Karin B. Sinniger
No. 165 Dac Doi Street
Luanda, Angola
Tel. +244-912-704-204 (Mobile)
kbsinniger@yahoo.com
Education:
International schools in Malaysia, the Philippines, Japan, as well as a
leading English public school (Millfield).
Oxford University, B.A. (Hon.), Jurisprudence 1987, M.A. 1990;
National Law Center, George Washington University, LLM, 1990.
Nationalities:
Swiss (parentage); Hongkong-British (birth); USA (naturalization).
Languages:
English (mother tongue); Fluent in French & German. Conversant in
Spanish and Portuguese.
Date of Birth:
August 25, 1964.
Diving Qualifications:
Professional: Assistant Instructor (1995); Divemaster (1994).
Recreational: PADI: Seahorse Diver (2012); Dubai Mall Aquarium
Diver (2011); Shark Diver (2008); National Geographic Diver
(2007); Whale Shark Diver (2003); Underwater Archaeology (2002);
Ice Diver (1995); Rescue Diver (1994); Equipment Specialist (1994);
Deep Diver (1992); Underwater Photographer (1992); Wreck Diver
(1992); Boat Diver (1992); Night Diver (1992); Advanced Openwater
(1992); Openwater (1992).
Technical: Nautical Archaeology Society: Hard Hat and Surface
Supplied Air (2002); TDI: Introduction to Cave Diver (2001).
IANTD: Introduction to Trimix (2003); Technical Nitrox Diver
(1997); Advanced Deep Air (1997); Nitrox Wreck Diver (1997);
Advanced Nitrox Diver (1995); Nitrox Diver (1995).
Medical/Public Safety:
Royal Geographical Society: Wilderness Medical Training (2003).
DAN: First Aid for Hazardous Marine Life Injuries (2003); Oxygen
Provider (1994). PADI: Emergency First Response (2004); Marine
Life Injuries (2003); Medic First Aid (2001). Lifeguard Systems:
Public Safety Diver Workshop (8 hours, 2002); Field Neurological
Evaluation & Dive Accident Management Program (2001); Drowning
Homicide Investigator (2001).
Archaeological Studies:
Nautical Archaeology Society’s Advanced Certificate of Foreshore
and Underwater Archaeology (November 2005). Completed modules
in conservation; submarine archaeology; excavation using air lifts and
water dredges; surveying; photographing, drawing and recording
artifacts; using GIS and GPS; conservation and concretion opening;
flint knapping; ancient rope making and smelting; ancient
woodworking; archaeological sciences (environmental archaeology;
archaeometry; zooarchaeology; archaeobotany; excavating human
remains); submarine archaeology.
Maritime Archaeological and Historical Society's Underwater
Archaeology Certificate (July 2002); PADI Introduction to
Underwater Archaeology (October 2002); Archaeology for Amateurs:
the Mysteries of Crete: online course taught by Oxford University
professors for alumni (October-December 2002).
Archaeological Field
Experience & Studies:
11/2004 - Excavation of HMS Swift in Patagonia, Argentina with
Nautical Archaeology Society (November 2004).
10/2004 – IKUWA 2 Underwater Archaeology Post Graduate Course,
Biel and Zurich, Switzerland and Lake Constance, Germany (October
2004).
7/2003 - National Marine Sanctuary, Key Largo, Florida: Team taught
a marine archaeology field school run by the Maritime Historical and
Archaeological Society while surveying an unknown wreck on French
Reef.
6/2003 - Roebuck Bay, Broome, Western Australia: Underwater
archaeological survey of flying boats sunk during Japanese attack
during WW II with PhD candidate in marine archeology from the
Northern Territories University.
10/2002 - Mojave Desert, California: Aviation Archaeology Field
School and archaeological survey investigating 1948 crash of YB-49
for Bureau of Land Management with The International Group for
Historic Aircraft Recovery.
8/2002 - Lake Michigan, Chicago, Illinois: underwater surveying of
early 20th century unidentified wreck with Underwater Archaeological
Society of Chicago.
6/2002 - Chesapeake Bay, Maryland: underwater surveying of 19th
century unidentified wreck with Maritime Archaeological and
Historical Society.
Dive Expeditions:
Submersible dive expedition to RMS Titanic, Atlantic Ocean (July
2012)
Madagascar Blue Ventures Coral Reef Diving Expedition (August
2005)
Chagos Islands, British Indian Ocean Territory, Nature and
Conservation Expedition (April 2005)
Mad Dog's Expeditions diving the Bianca C in Grenada (Nov. 2001);
Bikini Atoll wrecks (April 1997); WWI wrecks in Scapa Flow,
Scotland (1995)
Bahamas Caves Research Foundation Cave Diving Expedition,
Andros Islands, Bahamas (August 2001).
