Dr. Della A Scott-Ireton

Maritime archaeologists have long recognized the value of volunteers to further research and management goals. Opportunities in maritime archaeological training, research, and fieldwork are growing for non-divers as well as those certified to scuba dive, and archaeologists generally are grateful to work with anyone who wants to learn more about and engage with maritime cultural heritage. Anyone with an interest in our maritime past may be enlisted as citizen scientists because not everything maritime is submerged. This volume represents an introduction to “citizen science” in maritime archaeology—diving and non-diving—and present a variety of projects, organizations, and experiences in engaging the public, fostering stewardship, and empowering people and communities to contribute to the preservation of our shared maritime heritage. Citizen science, pioneered in the fields of biology and geography, utilizes volunteers, who generally are not scientists, to gather and process data. This focus on the collection and use of data to answer research questions differentiates citizen science from the broader concept of “community engagement.” In archaeology, communities and individuals may be engaged through, for example, attending public lectures and tours, participating in discussions of how to “use” archaeology in their communities, or supporting a project by becoming a docent.

The sleepy community of Apalachicola, Florida, once was among the largest ports on the Gulf of Mexico , serving as the distribution center for goods shipped up and down the Apalachicola River . Fleets of watercraft plied the river and bay transporting cotton and other products from the interior of the southeastern United States and manufactured goods from all over the world to feed the booming regional economy. Many of these ships and boats were the products of local boatyards, and some were simply “homemade,” knocked together as needed by local people without the benefit of plans or much experience in boatwrightry. Built by people living along the Apalachicola River and Bay specifically for local needs and conditions, these watercraft are the very definition of “vernacular.” In 2002, the Florida Bureau of Archaeological Research recorded the remains of several local boats in the Apalachicola River and its tributaries. This chapter describes these watercraft and their relationship to the economy of a coastal town on the north Florida Gulf Coast.