Behind the Scenes by Chris Venn

History is kept alive by embracing its memory, and it's incumbent upon each of us as members of CHAA to preserve the Harvard History.

One of the most powerful ways to draw the past into the present is through the discovery, survey, recovery and restoration of the Harvard aircraft that sleep in the waters around Ontario. The CHAA Recovery Team has the privilege of leading the charge in this role.

Hundreds of hours of research go into every project. The team reviews past newspaper articles, eye-witness reports, and conducts periodic interviews. In addition to this, we spend a great deal of time reviewing micro-film that we order in from the National Archives. These micro-films contain RCAF reports, media clippings, weather reports and more. In the context of our research, most of the information is just clutter. But we do eventually find nuggets of valuable data that lead us closer to pinpointing the location of lost Harvards.

Our collective research is reviewed and analyzed in the monthly CHAA Recovery Team meetings and is then synthesized into an action plan for recovery. We have eight projects underway at the moment and are working diligently to bring these projects to successful conclusion.

We operate with a disciplined approach and with the utmost regard for the historic value of these precious artifacts. The CHAA Recovery Team has a Federal Survey Permit and every diver is certified to Level 1 or higher from the internationally recognized Nautical Archaeology Society. We also take into account the potential impact on the environment of our activities, and the personal safety of each participant. Our divers are all experienced, highly certified and well-equipped. Each diver provides their own equipment and we dive with redundant air sources and even diving computers for added safety.

Beyond this group, however, there is an even larger team that supports us. The many members of CHAA who have offered their time, ideas, explanations, memories and encouragement.