To carry out the salvage operation, a naval party was encamped for nearly a year in a village of wood and grass huts on the island, enduring harsh life under tropical skies. The retrieval began soon after the sinking and a high proportion of the cargo was recovered. A net was stretched across the 480-foot entrance to the cove to prevent the cargo being washed away. Diving bells were constructed out of water tanks and with these suspended – first from a derrick and later from a cable stretched across the cove – the salvage operation was commenced in the very cold waters.

This painting shows the sheer cliffs of Cabo Frio pounded by waves. Figures can be seen on the top and the picture serves to highlight the dangers of the project. The cables are clearly visible hanging precariously from the cliffs while the rope ladder attached to them disappears beneath the foam. The palm trees and lush vegetation of the hills in the distance evoke an awareness of difference and the exotic. On one level the paintings celebrate the triumph of man against the elements in an alien environment, yet also show the risks involved in retrieving a valuable cargo. The place is now called Thetis Cove.