Chris Underwood, Project Director of the Nautical Archaeology Society in Portsmouth, leaves the post this month to work with archaeological services in Argentina.

His immediate projects include study of HMS Swift, a well preserved 1770s English warship off Puerto Deseado in Patagonia, and other wreck sites off Patagonia's Peninsula Valdes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Underwood will also work to expand NAS training courses for divers in Argentina and other South American countries. A plan to develop volunteer work opportunities is also being considered.

Underwood was a part-time tutor on NAS training courses from 1989 to 1993, and became Training Officer in 1994. In more recent years, as Project Director, he has been involved in discussion and policy development with archaeological interests, diving groups and the Government.

Since 1994, the NAS has run about 670 courses for some 7300 people. It has turned out 2249 divers qualified to NAS Part I, its bedrock level of training that allows divers to carry out basic site surveys and to tend, say, a protected wreck site as licensed guardians. The two-day course costs £110.

The one-day, £50 Introduction to Foreshore and Underwater Archaeology course, introduced in 2000, has been taken up by 1330 divers.

Developments have included summer schools and, to encourage ongoing archaeological work, the Diving With a Purpose scheme. This has proved highly successful, with more than 60 Adopted Wreck and WreckMap project opportunities taken up clubs or other groups around the country.

NAS training courses have been adopted in 12 other countries.

There are no immediate plans to replace Underwood at the NAS. Project Officer Mark Beattie-Edwards will take on a broader role managing projects and NAS relations with other bodies, while Sarah Ward continues in her administrative capacity.

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