I. Mobilization

The final and most elaborate search for Natalee Holloway has begun. This is likely the most complicated post-mortem search of its kind in history. This case has had many twists and turns during it's 2+ year history. This is one of the final chapters that will hopefully provide closure both to the Holloway family and to the watching world. I've described this search to reporters and friends as a search for a needle in a field of hay stacks while hovering hundreds of feet above the field. However, we have the best needle-detecting equipment and detectors on the planet. The attitude on board the boat is unanimous and unwavering. We know that if God wants her body found, the chances of success are perfect.

To put this all in perspective...

-We will be searching waters as deep as 6 times the height of the Statue of Liberty, or almost as high as the Empire State Building.

-The equipment is towed behind the boat near the seafloor almost 1-mile behind the boat, or over 16 football fields away.

-There are swift currents, rough seafloor topography, and unknown terrain.

-We are looking for a target the size of a shopping cart within the area of Manhattan.

The target is a ~1m x 1m fish/crab trap. A search of this size and complexity, utilizing some of the best equipment and personnel in the world would typically cost around $80K per day, or well over $1 Million. However, due to some deep-pocketed private benefactors and mass-charitable collaboration among multiple equipment lease and marine survey companies, this project is being conducted... without charge. Neither the US or Dutch government is paying for it. A lot must happen before the ocean search occurs.

The mobilization has gone smoothly so far. All equipment is on board the R/V Persistence. The equipment consists of the following:

-Side scan sonar (Edgetech FS4200)

-SeaEye ROV, or remotely operated vehicle

- Sonardyne USBL (Ultra-Short Base-Line) system providing acoustic tracking of the side scan sonar and ROV

-Navigation provided by WinFrog software

- The vessel positioning is provided by multiple Trimble GPS receivers giving us about 1m accuracy.

-Communications (Phone, data transmit, and Internet) are performed by an Agiosat Global Communications Marine Tracking System.

We will leave the dock at Midnight on 27-November, 2007 to perform a "wet-test" on all the gear. This test will take approximately 2 days, where we will calibrate and test all the equipment under real survey conditions. After all testing is complete, we will go back to the dock to drop off all survey personnel, and the R/V Persistence will begin its long journey to Aruba. The journey (approx. 1700 miles) will take around 10 days including fuel stops in Mexico and perhaps Grand Cayman.

The search vessel R/V Persistence - owned and operated by the Silvetti Group

EdgeTech 4200-FS digital Side Scan Sonar, sonar winch in the rear-center

Survey room: from left to right- Side Scan acquisition computer, ROV monitor and controls, navigation computer Survey room: ROV and Navigation stations Survey Room - Processing station , sonar processing and analysis

Key Personnel: Bios coming soon! Please check back soon.

Louis Schaefer Jr. - Project Lead and Key Contributor

Tim Miller - Project Management -Founder of Texas Equusearch http://www.texasequusearch.org/

Tim Trahan - Underwater Expeditions - Project Management

John Silvetti - Project Lead and Key Contributor- Responsible for overall project planning and development. Owner of Marine Surveys, LLC . Providing the R/V Persistence for the search effort. http://silvettigroup.com/

Marc Broussard - Project Manager

Kent Bourg- Party Chief

Kyle Kingman - Geophysical Engineer and Marine Geologist

Dr. Rob Floyd - Marine Geologist /Archaeologist

Anthony Fontenot - Acoustic Positioning Technician