Underwater Exploration

A black and white photograph of a woman with a rusted anchor

Marion Link on the Columbus expedition

Selling Link Aviation allowed Ed Link to devote more time to diving and treasure-trawling with his family. Ed was especially interested in wrecks of Spanish galleons off the coast of Florida and the Florida Keys for their treasures and historical artifacts.

The Link family spent time exploring areas in the Bahamas, Haiti, Jamaica, Israel, Greece, Sicily, France, and the Silver Shoals, a large expanse of coral reef near Hispaniola. They engaged in many archaeological explorations to discover landmarks, wreckage, and other historic objects. In 1952, the Smithsonian Institution and the National Geographic Society sponsored an excavation of the sunken city of Port Royal, Jamaica. Link and U.S. Navy divers found hundreds of artifacts that made valuable contributions to the historical narrative. 

A black and white photograph of a boat docked at a port with a man and a woman

The Link family with the Sea Diver II

A black and white photograph of a hand holding an antique pocket watch

Brass pocket watch (1687)

A black and white photograph of pieces of a mosaic tiles

Mosaic Tiles

A sepia photograph of a tall Greek or Roman jar (i.e. an amphora) next to a measuring tape

Amphora

A black and white photograph of a damaged column that was excavated from the sea floor

Excavated column