Mike Perna,

Survey Specialist 

 

Michael Perna grew up in the heart of Floridaʼs Treasure Coast as an avid diver and fisherman. He began his historic shipwreck recovery career in the summer of 2000, working on the Virgilona under the guidance of Demostines "Mo" Molinar. 

 

Over the next six years Mike developed his skills recovering precious artifacts from the 1715 Fleet shipwreck sites. In 2006, the exploration company Blue Water Ventures of Key West, a contractee of Motivation, Inc., acquired the Virgilona, including Perna, and promoted him to Captain.

 

After a successful season on the Treasure Coast, Perna moved to Key West to begin work conducting magnetometer and side scan sonar surveys on the Santa 
Margarita shipwreck. 

 

In 2012, Perna assisted an expedition in 
Central America, and, through magnetometer survey, located a portion of a lost Spanish galleon that sank in 1631.

 

Captain Pernaʼs expertise in and diligence to the field of maritime archaeology have placed him in high regard amongst his peers.