Dive Destinations:
Cold Water: Kaliningrad, Russia; Lake Issy-kul, Kyrgystan;
Versasca Valley, Switzerland; (altitude diving); New Hampshire (ice
diving); Iceland; Faroe Islands; Aland Islands; Latvia; Estonia;
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Lithuania; Finland; Kaliningrad (Russia); Germany; Netherlands;
France; Monacao; Spain; Gibraltar; Malta; Portugal; Madeira; Azores;
Northern Cyprus; Scapa Flow, Scotland; England; Jersey; Guernsey;
New Zealand; Capetown, South Africa; Patagonia; Argentina; USA
(New York; New Jersey; North Carolina; Lake Michigan); Canada
(Lake Ontario & St. John, Newfoundland); UK; Channel Islands.
Warm Water: Comores; Mayotte; Ghana; Ivory Coat; Benin;
Cameroon; Chad; Reunion; Sierra Leone; Madagascar; Egypt; Sudan;
Kenya; Tanzania; Zanzibar; Zambia; Burundi; Democratic Republic
of Congo; Angola; Botswana; Malawi; Gabon; Cameroon; Chad;
Namibia; Mozambique; Sierra Leone; South Africa; Sao Tome &
Principe; Cape Verde; Turkey; Reunion; Chagos Islands, British
Indian Ocean Territory; Oman; Yemen; UAE; Saudi Arabia; Kuwait;
Iran; Qatar; Bali; Sulawesi; Guam; Northern Marianas (Saipan;
Tinian; Rota); Kalimantan; Bali; Sulawesi; Philippines; Hong Kong;
Singapore; Malaysia; Truk Lagoon; Bikini; Palau; Maldives; Fiji;
Australia; Solomon Islands; Vanuatu; Marshall Islands; Micronesia;
Papua New Guinea; French Polynesia; Marquesas Islands; Pitcairn
Island; Nicaragua; Costa Rica; Easter Island, Chile; Bonaire; Cayman
Islands; Bahamas; Bermuda; Aruba; Bonaire; Curacao; Grenada;
Mexico; Belize; El Salvador; Dominican Republic; El Salvador;
Guatemala; Panama; Nicaragua; Haiti; Cayman Islands; Jamaica; St.
Maarten; St. Martin; St. Bartholomew; Anguilla; St. Eustatius;
Grenada; Barbados; St. Vincent & Grenadines; Trinidad & Tobago;
Saba; St. Kitts; Bonaire; Aura; Curacao; Venezuela; Hawaii and
Florida.
Memberships:
Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society; Society for Historical
Archaeology (UNESCO Committee); Underwater Archaeological
Society of Chicago (Executive Committee); Archaeological Institute
of America; World Archaeological Congress; Nautical Archaeological
Society; Maritime Archaeology and Historical Society; Franck
Goddio Society; The International Group for Historic Aircraft
Recovery; Chagos Conservation Trust; Professional Association of
Diving Instructors; Divers Alert Network; Travelers’ Century Club
(visited 185 countries); Cicumnavigator’s Club.
Pro Bono:
Legal advisor to Blue Ventures (an award-winning UK based charity
specializing in Madagascar reef ecology) and UK Chagos Support
Organization.
Bradt Guide to Madagascar (2007) dive section; Excavating a Pirate
Ship: Lessons From the Queen Anne's Revenge 2005); Funding Your
Dive Expedition (Immersed, Fall/Winter 2004); Profile on Jeremy
Green, Underwater Archaeologist (Immersed, Fall 2003) The Truth
About Flipper: The Secret Lives of the Monkey Mia Dolphins (Asian
Diver, Aug. 2003); Scientific Study of an Unknown Wreck on French
Reef, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary submitted as part of
Maritime Archaeological and Historical Society’s Report to
Lieutenant Commander David Score, NOAA (July 2003); frequent
contributor to Circumnavigator Club, Nautical Archaeological Society
and Maritime Archaeological and Historical Society newsletters;
numerous articles for legal publications.
Publications:
Travel Reviews:
One of Trip Advisor travel website’s top reviewers
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Speaking Engagements:
Media Appearances:
Photographic Credits:
 Traveler’s Century Club, Dublin, Ireland (April 18, 2009)
 Underwater Archaeological Society of Chicago, Illinois (March
2004)
 Cameroon Antenne 1 TV (October 2011); L’Union de Gabon
(March 17, 2010); Novo Jornal de Angola (February 28, 2009);
Russian TV and Kaliningrad Newspaper (April 2008)
 April 2011 Winner in Animal Category and Runner Up in
Landscape Category in French Austral and Antarctic
Administration’s Photo Competition.
 Spring 2010 BP Angola Photo Competition Overall Winner for
Wigged Fan with Angolan Banner
 Photos of Chagos Islands, SEA Yachting Magazine (Nov.-Dec.
2007)
 Photos of Chagos Islands on www.chagosinternational.org (since
2011) and www.chagossupportorg.uk (since 2006).
 United Aid “Loaded Lada” Calendar Picture for January 2005
 Photos of unknown wreck on French Reef, Florida Keys National
Marine Sanctuary submitted as part of Maritime Archaeological
and Historical Society’s Report to Lieutenant Commander David
Score, NOAA (July 2003)
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