Art Amos has been diving since 1966. When he saw his first shipwreck, he realized the wealth of history that was on the bottom lands of the Great Lakes. Since that time Art has been involved in numerous underwater archaeological projects. He participated in the research of the shipwrecks to be included into the Fathom Five Provincial Park which embraced the 1972 survey of the Arabia and the 1973 survey of the Tobermory ferry dock. In 1975 Art worked on the Royal Ontario Museum sponsored excavation of an unidentified 18th century shipwreck near the island of Anegada, BVI. Other projects include the Charleston Lake Portage Route survey, the Rudder Survey, the Nimrod survey, the Port Stanley Shipwreck survey and the Kennedy Lake, BC, Fish Weir survey.
Also, in 1975, Art worked on the excavation of an historic naval slip in Penetang Harbor with a group that included avocational and professional archaeologists. An association was formed from that excavation that became known as the Ontario Marine Heritage Committee. The OMHC is still an active group involved in all aspects of historical and archaeological research.
Publications that Art has produced include the Diver’s Guide to Georgian Bay, co-authored with Patrick Folkes, Rudders, Great Lakes Sailing Vessels and “The Discovery of the Schooner St. James”, co-authored with Dan Lindsay. Art Amos and Dan Lindsay were awarded the “Henry N. Barkhausen Award” for “Original Research in Great Lakes Maritime History” for the archaeological report they authored on the “St. James” project. Along with these publications Art has submitted many reports to the Ontario Provincial Cultural Ministries.
