Background on SEPH

Jungle Jim Ewing, and I, Ted Maschal (AKA Ted Danger) decided to head
for the wilderness of the Honduras Miskitia to mine placer gold in the
rivers in 1993. Prior to departing, while researching the area, we
constantly stumbled upon many references to an ancient lost city alleged
to be hidden by the dense foliage.

After months of living in the area, we knew that there was a strong
chance that these stories were more than legend. We sighted large
mounds of obviously grand civilizations in our treks. We visited
hot springs littered with pottery shards. Most significantly, we viewed
a large hard piece of igneous rock, carved in detail in the form of a
serpent, with flared nostrils, and large swirls in the rear of the
head.  That head is what you see when you enter this site.

At that point we decided to someday return to try to answer the many
questions posed by this mystery. Who were the builders of the temples
in the area? Does Ciudad Blanca actually exist? What happened to this
massive population? When did it happen? And what about the rock!?

On a brief respite following the trials of the bush, we went to the Bay
Islands for a bit of rest, and some well deserved scuba diving. Jim met
a Swedish girl while on the Island of Utila, fell for her and moved to
Sweden. Ted chose to maintain residency in his new country of Honduras
and still calls the island his home. Again in ’94 we returned to the
jungle to visit our friends and to try to find a spot that would cover
the gas costs of running the dredge. Ted returned again in ’95 with a
fellow explorer Scottish Mike Spurgin. Mike had come to the jungle to
locate us our first year, and had also joined us in ’94. In October
of ’97 I read an article in a British newspaper about a group claiming
to have located Ciudad Blanca with the aid of SAR imagery. Satellite
Radar imagery is relatively new, and has proven successful with several
other major finds in the world, as well as its excellent capabilities
when examining deforestation.. The head of the group claiming knowledge
of the correct location was a gentleman named Steve Elkins of Los
Angeles. His information came from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
The scientist who apparently tuned the signal to read the site is Ron
Bloom. In the London Sunday times they said they planned to visit the
site in the spring of ’98.

I sent my partner Jim that article, and he brilliantly and swiftly set
about engaging some top specialists in the field to attempt to repeat
the alleged feat, or perhaps surpass it. And surpass it they did.
Privateers, a French satellite radar imagery enhancement company was
able to obtain satellite data from both the Japanese and the European
Space agency. Designing their own enhancement software they were able
to create stereoscopic images that apparently readily showed structures
in the target area.

Jim had put together an excellent web site, and we took on several other
volunteers as partners who were interested in joining us for the trek,
and could provide a valuable service of our group effort. We planned to
shoot a documentary of the discovery, as the site has been mentioned in
the history books for over 500 years. We divided up the tasks we felt
were needed to lead to a first class documentary film. I was to work in
Honduras on obtaining support from any agencies helpful or necessary, as
well as doing the research and obtaining financing. Jim was to keep the
web site current and fly his motorized paraglider above the canopy for
aerial footage. He would also do the technical end of posting daily
reports from the bush to the Internet site via satellite phone. The
satellite scientists had already done their part and would hopefully
join the expedition. There was also a professor of neurosurgery who has
been to the area and wanted to come along. He was overqualified as our
team medic, but we accepted him no hyphens. There was the expedition
outfitter from the Island of Malta, but he was told by his associates it
was too political and dropped.

The group SEPHA, The society for the Exploration and Preservation of
the History of the Americas was now formed. We wrote a charter clearly
stating our intentions in an effort to inform the public and private
sector of our interests. That Charter is most likely viewable at the
official SEPHA web site: http://www.sepha.eu.org    I, however, am no
longer working with the group, as problems arose about the posting of
current information I was discovering in Honduras. I have thought in
this modern day, with the speed of email, when dealing with public
officials it is better to keep all information as public as possible, as
opposed to attempting to be discreet. I believe there are exceptions to
this however, such as when the information represents a possible hazard,
in which regard I do understand the position IHAH has initially taken
regarding making a film and speaking of the anthropological context of
the area.

After clearly asking my former Partner Jim to keep a private posting to
our group confidential, he inserted potentially dangerous information
in some letters to organizations, and I chose never to trust him again.
Quite unfortunately for all concerned, I am no longer privy to the
satellite information of the area.

The group working with me in the capitol has now formed SEPH, the
Society for the Exploration and Preservation of Honduras. We have
obtained a brilliant pair of html hotshots and should now be able to
report on this groups findings on a regular basis. We will continue to
abide by similar charter articles and will post those on this site as
well. The goals of the web site are many, while primarily to document
the progress of the group, it is also a tool to solicit information from
interested parties. It will track the many agencies that support and
work in the area, and summarily report on the achievements of those
organizations. I believe that by keeping the public informed, there can
be a positive change regarding current preservation standards with
regard to the many different resources of Honduras. This web site will
also be used as a vehicle to locate a respected film documentary
production company interested in bringing this examination of one of the
earth's most spectacular and mysterious places, the Honduras Miskitia, to
the eyes and minds of the world. The purpose of the film will be public
awareness of the plight of the largest rainforest North of the Amazon.
It will cover many aspects other then the primary subject, Ciudad
Blanca. It will focus on the deforestation of the area, the endangered
flora and fauna, and the potential impact of the proposed damming of the
Patuca River. The ultimate goal of the film will be to bring Honduras
the much needed tourism dollar necessary to alleviate the slash and burn
of a most beautiful and great jungle of Central America. Working to
support tourism takes the matches and Stil chainsaws out of the
frontiersman’s hands. With friendly pressure the area can be fully
protected in the very the near future, the money is already there.
Designated an international park for almost 40 years, the Rio Platano
Biosphere has yet to receive the attention it deserves.
I hope you enjoy the site, please write with any comments. If you
would like to receive regular updates direct to your email box, let us
know and we’ll add you to our mailing list .

Sincerely,
Ted Danger
ted@teddanger.com