Terrence analyzes his gas before departure
Divers wait by the drift ball after surfacing
Chad Roberts and Shawn Douthat after reboarding
Divers take it easy on the ride back to the dock
Project Participants and Sponsors
Monitor National Marine Sancuary
Mariners’ Museum Monitor Center
The Mariners’ Museum
National Undersea Research Center
Maritime Studies Program, East Carolina University
R/V Cape Fear
Coast Guard Stations Hatteras Inlet and Ocracoke
Sartek Industries
Ocean Technology Systems
The Weather Holds
Sunday, May 7, 2000 – Today’s participants:
- Team 1 – Terrence Tysall
- Team 1 – Chad Roberts
- Team 1 – Kyle Creamer
- Team 1 – Shawn Douthat
- Team 1 – Carl Saieva
- Team 1 – Pete Goutmann
- Team 2 – Gary Byrd (ECU)
- Team 2 – Frank Cantelas (ECU)
- Team 2 – Grant Graves
- Team 2 – Ken Schneider
- Support – John Barone
- Support – Clyde Martin
- Standby diver – Tane Casserley (ECU)
- Chase boat support – Steve Sellers (ECU)
- Chase boat/Chamber operator – Glenn Taylor (NURC)
- Dive Supervisor/DMT – Doug Kesling (NURC)
- Project Director and chief archeologist – John Broadwater (MNMS)
- Monitor historian – Jeff Johnston (MNMS)
- Captain, R/V Cape Fear – Dan Aspenleiter (UNCW)
- The Mate – J.D. (UNCW)
Conditions were about the same as yesterday, so we headed out at 0800, our usual departure time. It was a nice clear day with one to two foot seas and minimal current. The surface temperature was about 72 degrees with nearly 60 feet of visibility in the beautiful blue water. On the bottom, the temperature was 63 degrees with 40 to 50 feet of visibility and less than 0.5 knots of current.
We had planned for Steve Sellers to dive to the bottom, but this morning his sinuses were not completely clear, and we switched his position with Shawn Douthat. The teams were staggered by about five minutes again today, and twenty-five minutes was the longest bottom time. This dive profile has the divers in the water for about two hours. The teams were still looking for distinct seams in the lower hull, taking measurements and clearing fouling around the engine.
After all the divers are recovered and their equipment is stowed, the chase boat is recovered. Then the team has a debriefing in the cabin, and most of the divers have a quick snack before settling in for the relaxing ride back to shore. Our weather window may be closing, according to the weather forecasters. We are hoping that they are wrong (again). Tune in tomorrow, and check it out!