OF ANCIENT SUNDA CIVILISATION.  The guest speakers at the conference included the Berekoven's, Frank Joseph Hoff and Dr. Stephen Oppenheimer, who wrote the book, Eden in the East, the Drowned Continent of Southeast Asia.