Chad Roberts is helped by Grant Graves
Team 1 divers ready to deploy on the dive platform
Divers are recovered on the Cape Fear
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
Burrrrrrr
Monday, May 8, 2000 – Today’s participants:
- Team 1 – Terrence Tysall
- Team 1 – Kyle Creamer
- Team 1 – Shawn Douthat
- Team 1 – Carl Saieva
- Team 2 – Chad Roberts
- Team 2 – Clyde Martin
- Team 2 – Steve Sellers (ECU)
- Team 2 – Frank Cantelas (ECU)
- Team 2 – Tane Casserley (ECU)
- Support – Ken Schneider
- Support – John Barone
- Support – Pete Goutmann
- Standby diver – Grant Graves
- Chase boat support – Gary Byrd (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 marginal at best today. On the way out to the site, we passed into blue water, the Gulf Steam, and back out into green water again, the Labrador Current (also known as the Arctic Current). There is a fishing contest going on in Hatteras right now, and the chatter on the radio while we were heading out was all about the fishermen not being able to find the Gulf Stream and the fish. The winds were a steady 15 knots and the seas were 4 to 5 feet. The current was negligible and the surface temperature was 69 degrees. On the bottom, the temperature was 61 degrees with visibility about 30 to 40 feet. The teams were shooting video in the engine room, sketching the engine area and working on the lower hull looking for seams and rivets.
The teams were all on 25 minute bottom times and had staggered entry times by 20 minutes. Team 1 deployed a lift bag for decompression and Team 2 used the breakaway line. Two support divers were sent down on each group to maintain our safety level. At about 30 feet, the visibility dropped along with the temperature and the remainder of the decompression was a bit chilly. The recovery was more difficult today because of the seas, but it was without incident. It looks like the weather is heading south on us again – but in Hatteras you can never tell. Check with tomorrow . . .