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Jacques Marc – diver, marine historian and avocational underwater archaeologist

by John MacFarlane 2020

Jacques Marc

Jacques Marc – diver, marine historian and avocational underwater archaeologist (Photograph by Jiri Kotler.)

Jacques Marc is an example of what can be accomplished by a highly motivated and passionate individual leading an equally passionate group of volunteers. While he is not a professional mariner he may have spent more time at sea (or under it) than many others. His passion is the marine heritage that is on the bottom or left behind after a vessel is wrecked.

In 1976 he took a SCUBA diving course from Geoff Cumstone at Duncan in recreational diving. Like all new divers initially he dove a lot looking at the marine life and doing some spearfishing. In 1978 he joined the B.C.I.T. Dive Club and together they undertook expeditions to the Sunshine coast. He was working in the Marine Building for the BC Forest Service in Vancouver in those days. In 1981 he joined the New West Aqua Nuts and dived on HMCS Cranbrook in Bedwell Bay.

This wreck dive initiated his first research into the characteristics of the wreck and he soon discovered that what they were diving on was misidentified. The wreck was misidentified as HMCS Cranbrook, but was actually the VT–100. In 1982 he wrote his first article for Diver Magazine sharing both his diving experiences and the results of his research. The article attracted attention from other divers and he was invited to join the Underwater Archaeology Society of B.C. (UASBC).

This led to organizing an expedition to dive on the wreck of the Lord Western in Sydney Inlet. These dives followed on to the work undertaken by the navy. He mapped the wreck with what today appears as crude technology using a Sharp’s Sonic High Accuracy Ranging and Position device. He wrote up the results of the research and published it – the first in a series of publications for the UASBC. This marked a the start of serious documentation of British Columbia shipwrecks.

Canoe Anchor

Not every find underwater is of a large vessel. Here is Jacques with a First Nations canoe anchor. (Photo from Rob Field collection.)

The 1990s saw participation in dives on many different wrecks and in many different locations. He dived in the Columbia River to document the 1830 HBC vessel Isabella, he surveyed Roald Amundsen’s Maud in the Arctic and he participated in a survey of the floor of Montague Harbour searching for signs of pre–sea level rise use by First Nations.

Jacques is the author of an authoritative full-colour text which covers Pacific Coast ship china – based on his own collection and what he has been able to find in museum collections on the Pacific coast.

Princess Sophia

Jacques Marc with prop on the steam tug Point Grey in Porlier Pass. (Photo Dean Driver Collection.)

In the 1960s and 1970s typically divers would take away souvenirs from wrecks, denuding them of artifacts and slowly destroying much of the physical record. But a new consciousness grew among the fraternity. Dive Charter Operators in particular began to realize that a looted wreck was not very interesting for their clients – and came to the conclusion that they needed to be protected. Some significant incidents brought things to a peak. The wheel of the Capilano appeared on display in a local dive shop. Bottles around wrecks were taken in wholesale lots. The UASBC press for protection prior to 1990 saw protection given protection given to 7 wrecks through an Orders–in–Council.

Princess Sophia

Jacques Marc diving on the Princess Sophia. (Photo Annette Smith collection.)

Greater protection was granted in 1996 when the Heritage Conservation Act was promulgated giving specific protection to wrecks and their cargo. Now conservation is taught as an element in dive courses as well as a wreck etiquette on how to visit without causing impact. Each wreck has a ‘spirit of place’ and all divers have a vested interest in their protection.

The UASBC has deep local knowledge of wreck sites. Some wrecks are more vulnerable than others and the locations are kept confidential. Some are, for example, grave sites and others contain large accumulations of collectables. Others are well known and popular dives and many of these were previously looted.

UASBC Dive Group

A group picture of the participants in a UASBC dive expedition to teh wreck of the Miami. (Photo from the Jacques Marc collection.)

Jacques speaks with a deep seeded love of his interest in wrecks. He notes that some are difficult dives, battling currents and poor visibility. Other are spectacularly presentations just as you might imagine from a movie or a TV show.

Jacques Marc

Jacques Marc plotting data from the central coast. (Photo from the Eric Young Collection.)

Jacques Marc is constantly recording data, researching individual wrecks and preparing publications. Historic Shipwrecks of the Southern Gulf Islands of British Columbia is due back from the publisher at the end of March 2020. He retired from the BC Forest service in 2016 and now devotes himself to his passions.


To quote from this article please cite:

MacFarlane, John (2020) Jacques Marc – Underwater Archaeologist. Nauticapedia.ca 2020. http://nauticapedia.ca/Gallery/Marc_Jacques.php

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