Aqua Survey, Inc. (ASI), a Flemington, NJ based firm, was selected by geologist, Dr. Daniel Stanley (Smithsonian Institute, Washington, DC) to be part of a team headed by French underwater archaeologist, Franck Goddio and the Supreme Council of Egyptian Antiquities to probe sediments that have long engulfed three ancient Egyptian cities. This spring's expedition will sail from Malta (an island nation located south of Sicily) and arrive in the Port of Alexandria, Egypt mid-April. Aqua Survey's staff will join the expedition in Alexandria.

Homer, Herodotus, Strabo and many other writers have documented the existence and importance of ancient cities along Egypt's Mediterranean's coast – Rhakotis (Alexandria), Herakleion and Menouthis. Herakleion, now submerged under sediment at the bottom of Abou Kur Bay, had grown rich from taxes and once had a reputation for its lax morals. Herakleion was also a pilgrimage center for peoples of the eastern Mediterranean. Goddio is well known for his discovery of the ancient Royal City in Alexandria's harbor (Discovery Channel: In Cleopatra's Palace: In Search of a Legend). Last summer, Goddio and the Supreme Council of Egyptian Antiquities announced the discovery of the underwater remains of Herakleion and Menouthis (under about 60 feet of water / about ten miles off shore). To date, 2-D and 3-D geophysical technologies have been used to profile the sites, which had revealed crevices in the seabed under the ruins that indicate possible tectonic instability in the region. Throughout recorded history, earthquakes have played a major role in the destruction of Egyptian cities. Ancient rumblings may have sublimated this entire area, causing it to collapse and to be covered by the sea.

This spring, Goddio has returned to Egypt to continue his studies of Alexandria Harbor and areas within Abou Kur Bay, with the help of ASI. Aqua Survey, founded in 1975, owns and operates specialty sediment vibra-coring equipment that will allow the expedition to retrieve long continuous sediment cores. These cores may provide clues as to what cataclysmic event(s) occurred that caused these cities to have sunk into the harbor and to be now covered. The Smithsonian's Dr. Stanley, a Nile River Delta specialist, joined Goddio's team to research the possible causes that led to the submersion of this broad area over 1,000 years ago. Stanley will use C14 and AMS methods to date sediments vibra-cored within the ruins.

ASI routinely provides sediment-coring services worldwide. Aqua Survey assesses sediment cores for physical, chemical and toxicological properties at its Flemington laboratory. "This isn't just another day on the water for us, collecting samples. We were pleased that the Smithsonian Institute selected us to be on the team. We are excited to be part of such an important project. Until last June, these 2,500 year old submerged ruins of Pharaonic cities were only known through Greek tragedies, travelogues and legends," stated ASI's President and Founder Ken Hayes.

Homer (~850 B.C.) gave importance to this region. Strabo (66 B.C. – 24 A.D.) wrote about the location and the rich lifestyles of these lost ancient cities. Seneca (4 B.C. – 65 A.D.) condemned the inhabitants for their moral corruption. Underwater archeologist, Franck Goddio, will write the next chapters, with a little help from Aqua Survey.