Earlier this winter, locals as well as tourists on Talamanca beach were puzzled by the sight of a ship anchored in the bay. Is this ship a military ship or a working multipurpose vessel working with Ibiza harbor? In fact, it was neither. The Commandant Fourcault certainly has the looks of a warship on the outside, but its stylish interior belies the impression.
Owner Pim de Rhoodes, himself an experienced IANTD diver, acquired the former pilot cutter for his company, Seatec, in 2000 at an auction for a knock-down price. He single-handedly converted it into a floating diving base, a adventure ship, but mainly a luxurious house, fitting it out with a minimalist open-plan day cabin.
Owner Pim de Rhoodes, himself an experienced IANTD diver, acquired the former pilot cutter for his company, Seatec, in 2000 at an auction for a knock-down price. He single-handedly converted it into a floating diving base, a adventure ship, but mainly a luxurious house, fitting it out with a minimalist open-plan day cabin.
In addition, the ship also carries all the necessary technical equipment required by professional divers, including a large decompression chamber. The ship can easily accommodate a fifty-man crew in comfort. This makes the Commandant Fourcault into a versatile craft for diving, search and rescue, research and expeditions. The vessel is equipped with state-of-the-art side-scan sonar, a magnetometer and a 360-degree sonar for searches at depths of between 300 and 900 feet. At 55 metres in length and 498 tonnes displacement, this craft can go 45 days without refuelling. All of which makes it eminently suitable for search of old shipwrecks. This sort of activity is commonly referred to as a ‘treasure hunt’, but more often than not, there is a scientific or documentary background.
In 2008, divers from the Commandant Fourcault worked together with Menson Bound a well known archeologist connected to Harvard University, on a magnificent galleon from the fleet of Queen Elizabeth I on the seabed off the Channel Island of Alderney. This was one of the most spectacular finds in the history of the British navy. On board the wreck was a huge arsenal from the Elizabethan era – a wonderful source of knowledge for archaeologists and historians.
In 2008, divers from the Commandant Fourcault worked together with Menson Bound a well known archeologist connected to Harvard University, on a magnificent galleon from the fleet of Queen Elizabeth I on the seabed off the Channel Island of Alderney. This was one of the most spectacular finds in the history of the British navy. On board the wreck was a huge arsenal from the Elizabethan era – a wonderful source of knowledge for archaeologists and historians.
In 2009, a team of 14 divers boarded the Commandant Fourcault in Antwerp (Belgium) to research the site of the Battle of Jutland, 100 sea miles of the coast of Denmark. The sole purpose of the project was to document on film the site and remains of the largest and most devastating sea battle in history before the North Sea obliterated the last traces.
The Commandant Fourcault also served as a base for a team from National Geographic who wanted to make a film about the wreck of the Britannic – sister ship of the Titanic – which sank in the Kea Channel off the Greek island of Keos in 1916 and lies on the seabed at 110 meters deep.
The latest project undertaken by Pim and his associates is the search, research and salvaging of the coast of Vietnam. The consortium is expecting to bring some fabulous treasures in cooperation with the government, to the surface from the sunken vessel, a merchant ship fully laden with porcelain that went down around the 15th century.
So the Commandant Fourcault has now weighed anchor and left Talamanca Bay. On board are just Pim, wife Angel and topcat Moby – plus their team of minders, the two Dobermans Mac and Joepie and minpin mix Bertje.
The Commandant Fourcault also served as a base for a team from National Geographic who wanted to make a film about the wreck of the Britannic – sister ship of the Titanic – which sank in the Kea Channel off the Greek island of Keos in 1916 and lies on the seabed at 110 meters deep.
The latest project undertaken by Pim and his associates is the search, research and salvaging of the coast of Vietnam. The consortium is expecting to bring some fabulous treasures in cooperation with the government, to the surface from the sunken vessel, a merchant ship fully laden with porcelain that went down around the 15th century.
So the Commandant Fourcault has now weighed anchor and left Talamanca Bay. On board are just Pim, wife Angel and topcat Moby – plus their team of minders, the two Dobermans Mac and Joepie and minpin mix Bertje.
© 2012 PITIUSA MEDIA GROUP S.L.U.
