his retirement to investigating the Sea Venture wreck.

"I didn't know anything about it,'' claimed Mr. Allan (Smokey) Wingood a retired professional diver who spent years exploring and recovering artifacts from Bermuda's most significant historic wreck.

"I did find quite a number of unique things,'' he admitted however.

Last week Mr. Wingood became the first Bermudian to be singled out for an award by the World Ship Trust for his work on the Sea Venture .

He was honoured at a Government House reception where the Governor Lord Waddington presented him with a citation and a plaque on behalf of the trust.

The trust, which aims to preserve and display historic ships and association artifacts praised Mr. Wingood's for his "personal enthusiasm, direction and participation'' and his contribution to world maritime history.

"It was the fact that this thing had never been nailed down. Nobody was even sure it was the Sea Venture ,'' said Mr. Wingood, describing what inspired him to take on the project.

In 1978, the Maritime Museum invited Mr. Wingood to head an investigation into the wreck which turned out to be a treasure trove of 16th and 17th Century artifacts.

Twelve years later, he founded the Sea Venture Trust which provided financing for a more extensive on site excavation of the wreck.

Since then, numerous articles have been written on artifacts recovered from the Sea Venture which include a fragment of Ming Dynasty Chinese porcelain, a James I lead weight, clay pipe bowls, a pewter candlestick and an intact Bellarmine-type bottle and jug.

Mrs. Peggy Wingood, his wife of 53 years, also played a role in the investigation by photographing the artifacts and helping to write articles that appeared in the International Journal of Nautical Archaeology and Underwater Exploration.

"We've had help from directors of museums from all over the world,'' said Mr.

Wingood. "They have been very kind to us as a result of this we have made friends all over the world.'' DIVING DISTINCTION -- Retired professional diver and historian Mr. Allan (Smokey) Wingood received this award for his work investigating the Sea Venture at a presentation at Government House on Friday.