Gary Cooks Latest Newsletters

Of Ships and Stones and Stories

Volume 1, January 2010

"It was an ebb tide, and the cloud covered sky re- flected darkly on the wet sand. Then, the distant chatter of a helicopter engine and the sleek Robin- son 44 came into view, circled over the beach and quickly landed a little distance for our vehicles. This was a day that had been long in planning to seek further proof of the site of a 2nd world War German U-boat that was said to have been scuttled of the coast in this area in late 1944 or early 1945.

The story we have been given tells of the crew coming ashore at this remote place, bringing with them a number of wooden cases that contained much in the way of valuable works of art and arti- facts. The one point that has held my interest for the past 4 years we have been investigating the possible sinking and the validity of the story, is that one of the items that came to these shores is the legendary Ark of the Covenant. This is one aspect of the events that took place more than 60 years ago, that has captured my interest. As a Temple Knight of the Supreme Military Order of the Tem- ple of Jerusalem, it is beholden on me to pay atten- tion to such stories, and to either prove or disprove this event. Members of the Knights Templar de- clare much with the oath of allegiance..."